The Old Lands - Session 1 (1-2-25)

A mysterious and willing prison of the Lizardfolk Shaman greets the party with a mischievous smile

JANUARY 2ND, 2025

A party of 3 recently promoted low officers of the Black Church are in the small town of Qyn'ki, chared with investigating anomalous activities, locating Master Chapter Librarian - Beau Abernathy, and undermining the local influence of Ahriman. They discuss the history and current state of the world, including the influence of the Gris Empire (secretly controlled by the Cult of Ahriman) and the Black Church. They are then set on a mission to investigate rumors of captured officers of the Patriciate and therefore a potential lead to the location of the Beau Abernathy (aka “The Frenzied Fox”). Intelligence from the Black Church suggests some officers were captured in a bold raid by Renji worshipping Lizardfolk.

The players strategize on infiltrating the Lizardfolk village, using stealth and distraction tactics, such as poisoning face huggers to disrupt the lizard folk guards. They also engaged in role-playing, discussing their characters' backgrounds and motivations over campfires. After some successful skill checks, the party successfully locates and enters the Shaman’s temple. The party was careful to be as stealthy as possible since the temple was filled with a dangerously large number of troops. The group engaged in a combat strategy involving initiative and grapple checks to quietly subdue lizard folk and a scale tooth. They successfully grappled and drowned one lizard folk, while another was killed by a long sword. Hunter's Mark was used effectively, dealing significant damage. They found a golden key, a javelin +1, and a bone whistle on the scale tooth. After the fight, they rescued a prisoner named Lonnie Skywalker, who provided coordinates for their next mission. They then set up camp, made traps, and cooked "swamp chicken" from the lizard folk. The session concluded with plans to meet at the Black Doe Tavern in Qyn’Ki.

Action Items

-Travel to the meeting location between Beau Abernathy and the lizardfolk shaman.

-Obtain the items that allow safe passage through the "exclusion zone" around the nearby tower.

Decisions made

• The party decided to infiltrate a lizard folk stronghold to rescue prisoners.

• They chose to use a poisoned glass gator baby as a distraction.

• The group decided to free the prisoners and escape.

• The party picked up a page from the Book of Vile Darkness

Issues & Risks

• The risk of encountering glass gators in the swamp.

• Concern about alerting guards during the infiltration.

• The risk of being discovered while escaping the stronghold.

Next steps

• The party will start their next session at the Black Doe tavern in Qyn’Ki.

• They need to meet with Gina Lombardi, their boss and the master thief for the black church.

Questions discussed

• How to sneak into the lizard folk village and rescue prisoners.

• Whether to poison the glass gator and use it as a distraction.

• How to escape from the dungeon after freeing the prisoners.

Lonnie Skywalker provided the party with some useful information that could aid their mission against the Gris Empire:

• He gave them the location of a meeting between Beau Abernathy, the Archmage, and the other high officers of the Patriciate. This seems to be an important meeting the party may want to investigate.

• He also mentioned that there are three items that would allow safe passage through an "Exclusion Zone" around a nearby tower. Obtaining these items could be crucial for the party to reach the meeting location.

According to the information provided by the prisoner Lonnie Skywalker, there are three items that can lead to the players being able to more safely navigate the "Exclusion Zone" around the nearby tower:

1. The first item is a set of notes or coordinates that Lonnie had in his possession. He described them as being written in a cipher, suggesting they contain important information about accessing the exclusion zone.

2. The second item is some kind of artifact or item that allows passage through the exclusion zone. Lonnie mentioned the party would need these items, as the exclusion zone seems to have some kind of anti-life or anti-death energy that makes it dangerous to traverse without protection.

3. The third item is not explicitly named, but Lonnie indicated the party would need it to enter the Great Oubliette in the center of the Exclusion Zone. The party called this item a Divine Key.

FULL OUTLINE

Black Church and World Setting

DM explains the significance of items found in the Black Church, noting that their practices are tightly held secrets.

The Black Church is described as a community-based institution, similar to old European barbarian religions of the Gaelic and Celtic tribes.

The world setting includes a cycle where everyone goes underground during a purging, and things are reborn and refreshed.

After Gris's Empire was co-opted by the Cult of Ahriman, the cycle stopped, and anomalies have recently started appearing, indicating divine powers at work.

Character Backgrounds and City Anomalies

DM discusses the characters' backstories, including Grim, including pursuit of his father.

The city where the characters are now (Qyn’Ki) has an anomaly, with reports in Black Church archives but no clear explanations.

The city is described as a small hamlet with a population of about 800 people, with the same anomalous phenomena happening to previous officers.

The characters are investigating the new city and the anomaly, as well as undermining the authority of the Gris Empire. They are also tasked with locating and determining the goals of the archmage and Master Chapter Librarian Beau Abernathy (aka the Frenzied Fox)

Gris Empire and Lizard Folk

DM describes the Gris Empire, which has taken over much of the world, including the city the characters are in.

The city is run by a baron called the Swamp King, and Beau Abernathy, a high Archmage, is rumored to be in the area.

The characters are heading to a northern area to find people working for Beau Abernathy, who were captured by a cult of lizardfolk who worship the Demon God - Renji.

The journey involves sailing and traveling up a river, with the characters discussing their plans and backstories.

Character Introductions and Role-Playing

The characters introduce themselves, with Oberyn describing himself as a knight who doesn't mind getting his hands dirty.

Stevia, a lightfoot halfling bard, is described as having a figurine of a hag and a duck that turns into a goose.

Grim, a former guard investigator, is obsessed with the truth regarding his father and is quick to jump to extreme solutions.

The characters engage in hypothetical discussions, with Oberyn suggesting the party steal strawberries from the Strawberry Oasis. They have a goal to grow and sell the valuable strawberries

Nature Check and Lizard Folk Encounter

Grim rolls a nature check with advantage, finding lizard folk footprints and a large reptilian footprint.

Stevia uses her duck to find a map of the lizard folk village, which helps the group plan their approach.

Oberyn uses his high insight to learn more about the village, including the presence of a shaman and the location of the officers.

The group discusses their strategy, including using poisoned face huggers to distract the lizard folk guards.

Stealth and Distraction Tactics

Grim and Stevia sneak into the village, with Grim using his expertise in stealth to avoid detection.

The group poisons a face hugger and throws it into a guard post, causing two guards to become sick.

The group observes the guards' reactions, noting that one guard gets ill and defecates on the floor and the other guard returns to his post, presumably to get help for the ill guard.

The group decides to use another face hugger to further distract the guards, with Stevia using her performance skills to rile them up.

Final Preparations and Encounter

The group prepares to move forward, with Grim and Stevia continuing to sneak around the village.

They discuss the layout of the village, including the location of the shaman's layer and the prison cells.

The group plans to use the distraction caused by the face huggers to sneak into the shaman's layer and rescue the officers.

They finalize their strategy, with Grim and Stevia ready to take on any guards that might be alerted by the commotion.

Initiative and Combat Strategy

Grim suggests a coordinated attack to drown or stab the lizard folks underwater, emphasizing the need for initiative.

DM confirms the use of initiative, and explains the new rules for surprise rounds.

Grim and Oberyn debate who should go first, with Oberyn being chosen for his strength.

Oberyn successfully grapples a lizard folk and drowning it.

Grappling and Attacks

Oberyn asks if the grappled lizard folk is incapacitated, and DM confirms it is grappled and underwater.

Oberyn decides to use Action Surge to stab the grappled lizard folk, dealing significant damage.

Stevia casts silence to cover the area, and Grim attempts to grapple another lizard folk.

DM describes the actions of the lizard folks, including one running towards the doorway and another arming up to attack.

Oberyn throws a javelin, dealing significant damage to a lizard folk commoner.

Hunter's Mark and Tactics

Grim uses Hunter's Mark to target a lizard folk, dealing extra damage on hit.

DM describes the actions of the lizard folk, including one being marked and another attacking with a shield.

Stevia and Grim discuss their positions and strategies, with Grim using Hunter's Mark again.

DM describes the actions of the lizard folk, including one being grappled and another attacking with a tail.

Oberyn successfully attacks the lizard folk with a long sword, dealing significant damage.

Final Attacks and Looting

DM describes the final actions of the lizard folk, including one being obliterated by Oberyn.

The party rolls an investigation check to find items on the lizard folk, including a golden key and a javelin +1.

Oberyn decides to break a bone whistle found on the lizard folk.

The group discusses what to do with the bodies, deciding to dump them in the hallway or a cell.

Stevia casts knock to open a door, and the group prepares to sneak out past the guards.

Escape and Encounter with Prisoner

DM describes the group's escape, with Oberyn successfully passing through the water.

Grim rolls a stealth check to sneak past the guards, and the group discusses their next steps.

DM describes the encounter with a prisoner named Lonnie Skywalker, who offers to help in exchange for freedom. Lonnie seems particularly friendly to the players’ cause after being freed instead of taken prisoner.

The group agrees to let Lonnie go, and he provides them with notes and coordinates for their next mission.

There is another mysterious prisoner the party interacts with. This prisoner seems to be staying in their cell willingly. Stevia makes a high perception check and learns the prison is maintaining an illusion to cover their skull face and smells of death and fiends. This mysterious prisoner provides a warning before disappearing.

DM describes the group's return to the swamp, setting up camp and making a meal made from the flesh of lizard folk.

Reflections and Next Steps

The group answers questions about their values and perspectives, with Oberyn prioritizing accomplishments, Stevia being an optimist, and Grim being a fatalist.

DM sets the stage for the next session, describing the Black Doe Tavern and its inhabitants.

The group discusses their plans for the next session, including interacting with various characters and completing their mission.

DM provides additional details about the characters and their roles, including a smuggler and a fence. There is also talk about an ancient cleric that lives in the town.