Session 27 Prep

Set Expectations

Set the expectations for the session and communicate any above table information FIRST before starting the session…

Welcome back
- Thank you for bearing with me whilst I took care of life shiz
Final session at my parents place
- Probably a short hiatus again whilst I finish getting moved into my new place; but we’ll back soon and hopefully more regularly again after that.
This session is pretty loose - I’ve left this one pretty open given it’s our first pickup at this table in a while; help ease back into the story where it was left off
- Theatre of mind; bespoke resources are a luxury I don’t have the time for at the moment so I kindly ask you all
- I have no idea how timing will go - this might be a shorter one if the pacing is faster than I expected.
Having some small technical issues with the maps so please bear with me if the switching isn’t smooth
- I have started making my own software, but not ready for the limelight yet.
Food
Any questions?

Recap & Re-Familiarize

Recap the previous session events with brevity, then reintroduce them to the world.

Last we left off…

You all continued deeper into The Shifting Shades; hoping to find a path to SHAI’s society or the locations of Jin and Axton.
Your journey brought you to a fungus inspired realm above a towering plateau known as The Sporelands - where you found your comrades stranded at the bottom of gargantuan bored hole in the plateau. You managed to rescue them.
Continuing deeper in you came across a Fey woman who asked for your help to find her tantruming daughter - warning you it would not be easy but offering a reward as her thanks.
You bumped into Barlok - a Terralpi boy who was friends with a Stevan; Dridge’s son presumably. Stevan had gone further into The Shifting Shades despite his friend’s objections - you told him to return home and get adults to help whilst you continued on.
Inside a deeply canopied clearing - you came face to face with a young girl with blonde-pigtails atop a comically large pumpkin. She announced herself as The PumPrincess and launched an assault against you; with 5 of her Pum’Knights by her side.
You manage to quell her as the skirmish came to an end - where you learned Stevan had been watching from the bushes around the clearing. Just as you had a moment to truly breath - a porcelain white-skinned Fey flew down as his booming voice scared The PumPrincess. The PumKing - as he called himself - inquired if any of you had seen his daughter as he feared for her safety.
It took careful deception by your group - led by Jin’s aptitude for negotiation to buy your troupe enough time to leg it out of the clearing and back towards The PumPrincess’ mother - his Ex-Wife.
The PumKing realised your deception shortly after and tried to locate you all - but clever hiding and tree cover obscured you well enough to shake him. Shortly after - you bumped into Dridge who shared a tender reunion with his Son before informing you all of small base found by a community of displaced Terralpi like himself. As the Terralpi turned to leave - Dridge invited you all to visit at your leisure - and suggested it as a good resting point between The Shifting Shades and SHAI’s society.
Returning to the clearing where you had met the woman - you no longer saw her in stasis atop a pumpkin. As Mother and Daughter were reunited - with The PumPrincess apologising to The PumQueen for her tantrum and promising to get better at using her powers. Her mother accepted the apology and thanked you all for returning her daughter safely - and for deceiving her ex-husband.
An awkward interjection from Jin changed the topic of conversation to the reward she had promised - where she offered you all a night’s rest at Castle Pumpkin, as well as the potential of more convenient transport through The Shifting Shades the next day.

And that’s where we’ll pick up from…

The current day is still unknown.. It is the late evening as moonlight is beginning to flood through the cracks in the canopy above you.

Immediate Event

The immediate action for the Party to deal with.

Castle Pumpkin

Castle Pumpkin is equal parts comical and grandiose.
“Castle” is applied very liberally here.
A large central pumpkin with multiple interconnecting stems that connect it to smaller pumpkins suspended in the air.
PQ: “There are hidden pockets all over The Shifting Shades - if you know where to look and how to unfold them…

The PumPrincess can give a tour of the place.

PumQueen’s Room:

No one get’s to see this
“Even for Fey - it is rude to ask to see a Woman’s room uninvited.”

The PumPrincess’s Room

Very childlike
Toys, dolls, musical instruments; all with pumpkins painted on them somehow.
Bunk bed with a study underneath; with a half-open book.

The Gallery:

A large chamber accessed via an underground path.
Contains various artworks, sculptures, etc.
- Much of the works here have been… edited… by The PumPrincess
The only thing of note is a large statue of a 7’9” man that kinda looks like Aurevald.
- Same pointed ears,
- Very similar symbols
- “Oh this is something I got from my husband when I left. I don’t really know what it is, but he seemed upset that I took it - so I’m just twisting the knife if I’m being honest.” (Gyi’Gantos statue)

Kitchen:

The PumQueen will be here preparing dinner and baking sweet treats
- The smell of cinnamon and nutmeg waft over your noses
“Some thing are best done by hand - even if Magic could do it faster.”

Plots Points/Paths Forward

Details about various plot threads that can be explored this session - with a subheading for each one.

Aurevald’s Dream

Dream of the night of the storm that sunk the Reginald IV; the sailing ship he was employed on a long, long time ago.
It’s the late afternoon after a successful days’ work.
- Can’t help but feel like something is off?
- You pardoned yourself from supper to get some fresh air above deck.
  - What might be on Aurevald’s mind?
- You are startled as Sodar Reginald - your captain - approaches to check on you.
  - Dressed in deep black Captains robes; accented only by the dark red undershirt he almost always wore. You remember a rumour that the original flag for the Reginald IV was once just a crudely painted on shirt of the same make; but you’ve never confirmed it. The man is probably 20 or so years older than you - but you’ve seen him in thick of action, he’s in incredibly shape for a Human man of his age.
  - Sparkly, pearlescent teeth peeking through the curtain of his very luxurious beard - with the thick, dark red hair covering the majority of the bottom half of his face.
- “What brings you here, my good navigator?”
- “Does the ship feel like home to you now - or at least; do the people aboard it?”
- “Do you miss home? Wherever that was. What do you think your parents are up to?”

riff a bit on his parents - see if he brings/avoids the topic of his father.

“Let me tell you Son - my father was a piece of a shit. Used to use me as an ashtray and spit on the burns; and that’s just the stuff I haven’t been able to purge. By the time I was 13 - I was big enough to punch him in the face; and shortly after I was slapped on the next ship to rock up in harbor.”

“It wasn’t all bad though - I wasn’t born Sodar Reginald; I became him as I learned how to win with the cards I was dealt.”

“The captain of my first vessel - the Reginald III - took me under his wing and raised me right… Saying this out loud I realise this sounds presumptuous, perhaps.”

“I guess what I’m trying to say is this… Not everyone gets the Father they need at birth; and some never do. But the world is truly immense - and there’s lot of Men; hell even a lot of Women, who might just be the Father for you. Do not abandon hope good friend…”

pause to let him response

“Don’t stay out here too long - Ms Timbers warns that you will catch a cold! I’ll be in my study if you want to share a drink and (how does she say it?) shoot the shit. See you later, navigator!!”

A few moments later - Aurevald will hear a voice call out to him from the horizon as a flash of lightning strikes meters from the bow of the ship…

Switch the map and prepare to wing shit; after a short while - the boat will lurch to one side and Aurevald will be thrown overboard (DEX saving throw)

Travel

A new day - calm weather, still winds. Castle Pumpkin smells like cooking porridge, warm baked treats, and freshly squeeze juices.

The morning is theirs to do as they please…

She can find locations with an accurate enough description - so long as her vines can make it there.
The PumQueen is aware of SHAI’s society; she can’t get them directly there but definitely speed up their journey
- The PumPrincess will say “I saw a scary green flash the other night - I thought it might have been Father so I stayed away.”
She offers them 2 PumCookies - a magical baked treat that functions as a greater healing potion.

Wing this part - wherever they want to go - she’ll fold the space using vines to temporarily affix part of The Shifting Shades to stay constant/consistent

They’ll have advantage on all survival/perception/investigation checks when determining their course Eastward.

Riff for a bit - give them some downtime to discuss what’s happened and about where they’re going next

Dice Roll	Result
1	Dense forest with thickets of unique mosses, grasses, and plants.
2	A foggy sequence of clearings where you each have to be careful not to get lost from one another.
3	Mucky marshland that at points has you 4ft deep in mud and swamp-water. The croaks of ribbits are a comfort from the other, less pleasant noises you hear.
4	Sparse forests that give you much more room to breath. This is a good chance to take a break if you were looking for it.

Statue #2

Eventually they’ll stumble upon a similar Stone statue that resembles Aurevald - this one is lither and older than the one in The PumQueen’s gallery.
The base has an plaque with a faded inscription that reads Gy...'os.
The figure is holding an ornate hammer in one hand and a shield in the other.

Let them investigate for a bit; a keen eye (DC18-21) will find a hint of Glyphchalk residue present around the base of the statue.

Eventually they’ll all hear a familiar, shrill voice “Boss! Help me! It’s dark and cold!!” from behind Aurevald.
- If they turn and look away - they’ll see the head of what looks to be a giant constrictor snake with made of sticks/bark. The blue glowing energy from within it’s mouth illuminating the sap like substance dripping from it’s fangs.
- It’ll dash between them (DEX18 save or be knocked prone and take 2d12 force damage) before grabbing the statue in it’s jaw and ripping it out of the ground.
- It has an AC of 19 and resistance to all damage except Fire.
- on the first time it takes damage it will leave behind a Frozen Scale; which seems to be imbued with innately cold energy (it will faintly react in proximity with Fimbul)
If they choose violence:
- AC 19 and 400 HP, resistance to all but Fire damage
- 3 “Tail lash” attacks per turn; +9 to hit / 1d10 Piercing + 1d4 Cold damage.
- Moves 80 feet per round
- Can bury underground as a bonus action; grants disadvantage on attacks against it.
- After the first round of combat; it will bury and attempt to flee. They have to get creative to try and stop it.

let them search and rp if they want - make shit up

The Stronghold

The commotion will eventually bring over a familiar Terralpi voice as Dridge pops his head up from the ground:

“what the fuck happened to the statue?”

He’ll invite them inside and show them around.

A stone brick stronghold built into the ground with incredibly high ceilings (11ft)
- Loosely reminds you all of the Dwarvish ruins you explored a few weeks back. Similar - in the derivative sense - architecture; although you’re not sure who derived it from who given how old this place feels.
The place smells musty and their are skeletons of small creatures strewn through the many halls.
Dridge doesn’t know much about this place “I only got here a bit ago myself - all I know is that whoever they were, they had good taste in forging weapons. Maybe one of the bookworms will know more!”
The previous owners:
- Old timer Terralpi named Quill who at the sight of Aurevald will call out “Blimey! You’re one of those GIGANTOS, aren’t you?”
- A younger man (named Flick) will turn to him and say “Quill.. how many times must I tell you? It is not pronounced GI_GAN_TOES - it’s GHEE_GANT_OSS”
- Wing the rest - the lore is fluid…

SHAI’s Society

If the session goes this long -

The PumQueen or another NPC (either by pointing on the map or sending a pumpkin to follow) will advise them that there is a path opening nearby that could lead them to SHAI’s society. It’s about half an hour away and should stay open for at least the next 45 minutes to an hour.

Arriving at the location - they’ll see the space in between two trees waver and flicker as their perception adjusts (if the pumqueen doesnt’ get involved; SHAI will have to trust his instincts and try open the fold himself)

As the space folds away - The Fated Eight officially exit The Shifting Shades and have arrived at the very furthest outskirts of SHAI’s society… Welcome to The Hidden Leaf.

From this position, you all see the reinforced outer wall of a truly sprawling civilization - this place would make Roan feel small. There seems to be several ornate spires/towers that jut upwards from the walls and are scattered throughout the more central regions of the civilization. From this angle you can’t see much below the wall, but you can see most of the buildings atop the central spire. SHAI you would know that region to be the Capital of your home; Boston.

Looking below the wall - you notice the crystal clear lake that The Hidden Leaf seems to resting above - as bridges connect the out walls to the ground around it at 4 points.

I need perception checks from all of you please… (DC21 sees something vaguely humanoid floating above the tallest spire. Otherwise all they see is that it’s surprisingly quiet; SHAI would know this place should look bustling - even from this distance.

What is SHAI’s reaction to seeing his home?

How does everyone else react to seeing this place they’ve heard so much about?

You estimate you’re maybe half a day’s travel from the main entrance.

The trail winds down a sloped hill as you notice the terrain here follows a pretty uniform curve around the entire civilization; survival check DC18 reveals that the ground looks like it was impacted by something large a very long time ago.

Wing this give them some more time for RP/discussion; have SHAI tell the others about his society…

Reach flat ground, and a short walk to a bridge the main gates. The stonework here is almost TOO perfect.
This close to the lake - you can see a near perfect reflection of the sky; and clouds, above you. The water is eerily still; as if it’s being stopped from moving.

Arriving at the main gate:

The usual sound of busy bodies and conversation can’t be heard…
There is a faint shimmering veil surrounding the city up to the outer walls; and he notices that everything behind it is lifeless, still, and frozen in stasis.
There is a familiar man stuck at the very edge of the veil
- Dressed in mages robes; the colours unclear because of the veil, the man stands at 6’7” tall with a hand outstretched barely touching the boundary between the veil and here.

SHAI will realised that this man is PIERCE. His face locked with a constant expression of shock and horror.

SHAI - you can tell something is very wrong with The Hidden Leaf right now… and that’s where we’ll end today’s session.

-well, that’s where we’ll end it for your characters.

Post-Credits

Somewhere else; inaccessible to you all, a man is standing in a dark, black void. He stands atop a barrier - and beneath him are the drooling mouths of countless fiendish creatures. Atop the barrier - he is alone; aside from the gargantuan golden scales in front of him, as grains of sand fall from somewhere above. As each grain falls - the scales fluctuate back and forth. The man knows that when the grains stop falling - the scales will determine his resting place. As the grains slow to a trickle - he is aghast to see it replaced by drips of blood.

Meanwhile; in the material plane, an older man in a gold-and-blue cloak watches over as his servants conduct a rite; ensuring not a single thing goes wrong. The muffled, dying cries of 5 convicted souls echo throughout the chamber - as the man watches their blood drip into one side of the large, golden scales in front of him. He watches the scales adjust - before raising a hand as more cries pointlessly attempt to escape the sealed chamber buried deep beneath the ground. More blood pours into the scales.

Finally - as the scales reach equilibrium he thrusts his sleeved arm into the air, and the remaining blood is suspended mid-air. He gives the command to activate the rune inscribed into the floor of this chamber. Energy crackles, and the blood in the scale begins to boil and bubble as a red-viscous fog pours up and out of the scales. It crawls towards the centre of the rune - collecting thicker and thicker until eventually - it takes on a Humanoid shape.

The rune went dull as a smile stretched across the face of the cloaked man. They had been successful - they had done it. They had brought Him back - just in time for a new mission.