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Previously on War for the Lost Plane

Starring:
Kaelan, level 17 tiefling Monster Slayer Ranger/Fiend Warlock
Scarlet, level 17 human Oath of Devotion Paladin
Gillian, level 17 triton Champion Fighter, College of Lore Bard
Kethra, level 17 half-elf Assassin Rogue
TIM, level 17 warforged War Domain Cleric

Before I make it two steps into the dark hallway, a loud voice rings out, “Get out of Mistrivvin’s home! Mistrivvin is going to hurt you!”

I recognize the name, the one the stone giant warned us about. Still in my magical disguise as the Creator, I throw open the door to the courtyard, seeing Scarlet heal TIM of the magical polymorph. The creature remains out of sight.

“Mistrivvin! Come down here,” I shout. “I have returned.” 

“You’re dead,” she replies, her sing-sing voice growing with concern.

I hesitate, unsure of how much this creature knew of the Creator’s recent demise.

“Now, why would you say that?”

“I felt you die! You can’t control me anymore.”

I think for a moment. “In a… moment of powerful battle, I had to sever my connection with you. That is what you felt.”

“Well, now I can kill you! This is my home now.”

Scarlet calls out, “Okay!”

I smile. “Well now, I don’t disagree. I’m here to officially give you this home, as a gift for your services. I only need one thing in return.”

Kaelan continued the charade of posing as the Creator of Anonyma via Disguise Self. With the abishai dead, the rescued stone giant guardian greeted the party warmly, explaining that while the manor itself had not been breached, the Creator’s tiny servant had broken free, become enlarged, and began ruling over the manor herself.

Kaelan carefully probed the giant for answers while still pretending to know everything the Creator knows, including how to safely approach the manor – the Creator’s own home.

The Under Manor was a bit of a surprise, a miniaturized castle floating within a gigantic cavern. As the party approached the manor (keeping their eyes on the ground) they grew in size, until the castle became normal-size. The giant lifted them up to the entrance, and we were free to explore.

A powerful wizard’s lair should be treaded with care, but in one of the first rooms we found a central courtyard open to the dark cavern above, with a giant statue surrounded by glittering gems. A booming voice called out from above, telling us to leave, and transforming TIM into a tiny crab. Scarlet used Cleansing Touch to restore him, resisting the effects of the polymorph herself.

Kaelan, hearing the commotion, guessed that this was the Creator’s ex-familiar, Mistrivvin. Still disguised as the Creator, he strode into the room, and demanded her obedience. She claimed that he was dead – which was technically true. Kaelan explained that through powerful use of magic he was forced to sever their connection, meaning she was no longer under his control.

She was delighted by this, apparently an unwitting servant and now hostile to the Creator and these intruders. Kaelan made a bargain: she can officially rule over the Under Manor and never be bothered again, so long as the party can retrieve what they came here for: the Creator’s memory orbs. With a little help from Kethra and TIM, Kaelan convinced the creature, but on the condition they have only ten minutes. Then she scrabbled up to the roof and disappeared.

Yikes! We had no idea where the memory orbs would be, so the party split up and began heedlessly throwing open doors trying to find them. Kaelan found a kitchen with flying knives. Kethra found a dining room with food and wine (the wine nearly knocking her unconscious). Scarlet found a room of clay bricks and a deactivated golem.

After nearly exhausting the first floor, it was TIM who found a door guarded by a magical glyph that exploded into a grappling fist. Ah yes, the old hand-door trap from the first dungeon. TIM used Dispel Magic to escape, finding some kind of laboratory, with a friendly little bat-like creature.

The homunculus couldn’t speak, but understood well enough. It drew a picture of a faerie dragon, then tore it up, indicating that it doesn’t like it, and perhaps we need to take it out. Mistrivvin?

D&D

TIM asked about the memory orbs and it nodded, sending him to another room that contained a golden mirror. When TIM looked through the mirror, his mirror image wore a monocle. Through a hilarious sequence of gestures, the homunculus convinced TIM to reach through the[mirror and grab the monocle. He did so, acquiring an interesting magic item that would require further study.

The rest of the party had made it to the second floor. Long hallways flanked either side. Scarlet opened the door in front to a central room overlooking the courtyard. Inside were soft leather chairs and a cello, with a nasty-looking, smoky monster playing the instrument. It stopped and implored Scarlet to free it, saying the Creator had imprisoned it here.

Scarlet initially acquiesced, but Kaelan had doubts. The Creator had given sanctuary to all manner of creatures across this world, yet imprisoned this one? Scarlet tried to make a deal where it would tell us where the memory orbs were, and then we would free it, but it wanted freedom first.

As TIM approached with our new little homunculus friend, it confirmed Kaelan’s suspicions, and we left the room. It also warned us of powerful sentries guarding the hallways, non-verbally explaining that if they see us, they will activate and fight us. We peeked around the corner to see large golden automatons, steam pouring out of them.

Kaelan cast Pass Without Trace, while Kethra scouted ahead with her naturally superior stealth. She noted a side room, guarded by another magical door-grabber, but easily dodged out of the way, finding a closet full of robes and hats.

We carefully made our way down the hall, not triggering the silent guardians. The hallway turned a corner into a southern room. Our homunculus buddy warned us of yet another magic-door grabber, but Kethra can easily trigger and avoid them.

In this room we found a control panel with multiple buttons and inscriptions. The homunculus gestured to TIM’s magical monocle. He put it on without knowing its magical properties, and was able to read the inscriptions. They seemed to control various parts of the manor, including the lights, music, and security.

There was also a button for “Reminder,” and another simply labeled “Do Not Press.” Miraculously we avoided the temptation. TIM pressed Security, and we heard the automaton guardians powering down. while Music started up some smooth jazz. Good so far!

Pressing reminder displayed a cryptic clue involving creatures in a field. Is this the key to getting the orbs? We hadn’t yet found where they are yet. TIM pressed Roof, and we were shocked when we were all teleported to the roof of the manor.

Right before us we saw Mistrivvin, a gigantic faerie dragon. She sneered and yelled “Your time is up, now you die!” Oops!

MVPC – TIM

Post-session live discussion:

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