| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Campaign | GreyHawk |
| Session | 1 — Eldritch Whispers and Waking Shadows |
| Date Played | April 5, 2026 |
| Duration | ~3 hours 25 minutes |
| DM | Chris |
| Location (In-Game) | Warped forest → Alabaster Mansion (foyer, parlor, kitchen, wine cellar, 3rd floor) |
| Character | Player | Class | Status at End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Puck Everheart | Marc | Bard | Damaged (14 dmg taken, partial recovery on short rest) |
| Penelope | Sam | Circle of Spores Druid | Uninjured. 1 wild shape remaining. |
| Orimene Silentvale | Allison | Wild Magic Sorcerer (Infernal) | 8 dmg from shadow (resists healing), recovered 4 HP |
| Anar the Woodsman | Christopher | Ranger / Gloomstalker | Uninjured. Extremely well-stocked with wine. |
Narrative: The party traverses a twisted landscape where two realms overlap. Trees bend, the air is thick with strange particles. A floating head appears, offering food and leading them to a campsite.
Key Rolls: Penelope perception 19 (heard faint voice), Puck perception 6 (noticed nothing), Anar perception 12 (heard faint whisper).
Decision: Party follows the floating head despite obvious danger signs.
Narrative: Camp contains staging supplies from a previous failed party. Orimene is the sole survivor. Elra (the floating head) is identified. Puck finds Elra's notes. Orimene reveals the map and command word "Krokulmar."
Discoveries: Elra's notes (Markos's room 3rd floor, cavernous room under basement, number "4" circled). Map of mansion. Payment terms (150–250 gold each).
Key Rolls: Penelope wisdom 18 (Delphi family views parties as disposable).
Narrative: Exterior recon reveals no cellar entrance. The mansion appears to breathe. Penelope peers through windows from Anar's shoulders. "Krokulmar" opens windows but they mutate. Puck's Mage Hand opens the front door — wild surge makes the air swimmable (flying speed = walking speed). Party enters foyer: owlbear rug, grand staircases, 30ft coffered ceiling, hovering candle flames.
Wild Surges Triggered: Mage Hand → air becomes thick/swimmable, flying speed granted.
Combat Summary: Two suits of animated armor attack. Armor 1 destroyed by Penelope (brown bear form). Armor 2 dismantled through combined efforts of all four party members.
Damage Dealt: Orimene 6 radiant (nat 20 True Strike), Anar 13 (Dreadful Strike) + wine bottle cooling tactic, Penelope (brown bear) destroyed Armor 1, Puck 8 (Dissonant Whispers opportunity attack) + 6 psychic (Vicious Mockery).
Damage Taken: Puck 14 total (6 shield slam + 8 second armor).
Spells Cast: Heat Metal (Penelope), Wild Shape (Penelope), Mage Hand (Puck), Bardic Inspiration (Puck), Dissonant Whispers (Puck), Vicious Mockery (Puck), True Strike x2 (Orimene).
Additional animated objects: 2 flying swords + 1 broom activated from spell casting. Party retreated to kitchen.
Narrative: Party barricades kitchen door, descends to wine cellar. Hidden door found behind wine cask (Orimene investigation 23). Temple chamber discovered — four purple-cloaked figures performing ritual. Elra warns them away. Back in kitchen, "Krokulmar" triggers shadow creature.
Shadow Attack: Orimene takes 8 damage. Wound resists all magical healing. Short rest: partial HP recovery.
Narrative: Party discovers goblet trick (pacifies armor). Navigates to spiral staircase, ascends to third floor. Finds transformed wizard behind locked door. Wizard reveals Markos is in basement summoning an eldritch entity using the Codex. Gives password "Farrl Hrak" for the ritual room door.
Key Intelligence: Entity is a worm/dragon (Lovecraftian, "the Cage"). Four cloaked figures stabilize the ritual. Wizard's chanting keeps doors open. Removing the Codex could stop everything. Don't kill Markos — he's under influence, not evil.
| NPC | Status | Role | Key Info |
|---|---|---|---|
| Elra | Active (floating head) | Guide / Former companion | Made the mansion map, gave command word "Krokulmar", warned party away from temple |
| Markos Delphi | Active (basement) | Mansion owner, under eldritch influence | Performing summoning ritual in basement cavern using the Codex |
| Gertie | Off-screen | Quest giver | Delphi family member who hired the party |
| Transformed Wizard | Active (3rd floor) | Ally (information source) | Human wizard, cursed by mansion's magic, gave password "Farrl Hrak" |
| Four Purple-Cloaked Figures | Active (temple) | Antagonist support | Performing stabilization ritual for Markos. Identities unknown. |
| Stefan | Fled | Former traveling companion | Thief who stole money, fled when things got weird |
| Shadow Creature | Active | Hostile | Attacked Orimene. Wounds resist healing. Possibly Markos's shadow. |
| Hook | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Retrieve the Codex | 🔴 Active | In Markos's possession in basement cavern |
| Stop the summoning ritual | 🔴 Active | Markos trying to summon "the Cage" — an eldritch entity |
| Save Markos | 🟡 Unresolved | Wizard says he's under influence, not evil. Gertie wants him alive (more gold). |
| Four purple-cloaked figures | 🟡 Unresolved | Stabilizing the ritual. Must be dealt with. |
| Shadow creature | 🟡 Unresolved | Possibly Markos's shadow. Attacks triggered by command word. |
| Orimene's unhealable wound | 🟡 Unresolved | Shadow damage that resists magical healing |
| Password "Farrl Hrak" | 🟡 Dangerous | Opens ritual room but is the entity's name — speaking it invokes power |
| Item | Location/Owner | Significance |
|---|---|---|
| The Codex | Markos (basement) | Infernal book used for summoning. Primary retrieval objective. |
| Elra's Map | Orimene | Layout of the mansion — invaluable for navigation |
| Elra's Notes | Puck | Intel on Markos's room (3rd floor), cavern under basement |
| Long Sword | Anar (new) | Taken from defeated animated armor |
| Wine (multiple bottles) | Anar | 4+ bottles, full wineskins. Morale critical. |
| Net | Anar | Weighted net for catching prey — untested |
| Rope (x2) | Anar (50ft silk) + Penelope (55 lbs) | Used partially to discuss restraining armor |