The Old Lands - Session 5 (3/6/2025)
Stevia and Oberyn fighting a fiendishly transformed Aldric Valwen.
FEBRUARY 24TH, 2025
FULL OUTLINE
In Session 5, the party kicked things off with lighthearted banter at The Black Doe, debating what their official team name and theme song should be. Stevia, Grim, and Oberyn threw around humorous ideas like "Grim Brotherhood" and "La Liga Leche," poking fun at their chaotic dynamic. Amidst this, the party received a serious mission from their Black Church contact: investigate the unsettling prosperity and string of disappearances in the town of Eldenford - the town, located in the northeastern foothills and ruled by High Priest Aldric Valwie, a human who has allegedly been performing miracles for over 180 years. Grim learned Aldric had once worked with his father, Bert Davidson, on ancient texts, raising personal stakes for the mission.
Before heading north, Oberyn managed to locate a rich mineral deposit for future smithing efforts, aligning with his long-term Bastion goals. However, the group took a surprising detour when Oberyn, through a mix of stealth and brute force, stole highly valuable blood strawberry seeds from a heavily guarded caravan. In the process, Oberyn also captured a slavehand. It turned out that this was Garth Knuckle, Stevia's childhood rival. Garth revealed that their mutual friend Billy had taken a job at Lord Bertram Honeybranch’s estate—an estate that recently went dark. This opened a new plot thread connected to the mysterious blood strawberry trade.
Upon arriving in Eldenford, the party noticed eerie tension beneath the town’s apparent wealth. Citizens displayed blind devotion, and small offenses were punished with brutal efficiency. The Grand Cathedral of Radiant Mercy, towering in the town’s center, emitted strange magical energy, and Aldric’s voice magically carried throughout the streets, compelling obedience. Stevia's keen insight revealed that the townsfolk’s smiles masked deep fear, and Grim detected a potent spell similar to glibness enchanting the entire city. This was a magical feat that could only be described as a miracle.
The party infiltrated a public ceremony where Aldric showcased his "miracles." However, they noticed unsettling patterns: Aldric's healings were incomplete or twisted. Oberyn identified Aldrich’s staff as bearing a crimson gem, as the likely source of his necromantic power. Chaos erupted when Aldric presented a captured Sister Maestra, a Black Church agent, accusing her of blasphemy. As the crowd was forced to stone her, Maestra discreetly passed the party a powerful scroll of disjunction before being executed.
Aldric confronted the party mid-ceremony, but through quick thinking and stealth, Stevia successfully used the scroll of disjunction to shatter the Aldric’s legendary staff, triggering a catastrophic release of trapped souls. The spell fueling the town’s unnatural prosperity unraveled, causing the environment to decay and townsfolk to age rapidly. In the battle that followed, Grim severely wounded Aldric, while Oberyn and Stevia dealt the final blows, with Stevia delivering a bardic insult and a spell straight to Aldric’s splintering soul.
As the dust settled, the demonic figure of Renji manifested through nearby statues, laughing and rewarding the group with cursed relics in exchange for a simple task: Oberyn received a finely made longsword +2, Stevia was gifted a well crafted studded leather armor +2, and Grim was gifted his father’s cloak of elevenkind containing a journal of his father’s. The party was tasked with delivering a bag of gold to a pauper in Qyn’ki named Matthew Dollquest.
Renji issued an ominous warning about his growing influence and tasked the party with delivering a mysterious sack of gold to a pauper in Qyn’ki. With Eldenford collapsing into ruin behind them, the party gathered their spoils and prepared for their next steps, carrying both grim revelations and powerful new tools into the future.
Highlights:
The party debated on their team name and theme song (with ideas like "Grim Brotherhood," "Loot, Scoot and Boogie," and "La Liga Leche").
The Black Church gave the team a mission to investigate Elden Ford, a suspiciously prosperous city run by High Priest Aldrich Valwin.
It’s revealed that Aldrich has been performing “miracles” for about 180 years, despite being human.
Aldrich has a direct connection to Grim’s father, Bert Davidson, who collaborated with Aldrich on ancient texts and artifacts.
The town of Elden Ford is under a strange influence, with people aging unnaturally and eerie prosperity tied to Aldrich's magic.
The group traveled north, and Oberyn successfully stole rare blood strawberry seeds and even captured Garth Knuckle, a childhood rival of Stevia’s.
Upon entering Elden Ford, they discovered heavy-handed punishments for dissenters and an oppressive religious regime.
They attended a chilling sermon where Aldrich publicly executed Sister Maestra. She passed a powerful scroll to the party before being stoned.
The team identified Aldrich’s magical staff as the source of his powers—linked to necromantic magic.
Stevia used the Scroll of Disjunction to destroy the staff, breaking Aldrich’s hold on the city and unleashing trapped souls.
Aldrich’s form degraded, and after a fierce battle, Stevia landed the final blow.
A statue of Renji, the Oni-like demon god, revealed himself and rewarded the party with cursed treasures, leaving an ominous message about the growing demonic influence in the world.
Loot:
Oberyn now holds cursed armor and a sword gifted by Renji.
Grim got a cursed cloak with a hidden journal inside.
The group also has a 10,000 gold coin bag intended for a pauper named Matthew Dahlquist in Kienki.
Plot Threads:
Grim learned his father may have sacrificed one of his siblings to power a magical whistle.
The growing influence of Renji hints at larger, more dangerous moves in the Shadow Realm.
The fallout of Elden Ford’s collapse and its cursed prosperity has far-reaching consequences.
Action Items
The group, specifically Oberyn, made a deal with the fiendish, evil god Renji. In exchange for a cloak, studded leather armor, and a longsword, they had to deliever a bag of gold on behalf of the evil fiendish god, Renji, to Matthew Dollquest, a poor person in Qyn’Ki.
The cloak given to the group by Renji also contains a journal with more details regarding Grim’s father.
Renji laughed at the party, commanding them to tell their superiors they saved this town from his corruption and take a promotion.
Decisions made
The party decided to enter the city of Eldenford incognito and attend a church service.
They decided to leave the crumbling city after defeating Aldric.
Issues & Risks
The party discovered that Aldric was using false miracles and necromantic magic to control the town.
Renji warned that an invasion will continue and they are "too late".
Next steps
The group needs to deliver a bag of gold to Matthew Doll Quest in Qyn’ki.
They plan to investigate Stevia's hometown and look for Billy.
Grim intends to confront his father about the potential sacrifice of a sibling.
Outline
Team Name and Theme Song Discussion
Stevia suggests the need for a team name and a theme song.
Grim humorously suggests that bards are masters at spinning yarns and proposes naming the team "Grim Brotherhood."
Grim and Oberyn discuss the team's composition and the dynamics between team members. They have a building excitement to start a business together.
Stevia agrees to work on the theme song while the team members decide on a name.
Team Name Proposals and Character Interactions
Grim, Oberyn, and Stevia continue to banter about team names and character interactions.
The group makes several joke proposals before agreeing to come back to this task another day.
The team discusses the importance of a team name that fits their vibe and personality.
Planning the Mission to Eldenford
Grim and Oberyn discuss the mission to Eldenford, including the need to investigate missing agents and outerworldly influences.
Stevia provides details about Eldenford, including its location, size, and the high priest, Aldric Valwen.
The team plans to investigate the mysterious disappearances and outerworldly influences in Eldenford. The town has clearly fallen from its traditional ways with the Church of Ceslida.
Grim is tasked with contacting Sister Maestra, an asset for the Black Church, for more information.
Preparation and Shopping
The team discusses their financial situation and decides to purchase healing potions and other supplies.
Stevia negotiates with a merchant for potions of greater healing at a discounted price.
Stevia receives a blessed stone of friendship from Bast the Untethered. This stone is another gift for joining her legion and can be used to cast find familiar without spell casting.
The team considers their shopping needs and decides to focus on essential items for their mission.
Travel and Character Development
The team travels to Eldenford, discussing their strategies and plans along the way.
Grim spends time bonding with his glass gator, Scrambles, through play and training.
Stevia focuses on writing letters to friends and family while traveling.
Oberyn collects blacksmithing materials and sabotages a merchant wagon carrying blood strawberries. They take a slavehand prisoner that Stevia happens to know – Garth Knuckle.
Garth provides a dire warning about Stevia’s friend, Billy.
Arrival at Eldenford and Initial Observations
The team arrives at Eldenford and notices the city's prosperity and devotion to the church.
They observe the tense atmosphere and the strict punishments meted out by the church.
The team decides to blend in and attend a service at the Grand Cathedral of Radiant Mercy.
They witness a miracle performed by the high priest, Aldric, and notice something off about the healing process.
Confrontation with Aldric
The team discovers that Aldric's miracles are not what they seem and that he is using necromantic magic.
They intervene during a public stoning, with Stevia using a scroll of disjunction to deactivate Aldric's staff.
Aldric transforms into a demon-like form, and the team fights to stop him.
Grim and Oberyn deal significant damage to Aldric, while Stevia uses her bardic abilities to inspire the team.
Final Battle and Aftermath
The team continues to fight Aldric, with Oberyn delivering the final blow and impaling him on his own staff.
The town begins to deteriorate as Aldric's magic is neutralized, and the ghosts of the people he killed begin to swarm the town.
The team is rewarded with armor (studded leather armor +2), a cloak (cloak of elvenkind), and a longsword +2 crafted by Renji himself. These were gifted to them by a statue Renji was using to speak to them through
Renji tasks the team with delivering a bag of gold to a poor person in Qyn’ki named Matthew Dollquest and warns them that the invasion will continue. Renji leaves mockingly congratulating the party for their upcoming promotion.
Reflections and Next Steps
The team reflects on their mission and the consequences of their actions.
They discuss their next steps, including delivering the gold and investigating Bert’s journal found in the cloak.
The team prepares to leave Eldenford, with a sense of accomplishment and a new set of challenges ahead.
Discussion on Character Actions and Sacrifices
Grim and the party investigate Bert’s journal further. They find notes about that can turn a simple artifact into something more powerful.
This transmutation requires the forced cooperation and sacrifice of something beloved. At the time of this journal, it seems Bert plans to sacrifice one of his children to make a powerful whistle artifact.
Grim is angered by this revelation and cannot wait to confront his father.
Grim questions the actions that leads to someone going out and not returning home.
