Skyfell - Lost in the Feywild : Sessions 51
Introduction
A few years ago, I started a regular Dungeons and Dragons campaign in my Skyfell setting that I called The Rise of the Glutton which has since been renamed to Lost in the Feywild. I wanted to provide my players with a log of their adventures and then realized that such a log might make for fun blog. See Rise of the Glutton/Lost in the Feywild in my Session Index for a complete listing.
The cast is:
Tabbi (played by Jeff) - male tabaxi, Sorcerer monk (Divine Soul)
Drekzhar (played by Dan) - male minotaur, Bardic rogue (College of Swords, Swashbuckler)
Tauffae Twofeather Topshelf (played by Rodney) - male orc, Fighter (Champion)
Meribore Softwalker (played by Laura) - female firbolg, Druid (Circle of the Moon)
Onyx (played by Leslie) - female tabaxi, Rogue (Swashbuckler)
Session 51 - Test of the Roots: Pools of Radiance?
Preparation
Getting this game scheduled proved to be quite difficult for a number of reasons. The delay in kicking off the next story arc gave me a chance to really mull over what I wanted to do for the third test the party would undergo. The extra time also meant I could goof around a little with attempting to integrate a particular media property that I am quite fond of. I believe some of you might recognize the reference as you read the In-game section. For those of you who don't catch it, just check out the Supplemental section.
I established the general outline of this third test when I first kicked off this series of arcs so I knew where the story needed to go when the "Test of the Trunk" ended. I even had the basic elements that I wanted to touch on. What I didn't have was the actual story and the beats I wanted to hit with each session. So, that was the work that was left to me. This included a few story details and maps. This also corresponded with my temporary dungeon master duties for another game where we switch DMs with each arc. So, there was some overlap in planning to manage. This wouldn't have been all that bad if not for a drastic uptick at work which ate (and continues to eat) away my free time.
Pre-game
It had been quite a while since our last gaming session. Once again, timing, external events, and life events made it difficult to find a common time. So, a good part of the pre-game was spent just catching up. I had toyed with the idea of making something yummy but I was just too tired and other chores were a higher priority.
In-game
Meribore was with Varic and the other members of the Misty Mountain clan in an audience with Thel-issara. Thin wisps of druid leaf smoke drifted through the darkened confines of the Thel's temple as her Hallowed Harmonies hummed reverently (and, let's face it, discordantly and out of tune because that's really the only way a gaggle of campestri can do anything together).
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| Druid Leaf Smoke Fills the Temple Source: Pexels |
With the lesson learned from the test of the trunk (see summary Sessions 45-50), Meribore was ready to move on to the party's next trial--the test of the roots. This was to soothe the crying waters of the Winter Meadow. Thel-isara went on to explain that if the party succeeded at this final test, they would prove themselves ready and worthy of a final challenge that would provide all they needed to restore Dead Island back to life. The Thel then departed.
Meribore and Varic rejoined the party, where Meribore recounted what had happened and what their next test would be. Varic explained that the Winter Meadow rested between the Autumn Meadow and the Spring Meadow (the two locations the party had already visited). This was not a surprise because they had seen the place on their way to the previous test. He did advise that they bring clothing that would help them keep warm as the Winter Meadow could become quite chilly. He offered a few blankets in that regard.
Loaded into the runabout, the party set sail for the Winter Meadow. Once again, the party was enthralled by the sure size of the Evermore tree and the complexity of the ecosystems that existed amongst its branches. They soared over the dense forests that covered the vast majority of the island. Soon, the air began to cool, and then became just a little chilly. This was unusual for Skyfell, where temperatures remained fairly consistent. The change in temperature was reminiscent of the weather the party had encountered in the Shadowfell.
Shortly, they found a clearing in the forest where a singular cabin with that now familiar but unique combination of orc and elven architectural styles. A thin line of smoke rose from its chimney. Several garden patches were scattered nearby. There was also another structure made completely of glass nestled alongside the cabin. A warm glow from inside hinted at this being a greenhouse, something only Tauffae and Drekzhar were familiar with.
True to Varic's report, the air here was quite a bit chillier than anywhere our heroes had been thus far.
As they came in for a landing, an elderly orc wearing very heavy clothing emerged from the cabin. He carried himself with the confidence of an experienced warrior used to dealing with trouble and it was clear that he was not yet sure whether our heroes were trouble.
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| An Elderly Orc Approaches Source: Heroforge design by me |
Tauffae quickly greeted the stranger and explained that they had come from the Misty Mountain tribe as part of a quest to “soothe the crying waters.” The elderly orc introduced himself as Atoog and welcomed the group to come inside out of the cold and have a little warming soup. Our heroes obliged and filed into his cabin. Tabbi lingered for a moment to attempt to start up a chat with the garden veggies (which consisted of cabbages, beets, potatoes, and other tubers) in large part because of the “living” rocks the party had encountered back in Spring Meadow. Alas, there were neither “living” rocks nor “awakened” veggies here. Disappointed, he quickly caught up with his friends.
Inside the cabin, Atoog’s wife, Fara, attempted to rearrange the cramped quarters to offer some comfort in a space designed primarily for two. She then offered everyone some soup.
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| Fara, Atoog's Wife Source: Heroforge design by me |
Atoog explained that normally the soup was uplifting but lately it had taken on a melancholy that affected anyone who ate it. The soup contained a few vegetables from the garden and several stones. It was certainly warming, but everyone did feel a little touch of sadness, perhaps even depression, while eating. Fortunately, the feeling didn’t linger.
While the party went into more detail their task, Tauffae noticed a great scimitar was mounted above the fireplace mantle. It was an old but well cared-for weapon that had clearly seen a lot of use and would clearly require a master swordsman to wield properly.
Atoog explained that the soup's water came from a stream near the cabin. If the party’s goal was related to the stream, then they would need to follow it to its source deep inside the forest. He cautioned them that it was all too easy to get lost in the forest and that sometimes the way back was not the same as the way in.
Onyx asked if there was any supplies, such as blankets or other cold-weather gear, that Atoog might be willing to lend them. The elderly couple provided a few blankets made from a strange sort of material. He called it wool, something that came from sheep. Being from Skyfell, our party didn’t know what a sheep was and so Atoog provided a rough, stick-figure drawing of one.
Shortly, our heroes thanked Atoog and Fara for their hospitality and their aid, and departed. They followed the stream into the woods, treading carefully through the patchy fog that drift amongst the trees which, by all appearances, were dead. All but a few scattered conifers were completely leafless. There was also an unsettling stillness. Absent was the chirping of birds or the rustling of small animals as one might expect in a living forest. Concerned that the place was dead, Meribore stole a few moments to examine the leafless trees. They weren't dead. She could only conclude that they were in some kind of sleeping state but had no idea why they would be in such a state.
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| The Trees Appear Dead Source: Pixabay |
(Do not forget, dear reader, that the temperatures in Skyfell are constant and fairly warm. There is no notion of a tree hibernating during winter months because there are no winter months. There are no real seasons to speak of.)
Curious too about the lack of activity, Tauffae picked up a mossy rock on the edge of the stream. he noted that there was a worm and a few insects scrambling through the mud now that they had been exposed. This too confirmed that even though the forest was so still it was not dead.
As they continued to follow the stream, the fog grew thicker and denser until they could only see ten feet in front of them. This slowed their pace considerably. They might have become completely disoriented had they not been following the stream. Gradually, the terrain began to become more rocky, with boulders and outcroppings making their trek a little more difficult. Over time, these rocky protrusions on their left grew larger and higher, forming a cliff of sorts whose top disappeared into the fog.
After what felt like hours, the party came upon a small structure backed up against the stone cliff. A large, double-door filled its edifice above which was a sign that read, “Welcome to Jsosen Kaiyo Springs: Fun for the Whole Family,” in Elfeyish. Next to the door was a small counter and window. This reminded Tauffae, Drekzhar, and Meribore of the vending stalls back on Clockworks of Carnage. The air here was also quite a bit warmer, moist, and smelled a little of sulfur. So much so that the building's thatched roof and walls were covered in moss.
Tauffae peaked in through the window and Onyx snuck in through the doors while Meribore followed the hard-packed path toward the stone wall.
The inside of the building was an open space with a single partition to the right. A set of wooden backless benches filled the area. A cubby shelf with 40 boxes took up the back wall. Each cubby contained a pair of wooden sandals and white bath robes. As with the exterior, there was mildew and moss everywhere. The robes were a bit moldy.
The partition formed a small compartment for the windowed counter. Here, there was a chair and a set of shelves beneath the counter. On the wall hung a set of 20 numbered, wooden bath tokens that were polished smooth from long use.
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| Bath Tokens Source: Spirited Away |
A mushy, fused stack of pamphlets (their content long-ago weathered away) rested on one of the shelves. A coin box was on the other. Onyx quickly opened the coin box and was delighted to find 37 copper pieces. These were sticky with a green patina, and needed a little cleaning to really get a good look at. A rendering of a large city full of curving towers was engraved on one side of each coin. On the other was a rendering of a welcoming but rather odd looking male with “Our Wonderful Wizard of Oz” written in Elfeyish. Of course, Onyx pinched the lot.
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| The Coin Face Source: Wicked (the movie) with digital manipulation |
The ground around the front of the structure was heavily packed dirt. A trail meandered off toward a long, waist-high stone wall that stretched off into the fog. It ended at a stone archway with a pair of worn, slate stairs leading to a raised wooden walkway. The stream they had followed seemed to be flowing out from under a jumble of boulders near the archway implying that somewhere the water dipped underground somewhere beyond the wall.
The party pieced together that this was some sort of spa that had been recently abandoned in hurry. They wondered whether the “crying waters” had something to do with this. Their path forward seemed obvious, but before they passed through the archway, they all agreed that each should have a bath token just in case someone (or something) beyond the wall would be expecting visitors to have one. Onyx even put back a few of the coins to pay for the tokens. (Though, I mean, really, she stole the money in the first place and then put some of it back so was she really paying? I’ll leave that ambiguity to the philosophers and her conscious to work out.) They ended up with the following tokens:
- Tabbi - token 5
- Drekzhar - token 13
- Meribore - token 14
- Tauffae - token 15
- Onyx - token 19
Our heroes passed through the archway and stepped up on the raised wooden walkway. The ground around the walkway was mushy and covered in thick mosses and lush growth that clearly had once been well manicured but had been left to grow wild. The fog was still quite thick too. Immediately, the walkway split into two different directions. To the left, there was a pool of steaming water. A little, rotting ladder clung to the edge of the walkaway and sunk into the pool. A post had been positioned near the ladder in front of the pool with the number “1” written in Elfeyish carved into it.
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| They Enter the Spa |
The party quickly concluded that there would be a numbered pool for each bath token. They decided to follow the left walkway and were immediately greeted with another post, this one marked with “2” and another pool. Tabbi became excited as this meant they were nearest “his” pool and so hurried the party along past “3” and past “4” until they arrived at “5.” Here, Tabbi got down on his hands and knees and took a good hard look at the steaming pool of water. It definitely smelled a little of sulfur but the water was fairly clear. Cautiously, he reached out to touch it.
And as his finger broke the surface, the water roiled up into a snakelike form that whipped around Tabbi’s body and yanked him under. The rest of the party gasped, drawing weapons while they tried to understand what had just happened.
Shortly, Tabbi popped back up out of the water and quickly realized that his body felt quite different. He had neither arms nor legs and his tongue kept flickering out.
The others didn’t see Tabbi. They saw a constrictor snake.
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| A Giant Snake Surfaces |
After some brief panic, our heroes calmed down enough to piece together that Tabbi had turned into this snake. And of course, when they asked the snake if it was Tabbi, the snake nodded.
This transformation worried the group. Did every pool have the same effect? Was the effect permanent? If this was similar to a Druid’s wild shape ability, it might only last a few hours. If this were magic similar to true polymorph it might be an hour or less. Assuming that the spa was the source of the “crying water” that they were to soothe, there was no way to really know Tabbi’s ultimate fate until they dealt with the "crying water."
The party pressed on, following the wooden walkway passed numerous other pools, including “13,” “14,” and “15.” Eventually, the walkway split once again, one way seemingly doubling back into the spa area and the other continuing forward to a large pond. The portion of the walkway that crossed the pond was collapsed but it did continue on the opposite bank. They would have to jump. The stream that the party had followed here trickled into the spa from the opposite bank of the pond.
As they decided what to do next, the surface of the pond began to churn and bubble. A column of water rose up from the surface and transformed into a humanoid form in a striped uniform blouse, skirt, and sun hat.
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| They Meet a Water Elemental |
“Welcome to Josen Kaiyo Springs,” it said. “I hope you’re enjoying your stay. How may I help you today?”
The party asked about the spa, where were the patrons, why was it abandoned, and whether the waters were cursed. The elemental explained that Josen Kaiyo Springs was a vacation spa fun for the entire family. For a short time, anyone who bathed in its waters would become something else, giving folks the chance to know what it’s like to walk, fly, crawl, or slither in something else’s skin. Each spring changed a person into a different creature. But something had gone wrong with the source of the water further up stream and so people stopped coming. “I am quite happy for your visit,” the elemental said, “and I’m more than happy to do whatever I can to ensure you have a safe and enjoyable stay.”
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| The Elemental Source: Candlekeep Mysteries, 5e |
The elemental went on to explain that hot spring “13” would transform one into a flying monkey. Drekzhar considered whether this was something he would want to, or need to, experience. Hot spring “14” transformed visitors into a chicken and “19” into a giant snail. Normally, the effect lasted only an hour and could be reversed using the cold water from the pump on the opposite bank of the pond but since the waters upstream turned bad, cold water no longer reversed the curse but rather just reverted the person back to their natural form.
Whenever these conversations waivered toward wrong doing, misbehavior, or other naughty actions, the elemental became very agitated. As it did so, its waters churned and darkened with a raw anger that, thankfully, she did not unleash. It made the party wonder, though, whether the elemental, acting in its role as docent and minder, had not done something bad to the guests and that that had been the reason for the place to be abandoned.
Taking in all of this information, the party realized that this was not, in fact, the “crying waters” that they were meant to soothe. They must continue further upstream. Tabbi slithered through the pond to emerge on the other side back to his tabaxi self. The others leapt across the pond. Tauffae flew to the opposite bank to find the pump where Drekzhar pumped the water to get his friend back to is orcish form.
“Have a wonderful day,” the elemental called after our heroes as they continued to follow the stream. "Come back any time to Josen Kaiyo Springs. It's fun for the entire family!"
End Session 51.
Experience earned:
Drekzhar - 450 (80,437 total)
Meribore - 350 (80,441 total)
Onyx - 350 (80,294 total)
Tabbi - 360 (80,674 total)
Tauffae - 350 (80,855 total)
Supplemental Material
Post-credit Scene
Ever since Bronte's and Oma's departure, I've been dropping in little hints of what has been happening to them as "post credit scenes." Here is this session's edition:
Dinguess, Oma, and Bronte are inside of a small room amounting to little more than a closet. Steam pipes run along the walls and across the ceiling, bringing the temperature up to fairly unbearable levels. “When we got picked up by the winkies, I thought for sure we were being taken straight to the Witch of the West. But I think we’re heading north instead. That means Gilikin country and Locasta. I don’t know if that’s any better. I mean, at least with the Witch of the West you know where you stand. The Witch of the North is a different story. “Good” comes in many different flavors, some of them can leave a very bad aftertaste. We are in for an adventure, gents. That much is for sure.”
Inspiration
Anyone who has been reading these summaries knows that I draw ideas and inspirations from many different sources, especially from pop culture. I already talked about how the arc for Clockworks of Carnage was inspired by one of my favorite Doctor Who storylines Robots of Death (see the Session 21 Supplemental Materials). Others might have noticed the nod to one of my favorite mange/anima in this session: Ranma 1/2. The original manage (which I read parts of) and the original series (which I very much loved) came out in the late 80s. A reboot came out on Netflix earlier this year. There's also a Super FamiCom fighting game (which I have) with mechanics very similar to Street Fighter and other fighting games of the time. The entire series is a bit chaotic and over the top in many ways.
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| Ranma 1/2 Poster Source; Netflix Series Reboot |
This comedy series follows the story of Saotome Ranma, a teen-aged, hot-headed martial artist who is part of an arranged marriage to Tendo Akane who is also a master of martial arts. The gimick in the story, however, is that through his travels, Ranma and his father Genma had fallen victim to the cursed springs of Jusenkyo. These springs, a collection of small pools, transform anyone who falls into them into whatever died last in the pool. In Ranma's case, it was a girl. For Genma, it was a panda. Of course, there is a host of other characters who either want to love Ranma, fight Ranma, or both.
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| Jusenkyo Springs Source: Ranma 1/2 Anime |
Anyway, anyone who read the above should readily see what I did with this session. I've reversed the rules around the transformation: whereas in Ranma 1/2 cold water spurred the transformation and hot water reversed it, in my story hot water triggers it and cold reverses it. And obviously, I've turned the springs into a spa where the transformative effects were meant to be a silly way to spend an afternoon rather than a full curse that could not be removed. Still, when I was considering this third arc around water, I always had a strong need to pull in this little quirk and it really does seem to fit in quite nicely with what I'd imagine the kinds of shenanigans a feywild spa would offer.
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