Belowdown Ep. 11

Last session, the Belowdowners’ curiosity got the better of them. In the middle of a public square, Wolf pried open the magically-sealed chest they had recovered, unleashing a terrifying swarm of eight sentient shadows. The creatures immediately descended upon the party and several innocent villagers, their chilling touch draining strength and vitality. The situation grew dire as the villagers fell, only to rise again as more shadows, swelling the enemy’s ranks.

Just as chaos threatened to consume them, Cad, the nervous priest of Shug, channeled his divine power. With a mighty Turn Undead, he obliterated several of the spectral horrors and sent most of the others fleeing in terror. The party quickly dispatched the lone shadow that resisted the divine purge. However, two of the creatures escaped into the village, continuing their deadly work and creating even more of their kind before turning back to face the heroes.

The Belowdowners re-engaged the now four-strong group of shadows in a long and grueling battle. They fought through waves of life-draining attacks, with Cad providing crucial healing to keep his allies on their feet. Through sheer perseverance, they finally vanquished the last of the spectral menace. With the immediate danger gone, Wolf inspected the contents of the chest and found a single item: a ruby-encrusted platinum amulet containing a cracked yellow molar.

The local magic-user identified the item as a phylactery, a vessel containing a necromancer’s soul, and fearfully threw the party out of his shop. Despite the warnings and the obvious evil radiating from the artifact, Wolf foolishly donned the amulet. He became instantly, magically attached to it, refusing all pleas to remove it and even trying to hide it under his shirt. The session concluded with the party grappling with their new, self-inflicted problem, unable to separate their friend from the dark artifact now resting against his chest.

OUTLINE:

The Chest of Shadows

• Picking up from the previous session, Wolf opened the magical chest in a town square.
• Eight sentient shadows emerged and immediately attacked the party and four nearby villagers.
• The shadows’ attacks drained both hit points and strength.
• Two villagers were killed and rose as new shadows, increasing the threat.

The Priest’s Purge

• With the party facing ten shadows, Cad cast a critical Turn Undead.
• The spell instantly destroyed seven shadows and caused two to flee.
• The party quickly defeated the one remaining shadow that resisted the spell.

The Lingering Threat

• The two fleeing shadows killed two more villagers, becoming a group of four.
• The shadows ceased their retreat and turned back to attack the party.
• The Belowdowners moved out to confront the returning spectral enemies.

The Final Confrontation

• A long battle ensued, starting at a distance and moving into a close-quarters melee.
• The shadows focused their attacks on the party’s front line, draining significant strength.
• Cad provided crucial healing, keeping Sparky and others in the fight.
• The party worked together to eventually destroy all remaining shadows.

The Phylactery’s Curse

• Wolf retrieved a ruby-encrusted platinum amulet from the empty chest.
• A shopkeeper identified it as a phylactery containing a necromancer’s soul and refused to handle it.
• Ignoring the obvious danger and his party’s warnings, Wolf put on the amulet.
• He fell under its magical influence and now refuses to take it off, failing a wisdom check to resist the compulsion.

NPCs:

• Innocent Villagers: The unfortunate residents of the town who were caught in the crossfire when the chest was opened. Several were slain by the shadows and rose again as new ones.
• Magic Shopkeeper: An unnamed proprietor of a magic services shop. He was terrified upon seeing the phylactery, identified it as evil, and promptly kicked the party out of his establishment.
• Shadows: Sentient, vaguely humanoid shadows unleashed from a magic chest. They drain the life and strength of their victims and can create more of their kind from those they kill.
• Zordtash: The name of a necromancer mentioned by Wolf, who suspects the phylactery contains this individual’s soul. The original and powerful Zordtash is a figure of note.

ITEMS:

• Bufo’s Musket: A loud and powerful firearm wielded by Bufo. It proved effective against the shadows but also misfired and broke during the fight.
• Phylactery of Zordtash: A ruby-encrusted platinum amulet containing a yellow, cracked molar. It radiates palpable magic and houses the soul of a powerful necromancer, compelling anyone who wears it to keep it.
• Shadow Chest: The magically dark chest that the party recovered in a previous adventure. When opened, it released a horde of shadow creatures and the phylactery.

LOCATIONS:

• Magic Shop: A local business where the party took the amulet to be identified. The proprietor offered services rather than goods and was horrified by the phylactery.
• Town Square: The public center of an unnamed town where the Belowdowners opened the chest and fought two major battles against the shadow creatures.

QUESTS:

• Investigate the Magical Chest: Find a way to safely open the magically dark chest recovered from the vault and deal with its contents.
• The Necromancer’s Amulet: Figure out how to remove the phylactery from Wolf and decide whether to destroy it or contain its evil.

PLAYER CHARACTERS

• Bufo: A bipedal frog-person who is physically weak but a surprisingly effective gunslinger with a musket. They are more cautious than their companions, but provide crucial ranged support.
• Cad (Khad): A nervous goblin who serves as a priest to the chaotic goddess Shug out of fear. Despite his timid nature, his divine power is formidable, as proven by his devastating use of Turn Undead that saved the party.
• Fendarkin: A tiefling Weirdling who was banished from his people, he suspects due to racism against his heritage. He has a mutating eldritch abomination he can manifest as a pseudopod and wields a crossbow in combat.
• Sparky: A hobgoblin Blood Rager and zealous acolyte of a weather god named Aerie. Aggressively religious and quick to anger, he wields a hammer and shield, channeling lightning through his blood. He sees the shadows as an affront to his god that must be purged.
• Wolf: An impulsive orc Sea Wolf who often acts without thinking. His decision to open the shadow chest in a populated area caused the session’s conflict. He is now the unwilling (or rather, overly willing) bearer of a necromancer’s phylactery.