Shadowdark Session Recap: 1/4/2025 – New Moon Bay Trading Company – Gongaii Games

Summary

The adventurers had recently completed a perilous mission in the Monkey God Temple, where they successfully recovered an elixir for a dancing girl named Zabibi to help her lover Alfadahl. Upon completing their mission and receiving payment, they turned their attention to a new investigation involving mysterious disappearances at Aram Bakesh’s House of Sin, where victims were reportedly being taken for cannibal feasts at the graveyard.

As night fell, the party approached the graveyard to investigate the disappearance of a caravan leader from Atin’s trade house. At the entrance, they encountered sinister cannibalistic figures who demanded payment for entry. Through fortunate social interactions and family connections, Irving managed to negotiate the group’s way inside, where they discovered a horrifying scene complete with a blazing bonfire and a cauldron containing human remains.

The situation quickly escalated into violence when Irving’s attempts at negotiation and criticism of the cannibal’s cooking methods proved unsuccessful. Several party members sustained injuries during the ensuing battle, with Ninette and Yaga falling unconscious. The wizard Khemsa attempted to cast burning hands but experienced an unfortunate magical mishap resulting in losing their rations. In a dramatic turn of events, Khemsa unleashed a black fireball that eliminated nine remaining cannibals but tragically also claimed the life of their ally Yaga.

After the fierce battle, the party discovered a bound halfling named Kat who had been intended as the cannibals’ next victim. They promptly rescued her and transported her to safety at Atin’s trade house. While searching through bones beneath a fallen willow tree, they uncovered a signet ring and other evidence connecting to Atin’s trade house. Their efforts were rewarded by Atin with 120 gold pieces, and they made sure to warn him about the dangers of Bakesh’s house, which appeared to have connections to the cannibal operation.

Scenes

Temple Reward

  • Party returned elixir to Zabibi
  • Alfadahl was cured and regained his wits
  • Received 200 gold payment
  • Celebration party at Alfadahl and Zabibi’s home
  • Khemsa spent hours in bathroom learning fireball spell from smoking magical joint

Graveyard Infiltration

  • Learned about cannibal feast at Graveyard
  • Discussed infiltration options with Zabibi
  • Discovered information about western entrance to graveyard
  • Learned about cannibals filing their teeth to points
  • Party approaches graveyard with dead grass and stone walls
  • Spot torches and bonfire in the distance
  • Notice tall lanky figures with clubs at the entrance
  • Discover fallen willow tree that broke down fence on northwest side
  • Kemp sends servant to announce their presence
  • Guards demand entry fee of 10 gold each
  • Irving discovers one guard is a distant relative
  • Group gains entry through family connection

Cannibal Confrontation

  • Party discovers large bonfire with cauldron
  • Witness dozen figures drinking from leather flasks
  • See human remains floating in cauldron
  • Irving criticizes their cooking methods
  • Cannibal chef is insulted and attacks
  • Kerim shoots chef with arrow from hiding, killing him
  • Cannibals counter-attack party members
  • Irving attempts to deceive cannibals but fails
  • Khemsa attempts burning hands spell but suffers mishap
  • Magical rats appear and devour Khemsa’s rations
  • Yaga attempts to tip over large cooking pot but fails
  • Two party members fall unconscious
  • Khemsa casts black fireball
  • Nine cannibals are killed by the spell
  • Yaga is completely incinerated by friendly fire

Rescue and Resolution

  • Party finds bound and unconscious halfling named Kat
  • Kat was kidnapped and nearly became victim of cannibals
  • Party carries unconscious Kat to safety
  • Yaga’s body disappears after the fireball
  • Party searches through bones in fallen willow tree
  • Find signet ring of Atin’s Trade House
  • Discover gold tooth among the bones
  • Find scraps of Atin’s Trade House livery
  • Group arrives at Atin’s Trade House around 3 AM
  • Guards let them in after seeing evidence
  • Party gets baths and rest
  • Receive reward of 120 gold pieces

NPCs

Zabibi

Dancing girl who needed help getting an elixir for her lover. Wears silk dancing clothes and has performed at Aram Bakesh’s establishment.

Alfadahl

Zabibi’s lover from a wealthy family who was cured by the elixir and rewarded the party with 200 gold.

Aram Bakesh

Dangerous owner of the House of Sin who is involved in kidnapping people for cannibal feasts.

Cannibal Chef

Leader of the graveyard cannibals, wears gore-covered brown leather butcher’s apron and wields a chipped cleaver. Claims to be trained in cooking various humanoid species. Killed early in the fight by an arrow.

Yaga

Mysterious figure who served as hired guard for the party before disappearing suddenly. Appears in dreams as white-haired man speaking incomprehensible wisdom.

Atin

Merchant who hired the party to investigate his missing caravan leader. Head of merchant’s guild who rewards the party and offers them future work opportunities.

Kat, Bound Halfling

Prisoner found tied up behind the mausoleum, intended to be the cannibals’ next meal. Kidnapped by cannibals and rescued by the party.

Locations

Aram Bakesh’s House of Sin

A brothel and gambling establishment where people mysteriously disappear. A dangerous location connected to cannibals who prey on overnight guests, where the missing caravan leader was last seen.

Graveyard

Large oval graveyard on edge of town in boggy depression, 500-600 feet across. Contains tilted and broken gravestones, scattered bones, and a large central bonfire. Surrounded by waist-high stone wall with main gate on southeast side. Has a fallen tree on the western side that provides entry. Site where cannibals were keeping their victims, featuring a fallen willow tree filled with bones and remains.

Aiden’s Trade House

Merchant establishment with quarters for traveling caravan guards, offering sanctuary and legitimate business.

Spells

Black Fireball

Classic wizard spell learned by Khemsa through smoking a dragon hide joint while hiding in a bathroom for several hours. Manifested as black flames, killing nine cannibals and accidentally incinerating ally Yaga.

Burning Hands

Attempted by Khemsa but resulted in a magical mishap that summoned rats that ate their rations.

Flame Sorceries

Black magic used to turn the cannibals to ashes during combat.

Items

Dragon Hide Scroll

Magical scroll made from dragon skin containing the fireball spell, which had to be smoked like a fat spliff to learn its magic.

Signet Ring

Ring bearing the mark of Atin’s trade house, found among bones in the willow tree.


Posted

in

, , ,

by

Comments

Leave a comment