Sessions

Session 1 - April 4, 2022

Began First Blush
Aurelei talked with Elias, who told her to pack warm for Waterdeep
She decided to run away and packed everything important
Kicked Dresik and Torvald’s asses in Bharmyr’s arena, as usual
Ran into Remmy (Griffin McElroy voice) on his way out of the kitchens, immediately asked him to run away with her, he packed a bag and they went to see Elias to teleport away
Aurelei’s amulet started to feel warm and rise off of her chest, and emitted a burst of bright garnet light as the teleport spell concluded
Aurelei panicked and reached out to grab Remmy and Elias, Remmy saw this and reached back, Elias was focusing on the spell and didn’t react in time
Aurelei and Remmy teleported away as they heard Elias scream from beside them

Session 2 - April 23, 2022

Aurelei and Remmy arrived at a mountain in the Cloud Peaks, north of Amn
Saw woods below them, heard a wolf’s howl from the trees
Found shelter under a pile of rocks, turned out to be the entrance to some kind of structure
Runes above the door (ancient language with Elvish roots) read “The Lonely Hold: Show the Sign and Enter”
Aurelei held up her amulet to the door and it unlocked
They went inside and found a leather pack with 50 ft of rope, 6 gp, a potion of healing, and a potion of cold resistance
Looked at the frescoes around the walls depicting a great war between good and evil, evil won
Found a pressure plate that opened a secret stairwell, they took it downstairs
Found a door with some lines carved into it, didn’t see any kind of handle to pull it open
Ambushed by an ice mephit when checking out the fallen pillars from the cave-in, Aurelei and Remmy split the cold resistance potion
Found a ring of protection and took a short rest after beating the mephit, healed back to full
Approached the door again, Remmy checked to see if it was a push door
When he touched it, its eyes opened and it spoke (deep falsetto, Taako-esque voice)
Door wasn’t sure what it was guarding, but Aurelei and Remmy seemed much nicer than the people who made it, they had creepy smiles and seemed mean
Aurelei asked the door to open and it did, she promised she’d come back for it, they went into the dark hallway ahead and lit some torches

Session 3 - April 26, 2022

Aurelei and Remmy found Garren (strong, deep voice) and the frost giant (FG) in the final room of the prison
Aurelei/Jasper initially suspicious of Garren, thought he was the true monster locked up
Slowly started to trust him after fighting 2 more mephits together
Jasper is going to keep him around even if he does end up being evil, b/c it makes for an interesting plot
FG chased them out of the inner chamber, hit Garren hard on the way out, he dropped to 1 hp
FG tried to break down the talking door, it didn’t hurt, Aurelei was going to stay with it until the end, but decided to let it open instead (she felt extremely guilty about letting it be attacked)
Aurelei remarked about the FG being the monster the door was guarding, its last words before hiding in the wall were “I’m not exactly sure what I was guarding, but I didn’t think it was that”
The gang escaped the prison, FG broke through the wall after them and chased them down the mountain
Aurelei tripped on a rock, screamed at Remmy to keep running, he hated to leave her but did so at her command
FG caught up to Aurelei and swung its club at her, Garren leapt in the way to block with his shield, he was crushed instantly
Aurelei didn’t see Garren under the club, & at the same time felt a warmth on her chest and a weight around her neck. Jasper initially thought this was another teleport, doesn’t seem to know that Garren’s in the amulet
The club smashing into the mountain caused an avalanche, which is the last thing Aurelei saw before being swept away and knocked unconscious
Concluded First Blush
Leveled up to Ranger 2, got Two-Weapon Fighting style and learned 2 spells: Cure Wounds and Entangle

Session 4 - May 8, 2022

Began Second Glance
Aurelei woke up from her nightmare in bed in a cozy hut; Remmy was there to comfort her
Met Eliastra (Galadriel/Lucretia voice), who checked on Aurelei and asked how she was doing
Eliastra asked how Aurelei got buried; she said it happened after they freed the FG from the prison
Eliastra was confused; there are plenty of FGs just living in the Cloud Peaks, why would one be imprisoned there?
Aurelei mentioned finding Garren in the prison as well
Amulet started to heat up and buzz, Aurelei eventually realized it was asking her for something Jasper was very puzzled)
Aurelei asked Garren to come out, and he appeared in the hut, confused but grateful to be alive
Aurelei asked if he was okay and how he got into the prison, Garren said he was put there
Garren doesn't remember everything, and isn't ready to share what he does remember
Garren asked for the date, Aurelei said 1495, Garren was shocked (last he remembered was 13-something). Aurelei rolled 10 Insight; Garren looked sad. (Jasper knows it's because his family is gone)
Aurelei asked if Garren was okay, he didn't answer
Eliastra motioned for everyone to come outside and give Garren some space; Aurelei and Remmy followed her out
Eliastra told them the other druids were very curious about their arrival and invited them to explore the clearing while she meets with her friend Restan
Eliastra suggested they bring Garren (once he's feeling sociable) to meet Janvair, who knows a lot about lore and history. Said he may be able to help with Garren's past
Aurelei and Remmy are going to explore while Eliastra talks to Restan and Garren gets some alone time

Session 5 - June 15, 2022

Switched to alternate Ranger features - Favored Foe & Deft Explorer (Expertise in Perception)
Aurelei and Remmy wandered around the druid enclave, noticed all the huts, including 3 vacant ones (1 recently)
They were invited by Sanstra to chat with her and Gwenett (both plain voices); Sanstra is very friendly and talkative; Gwenett less so
Sanstra mentioned Gwenett is naturally skeptical, suggested Aurelei's story is a bit hard to believe
Saw Eliastra after her meeting with Restan, she invited them to dinner later that evening
Garren came out, he had a while to process and he's going to be okay for now
They went to see Janvair (deep, friendly voice); he asked about Garren and made the connection to the amulet
Aurelei took off her amulet (😮) to let Janvair study it; she watched from across the table the whole time
Janvair's wife Diala came in to bring everyone water, she left them to their study
Insight check: Diala both doesn't want to interrupt and doesn't want to hang out with PCs
Janvair gave the amulet back after a short while, he'll study it for a few days and get back to Aurelei with what he learns. In the meantime, he suggests Garren not stray more than a mile from it lest his condition worsen
PCs went back to Eliastra's for dinner; she asked about their day (Diala and Gwenett specifically)
Eliastra admitted she knows some in the Circle are wary of PCs; told them about the Duskhollow magistrate's plan to clear the forest and expand the town
Aurelei understood why the newcomers with a bizarre story aren't entirely trusted by all
Eliastra suggested a mission for PCs to gain the druids' trust - locate and rescue Vin'trys the Cervidae, who was been missing for 5 days
Aurelei doesn't know what Cervidae are, Eliastra described their beauty, intelligence, and wisdom
Rangers reported seeing large hoof prints near the edge of Duskhollow
It's not safe for the druids to enter Duskhollow with tensions as high as they are, so the PCs will go instead
The Circle can't offer much, but promised PCs some magical trinkets (and maybe druidic magic) as a reward, along with their trust
Eliastra offered 5gp each from Restan as a goodwill down payment; Aurelei politely refused, Remmy and Garren accepted
Eliastra warned that even the goddess of commerce would be horrified by some of the actions in Duskhollow - Be alert, and remember who you're dealing with"
The forest is dangerous at night, so PCs should rest well and leave in the morning
Aurelei, Remmy, and Garren are gonna plan a great con
Jasper wants to go back to see the talking door soon

Session 6 - August 28, 2022

PCs awoke and prepared to leave for Duskhollow
Eliastra gave Aurelei a talisman which serves as a map back to the Sacred Grove; warned her not to let it fall into the wrong hands. "Please bring it back if you can, but if you must destroy it to stop someone from finding it, do that instead" - Aurelei promised to bring it back and tied it to her belt
Also received a small pink flower on a plant leather cord - acts as a Potion of Healing
Met Restan for the first time, he wished them well. Sanstra was also there to see them off - she couldn't keep it a secret that she's gifted with intuition and sees an aura of significance around the PCs, but didn't want to say more and risk disrupting their path. She said they're going to do well
On the road, Garren asked Aurelei about her life in the castle. "I never wanted for anything, but also it sucked." His experience was different, but he gets it
He asked about being misteleported; Aurelei said she's taken teleport circles every year (and had the amulet the entire time), so something must have changed this time. Whatever the reason, Garren is glad to be rescued and enjoys the company
Aurelei noticed a set of bear prints between the druid colony and the town; PCs followed them into a spring where they vanished in the water. 3 Investigation; not able to learn anything else
Back on the path, Aurelei heard rustling in the bushes ahead. Garren stepped on a branch that snapped, startling whatever was ahead; PCs drew weapons just in case, and then a Needle Blight and 2 Twig Blights appeared
Aurelei rolled Insight; the Blights looked more scared than aggressive; Aurelei talked to the NB and it accused them of attacking its friend
NB tried to hit Garren, nat 1, PCs held their attacks and tried to figure out what was happening. Nat 20 Intimidate; "We haven't attacked you, but if you don't back off, we will!" Eventually the NB realized it was surrounded and outmatched, and surrendered. "Asked" Garren to move, and picked up the Twig Blight (surprise!) whose leg he'd stepped on and broken
Aurelei cast Cure Wounds and reattached the leg with fresh vines; the NB looked relieved and allowed the PCs to pass. Aurelei promised to be more careful about where they step in the future
Almost out of the woods, Aurelei saw wolf tracks while looking for Vin'trys's tracks; the wolf tracks get smaller along the road and eventually become human footprints leading into town. Dirty 20 History; if werewolves are real, this seems like a sign of one
Told Jasper OOC about the druid council meeting house where the PCs have slept (because I forgot to earlier)

Session 7 - September 16, 2022

PCs made it into Duskhollow; it was surprisingly quiet for a commerce town in the afternoon
First stop was to The Sleeping Fawn Inn & Boarding; met the owner/proprieter Melusine Villeta (Mel) (southern belle voice), who wished them a pleasant stay in town
PCs got a garden suite for 5 gp; Aurelei took a bath while Remmy and Garren hung out silently
Next stop, Salodan's Emporium; bought some perfume and parchment, and met with Salodan (big, excited voice), who offered another Potion of Healing and a Quaal's Feather Token (Anchor) for 50 gp each
Salodan mentioned he feels bad for Mistress Louissa; many folks in the backwater don't see the good she's trying to do by expanding the town's reach and shipping lumber to Amn
Aurelei revealed she's from Amn; Salodan assumed she must understand the magistrate's side, then
PCs went back to the inn before dinner; Remmy took a bath while Aurelei and Garren talked
Garren told Aurelei he wants to repay her for freeing him; she said she doesn't want him to feel like he has to stick around because of a debt; he said he doesn't have anything anymore, and it's nice to be around someone he knows
Remmy came out of the bath; "Whatcha talking about?" "Drugs!"
On the way to dinner at the Greenside Tavern, PCs saw two men chasing a teenage girl; shot them both in the shoulder and made them drop the purse they stole from her; the men fled, and Aurelei invited the girl to dinner
Met Kaitsyl Stonefoot of Stonegarden (Sam Gamgee voice), the friendly and welcoming face of the Greenside Tavern; ordered hot stew and bread
The girl introduced herself as Deni Tumble (plain voice); Aurelei asked why the men were after her; she asked if Aurelei is a cop; Aurelei said no (but also cops will lie to you, ACAB)
Deni explained the men were poachers who were ripping off her grandmother, only paying her half of what her farm's eggs and produce sell for in town, so Deni decided to get even, especially since she knows the poachers are on good terms with the magistrate (her purse was full of stolen coins)
Deni asked what Garren's deal was (re: made of crystal); Aurelei said it's an enchantment to make him a better protector
Aurelei offered to help Deni in a few days if she still needs it, after PCs take care of their own business; didn't tell Deni what that is, and impressed that they don't know each other and didn't have this conversation, just a regular dinner after they rescued her
Aurelei asked Garren to walk Deni home; he accepted, but on their way out, she saw something that made her bolt out the back door (she told Aurelei she could get home without being seen, and she would be okay)
Moments later, a man walked in and approached the PCs, who had just started playing cards to blend in
Introduced himself as Bertrand Prenav (posh English voice, sometimes slips into Cockney), the magistrate's assistant, and wanted to thank the PCs for stopping the "common bandits" in the street
He offered a quest to apprehend a dangerous criminal hiding in the forest to the south, waylaying travelers who then leave town without spending any money
Mentioned he generously offered the quest to the druids already, but they had too many additional terms that Duskhollow was not prepared to meet; he can't say any further
Apprehending and returning the criminal will reward the PCs with 50 gp
They were having trouble tracking him down, but recently received word from Amn of his whereabouts
Aurelei introduced herself as Lady Aurelei Gavrayn of Amn, and Bertrand lost his shit; "I can't believe I offered you mercenary work, that's so beneath you"
Aurelei accepted the work anyway; "If you want something done right..."
Bertrand was so sleazy, but the PCs managed to keep straight faces while dealing with him; he was excited to tell Mistress Louissa about the celebrity in town
Aurelei and Remmy played a few rounds of Three-Dragon Ante after Bertrand left, while keeping an eye on things in the tavern; Aurelei nat 20; Remmy 18; Aurelei won big after a close game
Things in the tavern were mostly normal, but Aurelei noticed that when Bertrand was leaving, he kept a close eye on a man who had come in to drink for a while
PCs regrouped at the inn to talk about their weird, busy day and plan for tomorrow
Remmy thought it was weird that Deni said the poachers were tight with the magistrate, but Bertrand praised the PCs for stopping them. Aurelei said someone either has wrong information or is playing them, but Bertrand now knows that she outranks even the magistrate, so there shouldn't be anything to worry about if the town wants to build good relations
Going to check out the criminal in the woods tomorrow and see what they find out

Session 8 - July 4, 2023

PCs went after the criminal (Flemm) through the woods, circling back onto the path near where he was reported hiding
"Ambushed" by 2 more Twig Blights; PCs let them approach
Aurelei spotted Flemm's robe behind a tree off the path, didn't notice the Vine Blight behind another tree
Approached Flemm and started a conversation, tried to figure out his goal/motive
He mentioned being convicted of "irresponsible magic use" by the Council of Magic Oversight and sentenced to a labor camp (he escaped on the way and made a hideout here)
Flemm stalled for a round until the hidden Vine Blight could attack Aurelei, then became aggressive
Vine Blight entangled Aurelei and tried to get the other PCs as they approached
Aurelei managed to one-shot Flemm, non-lethally putting an arrow through his leg
Garren slew one of the Twig Blights; the other two Blights fled
Aurelei revealed her identity as a Gavrayn, Flemm was impressed by her standing
PCs planned to return Flemm to Duskhollow for the time being, then "escort him to the labor camp" and free him, setting him up with a fresh start and changing his name to a better one he comes up with
On the way back, Flemm mentioned the werewolf tracks ("Nasty business, that"), but explained that no one knew who the werewolf was or else there wouldn't be a werewolf anymore
They returned Flemm to Bertrand and received the 50gp reward, then went back to the inn to freshen up before meeting Bertrand for a tour of the town (so Remmy could sneak into the Magistrate's office and look for signs of the Cervidae)
Remmy hid Aurelei's bag in his pockets so she could "lose" it at the office, giving him an excuse to return and look for it in case he was caught
As Bertrand and PCs left the office, he locked up after himself and led them to the Temple of Waukeen
Aurelei placed a gold piece at the altar, and the stained glass windows shone brighter for a moment
On standing up, Aurelei tripped over her dress to make a small tear as an excuse to look for her sewing kit - on a 6 deception, she overdid it and tore it all the way up the seam
On a 2 perception, Bertrand still bought it
Aurelei tried to flirt with Bertrand (showing a bit of thigh) to persuade him to lend Remmy the key instead of accompanying them all back ("I'd hate to be seen walking through town like this"), but he passed his check exactly ("If it was up to me, I would")
Aurelei took a large step forward, opening the slit in her dress even wider as it flowed behind her
"What sort of undergarments does Bertrand catch a glimpse of under Aurelei's beautiful going-out dress?" "...undergarments?"
On a natural 1 con save, Bertrand fell over flustered and had to pray, leaving the key on the bench and looking away as Remmy picked it up
Aurelei and Garren sat silently in the back row while Remmy ran back to the office to snoop
He found a letter indicating Louissa's plans to keep half the profits from logging the forest and doctor the town records to cover it up, unknown who the letter was to
Also found a ledger showing exorbitant interest charges for Adwyn the cleric on the temple renovation loan
Remmy alerted a suit of animated armor while snooping through Louissa's desk, and was miraculously able to recall enough Elvish from Aurelei to read the needlepoint phrase on the desk ("Under watchful, empty eyes") and get the armor to stand down
He also found a note on the mantle from the poachers to Louissa, informing her that the druids are werebears, but that they don't pose a threat as werebears are peaceful and keep to themselves
Remmy returned with the sewing kit and Aurelei patched up her dress - on a nat 20, it looks even better than before ("It looks like it had never been torn, but now it's got the character as if it had")
Bertrand recovered and invited the PCs to dinner as an apology
Kaitsyl was delighted to see the PCs entering the tavern until she saw Bertrand with them
Over dinner (hot stew and bread), Aurelei and Remmy started a game of Three-Dragon Ante with Bertrand to edge him out
Bets went higher until Remmy won a 2-gold ante on a nat 20; Bertrand played one more round to try and recoup but Aurelei won
Bertrand left without touching his food; on his way out, he stared at the same man again, who looked even worse than the night before; Jasper asked when the full moon was ("Not tonight, but soon - waxing gibbous")
There were some cheers from the tavern as people watched Remmy beat Bertrand at cards, and the tension visibly lifted after Bertrand left
Aurelei let Remmy keep the 2gp he won from her; he tried to leave 1 as a tip, but she gave it back and did the same herself
On the way out, they thanked Kaitsyl for the delicious food and asked for some bread to go; she mentioned being suspicious of Bertrand (and Louissa) and understood the PCs must have their reasons for working with him
Kaitsyl said she's met a few of the druids, and they're good folk; she's also worried about Destin (the sick-looking man) - he's been unsteady lately and is quick to sadness or anger
PCs returned to the inn to debrief about Remmy's findings and strategize; current plan is to check out the temple in the morning (and possibly meet Adwyn there)
Garren pointed out it was odd that Adwyn wasn't at the temple and Louissa wasn't at her office, and suggested maybe they were somewhere else together - possibly with the Cervidae?
PCs don't have enough to go on at the moment, so next stop is the temple to get more info

Session 9 - July 7, 2023

PCs went to the temple early in the morning; still no one there
Aurelei left another gp in the offering plate and saw the same glow; must be the god's way of saying thanks
They checked out the 2 doors in the back; one was locked, the other led to the cleric's study
Inside the study was a secret door hidden behind an old tapestry; Garren forced the door open revealing Vin'trys the Cervidae (soft voice), shackled and injured by a hunter's trap
Aurelei offered her the healing flower and her leg started to recover
As PCs discussed next steps, Vin'trys spoke in their minds; she was worried about being seen leaving during the day and would prefer to wait until after dark
Aurelei planned to spread gossip about herself to clear the streets by luring people to the tavern; Garren would stay in the temple with Vin'trys; Remmy would be with Aurelei until it was time to sneak Vin'trys out
Vin'trys made a mental connection with Aurelei that would allow them to talk at a distance once or twice (she didn't have the strength for more)
Aurelei and Remmy paid ahead for another week at the inn, then went to the tavern before the lunch rush to ask Kaitsyl to spread the word
After PCs mentioned that the town leadership might not be an issue for much longer, Kaitsyl called her wife Barris (low Scottish voice) over to join the conversation
Aurelei and Remmy went to talk quietly at a table to determine how much to tell Kaitsyl and Barris about the situation; also wondered if people would buy a rumor that they're shacked up together ("Can you tell if there are any vibes between us? Vibe check??")
PCs decided not to out Destin as the werewolf
"We might know things that you don't, and you might know things that we don't, but telling us the things we don't know won't put us in any more danger, and telling you the things you don't know might put you in danger."
Kaitsyl said she knows that the druids are werebears, and that they're peaceful but Louissa doesn't care
"We know about the werewolf, and we think we know who it is... we do know. We want to help both the town and the werewolf, but there's a different crime we have to take care of first, and that's why we need the streets cleared."
Kaitsyl made an insight check that Aurelei didn't perceive, but Remmy did and asked her what was up; "I think I've just put 2 and 2 together, and I hope I'm wrong, but I think I'm right."
As Barris comforted Kaitsyl, Aurelei promised they would keep Destin safe and wondered if the druids could help him
Aurelei and Remmy left to finalize the plan with Garren and Vin'trys; on the way out, Aurelei made a 10 nature check and saw the moon setting just above the horizon; it looked like it would be full tomorrow night
PCs regrouped in the hidden room and planned to take Destin with them tonight when they escaped, so they could get him to the druids before he transformed
Planned for Garren to continue staying with Vin'trys while Aurelei and Remmy returned to the tavern to get lunch and draw a crowd
Destin (low, rough voice) came in and sat a few seats down from Aurelei; she mentioned hearing good things about him from Kaitsyl; "You've been talking about me?"
Nat 20 deception: "Oh, just about everyone"
Aurelei also offered to buy all his drinks; "How heavy is that purse?" "Heavy enough." "Good, it'll have to be."
After some pleasant conversation and good rolls, Aurelei finally got Destin to start opening up; he said there wasn't anything in this town for him and wondered what she saw in it; he never had any friends his age growing up
Aurelei and Remmy got distracted thinking about Flemm and the realization that they haven't seen a jail in town; Kaitsyl confirmed there wasn't one; PCs unsure of what the magistrate wanted with Flemm, but it doesn't seem good
Aurelei swore in Elvish at the realization, and Remmy asked her to teach him some more swears; she told him "Please fuck me, I'm a very cute and submissive boy" was an all-purpose word like damn or crap; nat 1 deception
"Oh, so if I kicked your chair out from under you, that's what you'd say?" "Yes."
He did so, she exclaimed it loudly, and six elven ears perked up throughout the tavern
"Sorry, I'm not any of those things, I promise!"
Aurelei started a game of Three-Dragon Ante with Remmy and Destin and eventually invited the elves to play; one politely declined; one approached her on his way out and said (French voice) "It seems you're at least cute, and possibly another one of those things"; the third (smooth English voice) played a few hands before leaving ("I hope to see you again soon")
Card game continued as the tavern grew full; Bertrand entered and joined Aurelei for a few hands, losing another 2gp before continuing to a table at the back; Aurelei collected any winnings as a tip for Kaitsyl
As the sun set, Remmy ducked out to pick up Garren and Vin'trys; streets were empty as he approached the temple; rolled a low perception check and went in to get them
They carefully snuck out the door and started to head west out of town; Remmy rolled a low stealth check; they continued moving
As they made it to the tree line, they were chased and stopped by the cleric Adwyn (old man voice); Remmy told Garren and Vin'trys to keep moving into the forest while he talked Adwyn down
After 2 failed intimidation checks, Remmy approached Adwyn to knock him out and was stabbed in self-defense
Adwyn begged Remmy not to take Vin'trys; said she was the only hope for his son
Remmy finally rolled a successful persuation and told Adwyn they were taking Destin somewhere he'd be safe; Adwyn broke down and agreed, but only if he could come with
Remmy and Adwyn started to head east back to the tavern and saw something terrible in the distance
Vin'trys contacted Aurelei to tell her that she and Garren were safely in the woods and that Remmy was returning with Adwyn; she couldn't hear what they talked about but it seemed to be peaceful at last; Aurelei could feel the mental connection weaken
Aurelei finished up her card game and walked outside to see what was taking Remmy so long; she finally saw him and Adwyn running toward her while pointing at the sky
Looked up to see that she was wrong about the full moon; it was rising tonight
Ran inside and tried to pick up Destin and carry him out; bad roll; he fell out of his stool on top of her
Aurelei tried to clear out the villagers without explaining why; they started to confusedly shuffle out as Destin began to transform; someone noticed and shouted "werewolf!", and everyone finally started panicking and running
Bertrand was the last one out; he stopped to say "Well, this doesn't look good" before leaving
Aurelei apologized to Kaitsyl and Barris for their tavern and ordered everyone to leave and bar the doors
Everyone eventually got the front and back doors boarded up securely, but Destin broke through one of the windows into the street where Aurelei and Remmy surrounded him
Aurelei contacted Vin'trys again to explain the situation and ask for Garren's help; Vin'trys said she'd be safe in the meeting spot until they found her there again; the connection faded completely
Garren arrived shortly thereafter and helped subdue Destin, who was too drunk to be able to bite anyone and eventually collapsed from exhaustion
Adwyn healed him and asked Garren to carry him to the temple to be shackled until morning
Aurelei promised Kaitsyl and Barris she'd have the tavern repaired; they were just grateful there was no loss of life
She and Remmy discussed what to do about Adwyn next; "the things we do for love" vs. "looking for a justification to cause harm"; maybe both are true
Everyone's tired, let's get some rest and figure things out in the morning; tomorrow is certainly going to be hell in Duskhollow

Session 10 - July 9, 2023

Aurelei wrote a note for Destin - "sorry, hope you're well, I'll be on an errand until this evening"
Aurelei and Remmy went to Vin'trys in the woods and asked her to tell the druids about Destin and ask for their help with him; gave the Sleeping Fawn's address so the druids can reach them; Vin'trys departed into the woods
PCs picked up Garren and dropped off Aurelei's ruined dress with Mel for repairs; Mel mentioned hearing about a town meeting at midday
PCs went to the tavern and talked to Kaitsyl about how she's doing; Aurelei helped her clean up the mess
Went to Adwyn's house next; he apologized and was persuaded to tell her about the temple "renovations" (Louissa was charging him for helping him kidnap Vin'trys)
He said he's wholly devoted to his son and regrets feeling like he had no other way to help him; on a nat 20 insight check, Aurelei knew he meant every word
He said it was a miracle Destin was okay; Aurelei scoffed; "I prayed for help and then you arrived; what is that if not a miracle?"
Adwyn asked to accompany PCs and Destin to the druids; Aurelei reluctantly agreed on the condition he keep it secret
PCs wondered where Flemm could be; went to Bertrand's house to check there
Noticed a trapdoor under an upturned corner of the rug; Remmy tried to break in while Aurelei sent Bertrand to make tea
Lockpick broke in the door; Remmy replaced the rug and PCs left without finding Flemm
PCs waited in town square before the meeting; Louissa approached from her home/office and addressed the crowd
Thanked Aurelei and her companions for their help with Destin; Aurelei named Remmy and Garren and offered (lied) to take Destin to advanced healers in Amn
Louissa began riling up the crowd - "We must drive out the dangerous primal creatures who threaten our way of life"
Aurelei: "They have as much a right to exist as we do - you just have to take the proper precautions when going into the woods"; offered to capture the wolf who bit Destin next month and have him healed as well
Louissa: "Taking the proper precautions means driving back the druids whose dangerous magic corrupts the forest and threatens our people and home - this is bigger than just one or two werewolves"
Aurelei intentionally passed out to cause a scene, but Louissa kept preaching; Remmy and Garren brought her into the temple and prepared to run with Adwyn and Destin
Adwyn: "Oh, is she okay?!" Remmy: "She's fine, she's just allergic to bigotry"
Remmy nailed a note to the temple door as they left; "The gods will strike down those who harm the forest's people"; 18 intimidation
PCs escaped into the woods; Aurelei woke up in Garren's arms; they continued running while Remmy filled her in
Made it back to the Sacred Grove; PCs left Adwyn and Destin at the edge and went to warn Eliastra about the mob; she gathered the druids to discuss
Aurelei talked to Destin while they waited; he thanked her and apologized; he thought Adwyn would keep him safely locked up while he drank to forget; he wants to be friends
Eliastra said the druids want to stay if they can, but would prefer packing up peacefully to bloodshed if that wasn't possible; she asked Aurelei to help negotiate
Brought PCs back to her hut to thank them and reward them for freeing Vin'trys, who passed through a few hours before and gave them Aurelei's message
Eliastra said Destin and Adwyn could stay with them for now, but Adwyn would have to leave eventually
Rewarded PCs with 100gp, Silver Raven Figurine, and Cloak of Elvenkind
She also said Janvair made a report on Garren's history, but not his condition or the amulet; asked if she could more closely examine his condition; placed his hands in hers and tranced; said it was placing him in grave danger
She told PCs about a wise wizard friend a few days' travel north who may be able to help
Aurelei helped pack up, then everyone went outside to wait
Aurelei gave Remmy the cloak for the night and asked him to sneak around disarming the mob, but go for Flemm first if he's there
Asked Garren to stand with her and help with intimidation
Everyone waited in the clearing for Louissa and her mob to arrive

Session 11 - July 13, 2023

Louissa's mob arrived at the Sacred Grove; Aurelei tried to reason with them and told them the druids would leave peacefully
Salodan approached and accused Aurelei of turning against them; he was then entangled by vines from the ground (likely from one of Flemm's Blights)
Louissa announced that the druids were attacking the villagers and commanded them to defend themselves
Remmy managed to disarm many of them beforehand, and Aurelei and Garren intimidated a few more into dispersing
The mob charged Eliastra, who applied barkskin, and Janvair, who transformed into a bear, while Louissa fired arrows at Eliastra
Aurelei and Garren managed to hold off most of the mob while Remmy attacked Louissa from behind
Remmy was surprised by the Vine Blight, and ran back behind Louissa after being attacked
Bertrand charged alongside the mob and got a few hits on Eliastra, but was unable to significantly wound her through her barkskin
After being marked with faerie fire by Eliastra and seriously injured by Aurelei's longbow, Louissa fled into the woods; Aurelei still managed to land a final shot without seeing her, and heard her collapse into the leaves
Bertrand fled as well after seeing Louissa missing
PCs and druids managed to disarm and disperse most of the crowd; Salodan was the last one fighting, but eventually gave up as well
PCs chased into the woods after Louissa; Aurelei noticed Flemm running through the trees as well, but continued pursuing Louissa first
Aurelei healed Louissa and finally persuaded her to stand down, then chased after Flemm while Remmy and Garren restrained Louissa and Bertrand
PCs returned Louissa, Bertrand, and Flemm to the villagers, who camped outside the enclave that night
Exhausted from the battle, Aurelei collapsed onto Remmy's chest and fell asleep under a tree
Concluded Second Glance
Leveled up to Ranger 3, got Fey Wanderer archetype and Primal Awareness and learned 3 spells: Speak with Animals, Alarm, and Charm Person
Remmy gained expertise in sleight of hand and stealth; Garren gained improved critical

Session 12 - July 15, 2023

PCs awoke and talked to Eliastra, who thanked them
Aurelei brushed flowers out of her hair (lilac and honeysuckle); realized they must have grown in her sleep (Otherworldly Glamour)
Eliastra said the magic of the Feywild could be trying to reach Aurelei, and taught her the Guidance cantrip as promised
Garren spoke with Janvair, who gave him a history of the Spellplague and suggested they meet with his old friend Stellarin (who Eliastra mentioned) to see if he could help with Garren's curse
Janvair gave Garren his old Handy Haversack for storage; said he didn't need it anymore since they weren't leaving; thanked PCs again for that, since it's hard for him to find a comfortable bed and he's looking forward to keeping his own
PCs talked to Adwyn, and Aurelei suggested democracy for Duskhollow; he agreed to facilitate an election, and let the town decide what to do with Louissa, Bertrand, and Flemm
Aurelei said goodbye to Destin before leaving; he thanked her for her help and told her he'd like to stay friends
Sanstra and Gwenett came to see PCs off as well; Gwenett expressed her thanks for freeing Vin'trys and protecting their home; Aurelei was very happy to have finally made a good impression
PCs traveled back to Duskhollow alongside the villagers; quiet trip back as everyone reflected on the events of the night before
PCs stopped by the inn to collect Aurelei's dresses; Mel apologized for getting caught up in Louissa's lies; she believed they were doing the right thing and didn't realize they'd been misled
Aurelei asked if the remaining 5 days on her room could remain as a credit for the next time she's in town; Mel agreed and wished them well
Stopped by the tavern before leaving to catch up Kaitsyl and Barris; Aurelei assured them that Destin was safe with the druids and offered 25gp for the repairs; Kaitsyl promised to return the change if there was any left
PCs left Duskhollow, waving to Adwyn on their way out, and traveled north to find the wizard
Over 2 days, the forest gradually became more vibrant and wild, as PCs neared the Veiled Wood where the border between planes becomes thin
One morning, Remmy reported hearing a strange call when he was keeping watch the night before; PCs went to investigate
Arrived at a misty bog and encountered 2 Harpies, who lured Aurelei and Remmy in with their songs
Aurelei was able to snap out of it quickly, but Remmy was lured into the bog and Aurelei heard his skin sizzling
Aurelei and Garren dispatched the nearest harpy, and Remmy finally came to his senses and escaped the bog
Aurelei healed Remmy and chased down the harpy that had charmed him, killing it with her bow as it fled
PCs looted the harpy nest, finding a potion of healing and 100sp, then returned to their camp for a short rest
Aurelei and Remmy talked about how scared they both were, and pointed out that this was the first time Aurelei had killed another creature

Session 13 - July 20, 2023

PCs finished their rest and continued north; came upon a small hill from where they could see a crooked tower to the north and a partly obscured gap in the forest floor to the northwest
Went to investigate the gap; came across a large sinkhole 40 feet deep with a hut in the center; Garren suggested meeting the wizard first and coming back here later
PCs arrived at the tower to find three Elven rangers arguing with Stellarin (old rambly voice) over an Awakened Shrub he'd captured; Aurelei intimidated him into releasing the shrub in exchange for allowing him to examine Garren's more interesting condition
Stellarin levitated the shrub down (after pushing it out the window) and the rangers thanked Aurelei for her help; introduced themselves as Vielesha (high excited voice), Tidan (low voice), and Paylyc (smooth voice); warned PCs to be cautious around Stellarin before leaving
PCs entered the tower and met with Stellarin on the top floor; he only ever addressed Aurelei; said he could cure Garren's condition but he'd need a few more ingredients; tasked them with acquiring troll's blood (fresh from the limb) and an amber mirror
PCs went after the mirror first; traveled east to find it laying atop an old spherical shrine surrounded by ivy-covered pillars
Aurelei tried to grab the mirror and was restrained by vines, as a voice laughed from nowhere and echoed her feelings
Twinklelolly the Pixie appeared after reading Aurelei's thoughts and restraining Remmy and Garren as well; she demanded a humiliating story; Aurelei told her about "Please fuck me, I'm a very cute and submissive boy"
Twinklelolly said she'd give up the mirror if the PCs brought her back a replacement and played a prank on Stellarin
On their way back, Aurelei spotted Tidan stalking them from in the trees; she questioned Aurelei about what they were doing at the shrine; Aurelei convinced her that they were only working with Stellarin out of necessity
Aurelei expressed discomfort with having to kill the troll; Tidan understood and reassured her that it wasn't native to the area and was causing harm of its own
Tidan led the PCs back to the rangers' camp and offered to let them stay
Aurelei cooked breakfast in the morning (quail eggs and root vegetables) and tried to buy a hand mirror from Vielesha; she offered it for free as thanks for cooking
PCs returned to Stellarin's tower; Aurelei distracted him by asking if he could enchant the mirror to appear amber while Remmy snuck around moving everything 2 inches to the left
Stellarin announced he was no illusion wizard, but he could give it a try; turned around and knocked over a massive crystal ball; no one could catch it and it shattered on the floor
PCs passed their deception checks to keep straight faces; they left awkwardly while he cleaned up; they all felt a little bit bad about it
Returned to Twinklelolly and let her relive Aurelei's memory of the prank; she was delighted and traded the mirrors
PCs went north to the troll's cave next; saw a raven watching them intently from the trees
Aurelei snuck in a side entrance and spotted the troll inside, as well as lots of rust-colored mold
Garren got stuck in the crevice, so Aurelei pushed him back out and they all went back to the front entrance
Through the antechamber, went into a side room and found lots of dead adventurers and a weird mushroom clump; looted a satchel containing 40sp, an emerald, and a ring
The looting alerted the fungus, which animated and attacked; PCs ran from the room and left it there
Garren was injured by some of the mold; told Aurelei and Remmy it was Russet Mold and that sunlight could kill it
Aurelei squeezed through a crawl space on the other side of the antechamber and came across a family of Vegepygmies (mold folk) surrounding a Driftglobe; offered to trade her perfume for it, but they declined
PCs short rested in the antechamber to heal; Aurelei identified the Ring of Mage Hand
After resting, PCs proceeded into the troll's chamber and killed it; Garren cut off its arm to bring back with them
On the way out, Aurelei told Remmy about the Vegepygmies and he went in to see them too; they followed him out and tried to communicate; Aurelei cast Speak with Animals; they liked that the troll sometimes left food scraps for them to scavenge, but didn't like that sometimes it ate them
It was after dark, and PCs got lost on their way back to Stellarin; ran into another awakened shrub in the woods that kept sneezing; it apologized for its allergies and offered pointers about the Wood and its landmarks (advantage on future survival checks here)
PCs finally arrived at Stellarin's tower; he had prepared a floor with a magic circle; added the mirror and troll's blood and performed a ritual on Garren; nothing happened
He wished it hadn't come to this, but said there was another step he could try; told PCs to bring back some jellied newt from the witch in the sinkhole; warned them that she's dangerous and has been known to vaporize people
Aurelei asked if Stellarin was serious or jerking them around; "I've only killed three things ever - one was that troll, and the other two hurt my friend. I would consider wasting our time to be hurting my friend"
Stellarin was intimidated but promised he could do it; also requested PCs retrieve a ceremonial dagger the witch's familiar had stolen from him
PCs went to stay at the ranger camp; Aurelei asked about the witch and relayed what Stellarin said; rangers were aghast and told them she was a wild magic sorceress named Fee Ree who accidentally hurt her partner in a surge; she created the sinkhole to live in self-exile, but she's very kind
Also told PCs the "ceremonial knife" was a dangerous weapon, but they don't know the specifics; asked them not to return it to Stellarin
Paylyc said they needed to confirm something first, but they might possibly have a way to help with Garren's curse in case Stellarin was unable
Everyone slept, and PCs departed with Vielesha in the morning (after Aurelei made breakfast again) to check on Fee Ree

Session 14 - July 21, 2023