Deep Carbon Observatory adventure log - Session 07

Session 07
Tuesday the 2nd, from 10.20 to 15.30

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

• Ash - North, Level 1 Elf
• Deryn - Oobl, Level 2 Mossling
• Freddy - Trunchkin, Level 2 Friar
• Marcus - Melysee, Level 3 Human Knight
• Peter - Romeo, Level 1 Grimalkin
• Ythan - Clement, Level 3 Human Enchanter

• Retainer - Fiona, Level 1 Fighter
• Retainer - Fenrich, Level 1 Fighter
• Retainer - Finn, Level 0 Enchanter
• Retainer - Tzani, Level 1 Mage
• Retainer - Curtis, Level 0 Torchbearer
• Retainer - Selminimum, Level 1 Friar

Three meters Pike

The Fool’s Duel

The session opened with Rem Koolhaüs and Ruskin Behaviour hurling insults and spells at one another while standing on an unseen submerged bridge. Nearby, the Megpies tried to warn them of a three-meter pike circling below, but their calls only distracted Rem.

Ruskin seized the moment and put him to sleep with a spell. Rem’s plump body floated helplessly on the water, soon to become fish food—if not for Romeo, who boldly leapt atop the monstrous pike, trying to ride it and lull it to sleep using Clement’s fey flower. The stunt was daring but disastrous: the pike dove beneath the surface, threw Romeo off, and devoured him in a single bite -before succumbing to magical slumber itself. Ruskin fled the scene by canoe, while Albert, a woodgrue in Rem’s employ, joined the party.

Romeo riding the Pike - this is art from Ythan and not from DCO

The Magpies recovered the enormous, slumbering fish, slaughtered it and preserved it with clerical magic. They discovered a magical sword within its belly. Meanwhile, North looted Rem’s belongings (his magic book, two scrolls, and some gold), tricking him into believing Ruskin was the culprit. 

Church and Toads 

Continuing their journey, the Magpies spotted a leaning church, surrounded by bloated, carnivorous frogs. At the same time, they noticed a floating log in the river with what looked like children stranded on top. The group split up: Melysee, Trunchkin, Clement, and Albert approached the church, while Fiona, North, and Oobl went to investigate the log. 

At the church, Albert sneaked into the middle of the toads and started playing his banjo, forcing them to start imbibing river water that caused them to burst apart. Inside the building, they discovered the treasures of the Optical God — ten vials of clear liquid, ten sacred wafers, and a Bible of the Optical God.

The Sarcophagus of Ambatoharana 

Meanwhile, Fiona, North, and Oobl found that the “log” was in fact a sarcophagus. Two starving children were stranded atop it. After rescuing them, they broke open the sarcophagus, releasing a mummy. In the ensuing chaos, webs were spun thick across the raft, trapping everyone. Melysee and Clement joined; the mummy began to break free, and the group capsized the raft, destroying the creature as the water reduced it to pulp. 

Fiona rescued the children, Oobl recovered a mask and a strange key from the remains of the mummy, and Clement dove in to save North but was saved by Melysee, who eventually pulled him out of the water after discovering that his newly acquired sword made him impervious to fear. North narrowly survived by casting Levitate from a stolen scroll, floating above the scene. From that vantage point, they spotted notable landmarks nearby: 

• A thicket of trees
• A gigantic pine
• A windmill
• A camp on the hills
• And a large shape upriver 

Conclusion 

The party regrouped, built a makeshift raft, and sent Rem and the rescued children back to Carrowmore - along with two-thirds of the preserved fish. After the Magpies hid the mummy’s mask, along with Rem’s stolen gold and spell book, near the Church of the Optical God, they intended to recover them on their return journey. 

Obituaries

Romeo, a centuries-old grimalkin, was devoured by a three-meter pike while attempting to ride it. He exacted his vengeance upon the fiendish fish by lulling it into a deep slumber, allowing the rest of the party to turn it into sushi.

Session 07 XP 

Between the loot, the enemy destroyed, and the great feats of exploration, this session, you really made a lot of XP! 

Selminimum Tem — Friar of the Optical Good is now a full retainer with a standard 1/2 share. 

You have 2 dogs. I heard some of you would like to assign dogs XP and make them progress. 

Feats of exploration

• 3 locations explored (Fools, Sarcophagus and Church)
• You completed the quest related to reaching the Church
• The whole "riding the pike and making it sleep" was a very risky manoeuvre. I like the boldness of it. RIP Romeo.
• The Woodgrue music was exactly the right tool for the toad's job. Well done. 
• Checking the fish gut for loot was a good call. 
• Capsizing the boat to dissolve the spiderweb was a good move. 
• Clement discovered a magical effect of the Sword (immunity from fear)
• Using levitate at that very moment saved North beckon - and gave them the chance of having a good look around. 
• The grappling hook is used as a sinker and a line. Loved it. 

Opponents defeated

• Three meters Pike 
• Mummy of Ambatoharana 
• 9 Giant toads 

Treasure recovered

• Mask of Ambatoharana (3.000 gg) 
• 33 gg 
• Spell Book (8.000 gg)

Totals

• Melysee gains 3208 XP and reaches 7731 XP; they have 71% of the necessary XP to progress to level 4 
• Trunchkin gains 3208 XP and reaches 5969 XP. LEVEL UP! Character ascended to level 3 
• Oobl gains 3208 XP and reaches 7500 XP. LEVEL UP! Character ascended to level 3 
• Clement gains 3208 XP and reaches 6962 XP; they have 98% of the necessary XP to progress to level 4 
• North gains 3208 XP and reaches 6693 XP. LEVEL UP! Character ascended to level 2 
• Albert gains 3208 XP and reaches 3208 XP. LEVEL UP! Character ascended to level 2 
• Fiona gains 1604 XP and reaches 3883 XP; they have 94% of the necessary XP to progress to level 3 
• Fenrich gains 1604 XP and reaches 3883 XP; they have 94% of the necessary XP to progress to level 3 
• Finn gains 802 XP and reaches 937 XP; LEVEL UP! Character ascended to level 1 
• Tzani gains 802 XP and reaches 937 XP; they have 37% of the necessary XP to progress to level 2 
• Selminimum gains 1604 XP and reaches 1604 XP; they have 91% of the necessary XP to progress to level 2 
• Each of the 2 dogs gains 802 XP and reaches 802 XP

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All the details about Deep Carbon Observatory belong to Patrick Stuart - Buy the module - His Blog - My Review - Video Review

All the art belongs to Scap Princess - Buy her stuff - Her Blog

All the elements of Dolmenwood belong to Gavin Norman - Buy the system - Video Review