Deep Carbon Observatory adventure log - Session 12

Session 12
Thursday the 4th, from 17.00 to 24.00
Friday the 5th, from 00.00 to 15.00

Player characters and Retainers present at the beginning of the session:

• Ash - North, Level 3 Elf
• D. - Oobl, Level 4 Mossling
• Freddy - Trunchkin, Level 4 Friar
• James - Tomkin, Level 2 Hunter
• Peter - Albert, Level 4 Woodgrue
• Ythan - Clement, Level 5 Human Enchanter
• Retainer - Finn, Level 3 Enchanter
• Retainer - Selminimum, Level 3 Friar
• Retainer - Ruskin, Level 5 Mage

The Golem of Kalevan

When the Magpies gathered, their ranks were still shaken from recent events: four retainers had been lost, and the rival adventuring company known as the Crows had been defeated. Much of the opening of the session was devoted to sorting out the practical aftermath—redistributing belongings, reassigning gear, and dividing up the spoils. Once these matters were settled, the party turned their attention to the refugees from Pollnacrom, helping them settle on the roof of the buildings, sharing provisions and preparing for a rare moment of peace. 

During the quiet of the evening, Finn struck up a friendship with Brom and Molly, two of the teenagers among the refugees. There was a brief debate about recruiting them, but the Magpies ultimately decided against it. North nonetheless encouraged them to consider the adventuring life and equipped them with a few spare items; in exchange, they offered their marbles as a small gift. 

While the camp rested, various characters kept busy with their personal projects. Clement continued fine-tuning the strange voodoo doll, managing another step toward completing its enchantment. Tomkin studied the Nameless Bow and made initial progress toward discerning its unusual properties. Oobl spent time foraging and managed to gather Grue’s Ears, while also coaxing more information out of Karl Kapek about the golems and the mysterious reed people—who, it seemed, understood very little about the constructs but were feared as necromancers. Albert carved himself a gaudy new pipe and began crafting additional ones for North and Oobl, while Trunchkin passed on the holy spells he had recently learned to Selminimum. 

Sometime in the night, Brom and Molly stole one of the Crows’ canoes and slipped away upriver. Their absence was discovered the next morning, around the same time that a curious rumour reached Tomkin: townsfolk claimed to have spotted a massive platypus just north of Pollnacrom, on the east bank. 

As morning advanced, two boats arrived from the south, manned by sailors of the Latipan, Zarathusa’s ship, led by Max - the sailor the Magpies had once saved from a lynch mob in Carrowmoe. The crew explained that their captain planned to sail the Latipan upriver and, to make this possible, they started dismantling the dam built by the golem. The Magpies managed to negotiate with them, offering a bribe of a thousand golden goats to persuade Zarathusa to ferry the Pollnacrom refugees back to Carrowmoe. 

Before setting out, the group cremated Tzani’s remains. Then they pushed north again, meeting a band of Kapeks floating downriver on a log in search of Karl. A reunion followed, and Karl urged the Magpies to consider joining his people in their impending war against the Reed folk. The Kapeks also reported having seen a great golem half-submerged near the eastern bank, not far ahead.

The Alpha Platypus

While the Kapeks kept close to the western bank to avoid the construct, the Magpies chose instead to investigate a watermill they had glimpsed across the river. There, they spotted a golem crouched in the shallows, marked by a hexagonal gear embedded in its head and seemingly fixated on the mill’s turning wheel. 

Inside the structure, they could see a huge nest—empty at the moment—but as they watched, the great platypus surfaced and hauled itself toward its home. This sudden movement made the golem rise and lurch after the creature as if to drive it away. Seizing the moment, the Magpies launched an attack. Clement attempted to disable the golem but failed, and although Ruskin struck it with lightning, the blast did not stop it. 

The construct responded with terrifying strength, hurling a boulder that shattered the barge and left Finn badly injured yet again. As the party attempted to retreat, the golem hurled another stone - this time striking the lifeboat and killing Ruskin outright. Battered and shaken, the survivors retreated to Pollnacrom to recover and take stock.

This art is from Yrhian - North and Finn leaving the Magpies

Finn, mauled by yet another near-fatal injury, became the focus of a difficult discussion. The Magpies concluded that continuing to expose a thirteen-year-old to such dangers was unacceptable and decided to release him from service. 

North vehemently disagreed with the decision and, unwilling to abandon the boy, left the company alongside him. Those who remained overheard their former companions discussing - As North and Finn left the camp, the Sparrows were born.


Eulogy

Ruskin, a powerful magician from Carrowmore, after surviving a duel with a pair, abandoning the Crows mid-battle and taking down a golem, was killed by a different boulder-throwing construct on their way to the Dam. 

XP for session 12 

Feats of Exploration 

• Collected rumour of the platypus location and verified it
• Collected rumour about the golem position and verified it
• Visited one location
• Learn information lore about the Reed people
• Figure out facts about the Golems
• Supported refugees and honoured your dead
• Further improved relations with the Kapeks 

Philanthropy 

• 1000 gg for the safe passage of the refugee 

Treasure recovered 

• None 

Adversary defeated 

• None 

Totals: 

• Trunchkin gains 1554 XP and reaches 13479 XP; they have 92% of the necessary XP to progress to level 5 
• Oobl gains 1554 XP and reaches 16869 XP; they have 91% of the necessary XP to progress to level 5 
• Clement gains 1554 XP and reaches 16331 XP; they have 16% of the necessary XP to progress to level 6 
• Tomkin gains 1554 XP and reaches 7305 XP; they have 62% of the necessary XP to progress to level 4 
• Albert gains 1554 XP and reaches 10940 XP; they have 36% of the necessary XP to progress to level 5 
• Selminimum gains 777 XP and reaches 6290 XP; they have 79% of the necessary XP to progress to level 4 
• The 3 Dogs gain 518 XP each. Gunter & Elain reach 3411XP. Zoe reaches 1064XP and LEVELS UP!

Description of the magical items found in the Crow's stash 

Birdcaller: A slender, reed-carved horn bound with woven marsh-grass. When blown, it releases a bird-like chirping sound. 

Truthbringer: This slender club of pale ash wood is etched with curling fairy sigils that shimmer with hoarfrost. Its surface is always cold to the touch. The word Truthbringer is etched on the handle in sylvan. 

Ruskin’s Spell book 

Rank 1 

• Vapours of Dream
• Shield of Force
• Fairy Servant
• Ventriloquism
• Glyph of Sealing 

Rank 2 

• Mirror Image
• Web
• Arcane Cypher 

Rank 3 

• Lightning Bolt
• Paralysation

Holly spells unlocked through the study of the relics found in Pollnacrom's Church. 

Prayer of the Veiling Light 

Sanctuary - Rank 1 Holy Prayer of Saint Lumea the Clear-Sighted 

Before touching the one to be warded, the cleric murmurs the ancient invocation:

“Saint Lumea, Lantern of Mercy,

Who bends the wicked eye and turns aside cruel intent,

Cast now Your Veiling Light upon this humble soul.

Let no hostile gaze find its mark,

let no wrathful hand discern its path.

As mirrors confound the hateful,

so let Your refraction shield the innocent.

In stillness shall this blessing hold

For as long as the heart knows no violence.”

SANCTUARY – Leve 1 Holly spell 

DURATION: 2 rounds + 1 round per level 

RANGE: Touch 

Upon completing the prayer, a soft shimmer - like heat-haze or the glint from polished glass - settles over the touched creature. This protective ward disorients the perception of foes.
Any opponent attempting to directly attack the warded creature must first SAVE vs SPELLS.
If the save fails: Their eyes slide away as though the target were a trick of the light; they cannot follow through and must choose another target or lose the attack this round. If the save succeeds: The opponent’s gaze pierces the veil, allowing them to attack the warded creature normally for that round. Area effects bypass the ward entirely. If the warded creature commits any offensive action, the light disperses instantly. Non-offensive spells (such as cure light wounds) do not break the blessing.

Prayer of the Disappearing Step 

Stalk - Rank 2 Holy Prayer of Saint Umbreth, the hidden lens 

Before laying a hand upon the recipient, the cleric intones this whisper-prayer:

“Saint Umbreth, Shadowed Lens of the Dawn,

Whose eyes pierce the veil,

yet whose foot leaves no trace,

Draw now Your holy shroud about this servant.

Mute their tread, cool their scent,

and bend the searching gaze away

as reeds bend to the wind.

Let them pass unseen among Your living groves,

as a mote in a sunbeam, hidden by brilliance.

Guide their breath, their step, their spirit

Until their purpose is complete,

and the world turns its face away.”

STALK – Leve 2 Holly spell 

DURATION: 5 rounds per level
RANGE: Touch 

The recipient of this spell becomes nearly undetectable in natural surroundings. Effect: The creature is almost silent, and its scent is masked. It is invisible to non-magical detection while stationary and beyond 30'. Movement does not break the spell but allows for normal chances of detection. Breaking the spell: The spell ends immediately if the recipient makes an attack, enters an area of non-natural surroundings, or casts a spell.