HighRollers: Lightfall/Episode 2

Campaign Summary
The adventure continues from last session's cliffhanger ending, with the spirit of Ayandris rising out of the tomb bringing a wave of icy chill to the room. Trellimar decides against fighting and instead attempts to talk to her in an effort to calm her, speaking in native elven tongue to be as polite as possible. He tries to convince her this is just a terrible misunderstanding, and that Jiǔtóu did not steal her daughter's circlet, rather it was given as a gift in the hope that returning it would be seen as a mark of respect by the spirit. The spirit listens to Trellimar warily, but he does manage to pull her out of full murderous rage. All the time the spirit remains focused on Jiǔtóu with the circlet.

Cam sees an opportunity and sneaks to the back to try and grab the mace from the tomb. The spirit swipes at him but he manges to quickly duck out of the way. He grabs the mace which he discovers is large and heavy, and he also feels there is something off about it as he wields it. Mistaking the remains in the tomb for those of Ayandris, Cam smashes the bones with the mace, to the utter shock and horror of his team-mates who realise he has just smashed the bones of the queen's daughter. The spirit's eyes turn crimson as she glares at Cam. Elora quickly steps in and tries to continue conversing with Ayandris to calm her once again, saying that something with this weapon is causing her daughter's spirit to be cursed. However Ayandris totally ignores Elora, so Elora hides behind a pillar.

Jiǔtóu considers placing the circlet on Elora's head thinking that seeing this might rekindle some memory in Ayandris, since Elora is also an elf. She rethinks her decision at the last moment though realising in back of mind Elora is from a different race of elves and this might have negative implications. Jiǔtóu instead holds out circlet and appeals to the elven queen that there has been a great misdeed done by Cam. She presents the circlet as a peace offering to show they have nothing but respect for her and are willing to do whatever they can to bring peace to the spirit's heart. Unfortunately this is only met by increased anger and screams of liars, murderers, and desecraters. The spirit swipes through Cam once again, this time pulling his very life essence from him and permanently lowering his HP, before vanishing behind a column and reappearing at the back of the room.

Trellimar pleads with the spirit calling Buckland a human imbecile with a floral crotch, but ensures her that the rest of them really are trying to help! Ayandris turns and snarls at Trellimar, saying her daughter's tomb has been descerated by Cam as her tomb is being desecrated by the Dryad. She commands Cam to place the mace back, as Trellimar also makes it very clear to Cam to do this. Cam decides to cast disguise self to turn himself into a goblin, trying to convince the spirit that he was not acting of his own accord and instead this goblin is to blame for smashing her daughter's bones. The spirit falls for the ruse and Cam drops the mace as he flees the room.

Elora picks mace up to put back in tomb, but upon touching it she sees memories of a giant holding the mace killing swathes of elves. In another flash of memory she sees an elven woman wielding a longsword fighting one-on-one with the giant until the elf's blade strikes the chiefs heart and he drops the mace. As Elora comes too from her vision she also drops the mace into the tomb, and requests again what they can do to help. Ayandris is much calmer now, and tells her the Dryad is of Gulthian and must be stopped. The ritual has made her weaker and as she speak Dryad's tree grows in her burial chamber. If the tree reaches full power a seed will be born and Gulthia's legacy will not be stopped. Jiǔtóu requests help from Ayandris. She agrees to lend power but only if they stop Gulthia's ritual or she cannot help them. Jiǔtóu places circlet on back on the tomb and the spirit disappears. Elora knows that Gulthian was a vampire from an old tale. It tells of a hero that staked him through the heart, but his essence seeped into stake and grew into tree. The daughters of Gulthian were born of the tree, and became evil Dryads. Jiǔtóu's bark skin recedes as Elora gives Cam a smack for his ridiculous actions, dissipating his disguise. The group realise that Gulthia has tricked them. They suddenly hear a scream from Tomas in the next room.

Cam rounds the corner just in time to see Tomas' body held up by the vine creature, as the last few drops of his blood fall from his wrists into the Dryad's cup, which she drinks. Renwyn stands to one side with his head in his hands unable to look. Gulthia places her hand over body and vine sprouts from it. Elora draws an arrow but cannot fire quick enough. Cam manages to throw a dagger which cuts the vine off before it enters Tomas' body. Gulthia commands the vine creature to kill them as she goes to leave. Renwyn opens the door with druidcraft and they both step through. The creatures turns to face the group and Trellimar goes to attack it. However a second creature emerges from a pillar behind him, striking him in the back. As he falls he is just able to summon a Hellish Rebuke before he is overcome and passes out. Elora shoots an arrow at the creature that attacked Trellimar killing it instantly. She runs to Trellimar and takes the last potion he was holding from him to heal him. Jiǔtóu runs in and swings her guandoa at remaining creature. It raise a hand and summons up vines under Trellimar and Elora. They barely avoid being fully restrained by them. Cam manges to throw another dagger at the creature as Trellimar pulls himself up and fires his crossbow landing another hit. Cam then throws a torch to Jiǔtóu which she ignites and uses to strike the creature. Cam is more concerned with looking for his daggers, but makes a nonchalant stab at the creature while he is near it which finshes it off. Trellimar thanks Elora for helping him and the group decide to follow Gulthia and Renwyn. Elora unlocks the door and they make a quick check for traps before stealthily descending the steps into the next room.

On entering the room they see an enormous tree of polished black wood erupting from the sarcophagus in the middle of the room. They can also hear pulses emanating from the tree. Gulthia is muttering some kind of chant, while Renwyn whispers words of regret. Gulthia hears the group whispering and commands Renwyn to attack them. He casts shillelagh on his staff but Elora pleads with Renwyn that this is not the only option they have and that Gulthia has lied to him. Renwyn's head is cleared at these words and tells them to run as he turns and strikes Gulthia with his shillelagh. Gulthia strikes back in retaliation and they both tumble back into tree, merging with it. The tree shudders, flowers bloom, and it begins to move, stretching and flailing as if in pain. Jiǔtóu throws her torch at the tree which beds into the branches alighting part of it. Elora can tell whatever ritual they were performing has gone wrong and shouts for Ayandris. The tree smashes through one of pillars bringing it down, with some of the debris crushing Jiǔtóu's leg. Ayandris comes through the wall and moves through tree. She can tell there is innocent life fighting within, but she cannot fight the Dryad.

Jiǔtóu runs at the tree to get absorbed into it also. She manages to peer through, and can make out blurry black and green images fighting and grappling with each other. She reaches in and attacks dryad. Renwyn pleads for Jiǔtóu to go as he wants to repent for what he has done and stop Gulthia controlling the tree. Elora tries to copies Jiǔtóu and get absorbed but the tree repulses her. Gulthia strikes at Renwyn again this time green essence is drawn from him instead of blood. The tree strikes a second pillar and the ceiling creaks as its weight shifts. Trellimar copies the 2 girls but also cannot touch the tree as it pushes him back. Cam on the other hand touches his finger on the tree and Jiǔtóu can feel his presence as he enters the dimension. Cam's hair glows, radiating hope and courage. To him he seems normal but to Jiǔtóu can sense this change in Cam. Cam summons daggers of light with his will and strikes Gulthia in the chest. She cries out as Cam throws another and she explodes in golden light, and her forms disintegrates. Renwyn thanks Cam and Cam goes to pull him out, but Renwyn says he must stay and destroy the tree from in here. He thanks Jiǔtóu and Cam for giving him this second chance to repent, and his form dissipates into smoke. Jiǔtóu and Cam pushed out, and the tree shrinks shrivels back into a single seed.

The team look to the spirit, as she reforms in blue light, her regal robes new once again, hair tied in braids, and sighs in relief that at last she is saved. Elora bows to her and thanks her. Ayandris gives a crystal vial to Elora, and also tells Cam to take the mace if he wishes, since she feels it would be safer in his hands. Cam keeps the ruse going that he was merely possessed by the goblin and that Ayandris saved him. Jiǔtóu asks for a healing touch, which Ayandris agrees to, healing them all, and also restoring Cam's HP to maximum once again. With a final bow Ayandris' spirit returns to rest and disappears. Elora uses her druidcraft to create a flower and places it at tomb, and Jiǔtóu takes the seed of the tree.

With the dungeon completed our heroes have gained enough experience to reach level 2. Trellimar gains 2 new invocations, or passive abilities which he can cast regularly; disguise self and agonising blast, which allows him to add his charisma modifier to his eldritch blast. He has also learned a new spell hex, with as a bonus action can deal extra damage. Elora gained circle of the moon, and as bonus action wild shapes which allows her to shape-shift into wild animals. At the moment she has one animal, a giant lilac direwolf. Cam can create a duplicate illusion of himself, which he can cast spells from once it is in his line of sight. He also gains a new spell command that allows him to command people and creatures to do basic things, like halt. Jiǔtóu is a monk and so she earns 2 key points, which she can activate to use one of the following abilities; flurry of blows which gives her a third unarmed strike, patient defence which allows her to dodge as a bonus action, and step of the wind which doubles her jump distance and allows her to dash and disengage an enemy as a bonus action. Elora also has the crystal vial infused with Ayandris' spirit, though it is unknown what this is yet, and Cam has the mace.

The group reach the path at the back of tomb. Cam pretends to be distracted inspecting the tomb walls so someone else will be the first to exit, however Jiǔtóu is fed up with his antics and pushes Cam out the door. They follow a tunnel until eventually they start to see sunlight shining in, though it is dim since the sun is setting. The tunnel leads out to a natural cave in a hill. A statue at the entranceway has been pushed aside for access. There is also the remnants of a camp, which is maybe a week old. The cave opening looks out to rolling hills. Cam distracts the others and goes for a journal he spotted. He discovers that the journal belongs to Renwyn, and in it he says that tomorrow they will head into the old elf barrow. He hopes that visiting this place will help him learn about himself, and is sure that the hills can do without him as their guardian for few days while he is down there. The group opt to move the statue back in front of entrance.

Cam has to reveal to the others that he looked through the journal after they wonder how he knew the camp was Renwyn's. This annoys them somewhat and they challenge him, so Cam lies down and pretends to sleep hoping they will ignore him, but keeps opening an eye to check on them. Elora looks out onto hills and sees that they are in the middle of endless plains, but there is some faint smoke and a wooden wall in distance indicating a village a few hours travel away. Cam wants to get to know the group better, but they want to know more about him first since Elora accuses him of being dumb for smashing the bones. Cam is only to happy to babble on and tells group he once travelled as part of a group of gypsy entertainers, the Bucklands. Jiǔtóu asks him what he does, to which Cam responds stand-up comedy, though he is unable to tell a joke when asked. He says he had to leave his group because of an invitation that came to the Bucklands, requesting him to perform at the mason's guild in Talis’val. The guild is run by merchants, the people responsible for rebuilding the city. The champion Korak will also be in attendance, so Cam feels very privileged to be asked to perform for him. Jiǔtóu doesn't seem to believe him and wants to see this for herself, so she requests to join his routine, but when he refuses she offers to be his bodyguard instead. Elora says she is looking for her father's friend, to ask him about the elven spires. This is her last lead to find him so she is really hopeful of success. Trellimar only says he is looking for something.

The village appears to be the only place within a day's travel. They know of a place called Briarcrest but it is 4 or 5 days away. Jiǔtóu says they are wasting time and goes to head off, but Elora pleads with her to wait until morning, since they all heading to same place and it is safer to travel together. Jiǔtóu agrees once Cam stays away from her, and sends him to the other side of cave. The group rests for the night.

Elora and Trellimar wake first, since they require shorter time to fully rest. Soon all are awake at dawn and eat. In the daylight they can clearly see wheat fields of really high crops surrounding the village. Cam stares at his dagger in a daze for a while, remembering someone close to him, but before Cam can even open his mouth to anyone Jiǔtóu is off, so the others follow. As they approach the village they see there are no farmers in fields right now. Reaching the large palisaded wall they spot 4 very nervous young men who have clearly been up all night. They command the group to halt, though they are panicking in fear. Elora states they are travelling from Greybell heading to Talis’val, but their caravan was attacked. The guards seem very undecided as to who they should be more scared of, Trellimar looks the most daunting to them, but they have also never seen a Tiefling before. They have recently captured a female drow, who is to be killed today. The group request to speak to the marshal and the guards let them in. One of the guards who is only 19 leads them in. The buildings are made of stone, they seem habitable but rough. The village itself has a population of about four to five hundred. In the centre of the village the witness a mob gathered around an impromptu gallows. Three people are trying to talk and calm the rest of the mob down. They can see the female drow tied to a pole on a stage. She is not injured but tired. Murmuring in the crowd suggests the people want her killed so their plight will end. One burly woman is holding them all back, while a man is saying this drow couldn't have done anything as she was tied up in jail with the marshal all night. The drow herself then cries out saying she's told them a million times it's not her.

The guard suggests this may not be the best time, telling the group they caught this drow hanging around the village at night, so they hold her responsible for the deaths that have been occurring lately. Trellimar asks how did the people die, to which the guard replies they are found at the edge of village and in the surrounding fields in the mornings, badly torn up with claw marks in their skin. Since they have not found anything else to blame they accuse the drow. More chanting starts up from the crowd shouting kill her. The marshal refuses to do so without proper evidence.

Jiǔtóu tires of the fuss since it is not tiefling business. The crowd turn and see Trellimar, which panics them further since he is also a drow and has brought allies. The reev wants to investigate further, and has the guards break up crowds. The reev agrees to take the group to talk with the marshal. He tells them regardless of what business they had they are now stuck here, because if they try to leave they will be killed. Cam says it is fate his brave group has come and agrees to assist the village. The reev asks if they know the female drow they have caught, but Trellimar doesn't recognise her, so Cam jumps at the opportunity to put the reev in his place, calling him racist for assuming Trellimar must know the other drow. The marshal now comes down and agrees to pay them 500 gold for their assistance, as the village is desperate and at its wits end. He also offers his men to escort them to Briarcrest if they do. Jiǔtóu and Elora see that they will have to help if they ever want to leave this village. Jiǔtóu asks to talk with the female drow, and Elora wants to examine the bodies of the dead. They go to the drow first.

When they return to the drow she is hanging onto the pole, tired. As she looks up and sees Trellimar she perks up a little, saying it is good to see friendly face for a change. Jiǔtóu is not looking so friendly, still uncaring since it has nothing to do with her. She would leave but she realises she needs to stick with Cam. The drow tells her story, saying she was passing by village on a scouting mission when she got caught. She describes the villagers as super paranoid because they saw nothing but still accused her. She also tells them her name is Viksanis of the house of Kell.

Trellimar recognises the name of the house of Kell, knowing they are military scouts and archers, and that they also had to ally with the dwarves. Jiǔtóu asks Viksanis what she thinks it is killing the villagers, but all she knows is that their wounds are far to big so couldn't be caused by her. Elora decides to head to the temple to inspect the corpses, and Jiǔtóu walks off. Trellimar tries to telepathically talks to drow. Viksanis is unaware how Trellimar can do this. Trellimar tells her he is from house of Aleath, which she knows of. With this knowledge, and perturbed by fact he can speak in her mind, she agrees to tell him more. She tells him her mission was to find a dwarf thief who stole an artefact, so she was spying on village hoping to spot the dwarf, but saw nothing. She remembers the dwarf's appearance so Trellimar can telepathically pick it up. The dwarf is short with a ragged haircut and carrying a bundle, distinctive enough that Trellimar could pick him out. Trellimar agrees to keep her secret, and also to free her.

Elora and Jiǔtóu then enter the temple. It has been abandoned, and all that remains are the dead bodies laid out, some in coffins, the fresher ones under sheets. They can see big gashes but little blood, so they assume these victim's hearts must have been beating rapidly with adrenaline and fear when they died, so they bled out really quickly. The claw marks are widely spaced, and the bodies are not eaten, just left for dead. It seems something has enchanted them, drawing them out of the village to be killed, so they conclude whatever beast they must face can use magic.