DND Blog

A place to keep DND session recaps, from various campaigns.

The Hundred and Forty-Second Session

June 20, 2026, Campaign: As the ground quakes, evil wakes

We examine the Basement Room 6F, and conclude that there's nothing more we can do after freeing the Planetar. We return to the Irregular Inn, bringing the Planetar named Ariuk with us. We heal Ariuk, and learn that they must remain on this plane, protected, for if Ariuk falls, many other things will fall as well. We resolve to send Ariuk to the lost Library, and then take ourselves to Sky Diamond Academy.

Table of Contents

  1. Last session
  2. Freeing the Planetar
  3. Introductions
  4. The Irregular Inn
  5. The Temple of Ioun
  6. The butler
  7. Next Session

Last session

We went through the Sixth Portal in the basement of the auctionhouse. We defeated a bunch of void-mouthed Bodaks. We discovered that there are tentacles in the water. And we discovered a Planetar, bound with cold iron spikes driven through its body and head, and a helm over its head. One spike is driven through its mouth.

Embersia had been resurrected, last session. Her current scars are the twisted scale in her abdomen that continuously weeps black bile, and a slit shoulder of greyed scales. She'd died from an Aura of Annihilation. Now she has a crescent section of her body which is a lifeless grey.

Freeing the Planetar

After some discussion of options:

In the Ethereal Plane, the bars exist and are matte darkness. They extend into the Ethereal Plane and will block planar travel, and similar hijinks.

Embersia goes for Divine Intervention, targeting 17 or lower on a d100, and she hits 17. She prays that the Planetar, an instrument of the gods, can be freed, by the will of Bahamut.

She barely has time to notice that the pigmentation has gone from her left side, before a wave of light washes through this dark cavern, bringing the light of day to this area that has never seen the light of day before. The pulse crashes out and is absorbed by the bars surrounding the Planetar. Where they were black iron, now it dulls to the same grey as Embersia's scales.

The bars no longer extend into the Ethereal plane. They're no longer magical.

The helm is now dull metal, almost cracking.

Jerry doesn't really understand what happened (Nature 8 -1 = 7) nor does Percival.

But Percival has that healing effect.

Jerry casts Freedom of Movement, for help, and with Bardic Inspiration, and Ryltar guiding her, and a 15 Sleight of Hand, it turns out to be very easy to pull them out. And as soon as they're pulled out, they shatter. As the final pin is removed from the helm, freeing the mouth, Percival casts Cure Wounds from the tooth for 2d8 +8 = 20 health.

We remove the mask. The face revealed is always beautoful, no matter who looks at it. There are wounds from where the spikes were, healing, and scaly eyebrows, and slit eyes, and sharpened teeth.

In our minds, we hear a constant prayer, repeating without end, without catches of pain. Jerry uses her Headband of Comprehend Languages and realizes it's a prayer, with an uncomprehensible stretch that is a proper name, ending in bahamut. Jerry's 9 Religion lets her understand that much, at least.

The body spikes go through bone, where it is possible, and so the body can't move. The Planetar speaks: "I am needed."

The bars are now mere stone; Percival Stone Shapes one out of the way.

But now Ryltar can Dimension Door the Planetar out of the restraints. He explains what's about to happen, and then does it. The bars crumble into dust.

Introductions

We explain who we are, and where we are. We ask how the Planetar got here.

"This one is named Ariuk."

We explain that there are some evil-looking artifacts in the room. Ariuk is blind from eyeball-removal damage, and cannot support itself.

Angels must always tell the truth. "I was summoned to a battle. I was an emissary of [untranslated] Bahamut." That unstranslated bit is an honorific: the long-form name of Bahamut. He holds his hand out, and is guided to Embersia, whose face is cupped by Ariuk's hand as she gains 35 HP.

"You were brought to assist in a battle — who against? Or do you not dare say her name, because her name is poison?" asks Ryltar.

The Planetar's blind eyes fix on Ryltar.

"Okay, so we've got the same enemy. We can work with that. You've been tucked away for a long time."

"And on this plane I must remain."

"Must?"

"I will strike you down before you do that."

"I believe you. Do you need to strike her down before you return?"

"I can never return."

"I am sorry."

"There is no need to be sorry. It is what I do."

It transpires that, after the battle, he was imprisoned by the binding within those rods. The helm blocked "what was me."

The Planetar is useless today, and will continue to be useless until more healed.

Ryltar goes over to the magical item wrapped in razor-wire chains. It smells like ozone, and is abjuration and conjuration. Not really any lightning-affect evil gods. Umberlee because of ocean storms, maybe Kord (Athletics, sport, thunder, war)

Ryltar has a talisman that lets him control the black sphere on the other end of the hall. He went towards it to see what it was, and felt an immediate sense of unease. He's not gonna mess with that.

There's a stone chest in one corner, full of evocation, necromancy, and enchantment, tucked behind more razor wire. Ryltar decides he doesn't want to investigate that, or really anything behind razor wire. The things that are behind razor wire might be things that are bad in some way, whereas the things behind cold iron might be angelic or fey.

The mask is necromancy and transmutation, smooth from the brows down to the jaw, with points swooping back towards the ears. As Ryltar describes it, the Planetar's blind eyes glow a bit, and the Planetar states: Fiendish.

The pill-shaped capsule in the other end of the room, suspended from chains, is wrapped in some sort of abjuration spell.

Only the ozone-smelling ball of razor chains seems not-scary enough to approach.

We discuss a bunch of options for removing these four chains woven around the thing. Embersia uses a divinatory spell, finding in the liminal space a small flame that swells into a great inferno, roaring in Bahamut's voice: NO.

Something of shadow and flame lies within.

The final item in the capsule we decide that we don't know enough about to use.

So we take the Planetar's hand, and return to the Irregular Inn.

The Irregular Inn

We arrive on the dining floor, and Genin heals us all for 16.

We promise to help heal the Planetar's eyes, and ask it what its next goals are. Their goal is to hole up in a safe place, and not go out into combat, because if they fall, other things will fall too.

We're not willing to take the Planetar to the Ascendants for healing, because the Ascendants' piety might warp the gods in not-useful way. Ariuk is not really willing to participate in any deception. But he must endure. So perhaps the Great Library, where he can hide in obscurity.

Ariuk moves into a position of meditation.

Ryltar goes to the Temple of Ioun, to talk with Moon. (Jerry follows, stealthily.)

The Temple of Ioun

On the roof, Jerry run Primeval Awareness, and finds Celestial and Elemental influences within 1 mile.

Inside, Ryltar tells Moon of everything we learned. He describes to her the origin of Creation and the gods. She writes back, "What you say does not change what I believe." he tells her that Vurguron's father asked Bahamut, and Bahamut didn't respond to Augury.

She asks, "Would you want the tapestry to be secured here?"

"Yes, but not yet. We're still not sure if it's right for everyone to know about it yet."

She writes, "Ioun protects the truth."

"She does."

She does accept the Ancient Wizard Spellbook, on behalf of the Temple.

After some discussion, Moon and Ryltar hand the Soul Coins over to the Ascendant of Ioun, who thanks us for delivering them. The Ascendant says that we will always be welcome there.

Then he distantly casts Shadow Step and returns to the Inn.

On the roof, Jerry meditates upon the Titan Stone Knuckles for a while, and then returns to the Inn.

Percival decides to use a tooth to heal the Planetar. A hum emits from his mouth as he says, "You'll be up, fit and fighting in no time!" A cracking noise comes from the Planetar as bones realign and wounds close over the next few minutes.

It's a no-roll tooth of Divine Intervention. You regain this after 7 days.

Ariuk asks for the location of the Library, and more information about it. Ryltar gives that: the approximate location, and the many things we recall.

The butler

Ryltar gives Jerry the Butler's Bell, which she rings. Behind us all appears a humanoid in formal suit with slicked-back hair. 27 Perception: the ears are longer than Elvish ears. The suit is not really clothing. She requested that he explain what he can do.

"My lady," he says, and describes.

In one eight-hour session after ringing the bell, the butler will complete a task to the best of his ability until he is unable to do so or until completion. Tasks include serving, messaging, cooking, cleaning, menial tasks of servants.

He can be called upon to defend self or other, or to kill others.

He can't cast magic himself.

"Were I to give the order, who in this room are you reasonably confident you can kill?"

"It is not a question of 'can.' I will complete the task, do my best for 8 hours, or fall to 0 HP."

When he falls to 0 HP, he goes back into the Bell.

"I am more than proficient in the shortsword and light crossbow."

He's not at all concerned about dying; he just goes back into the bell.

We take a long rest.

Next Session

  1. Embersia to prepare Legend Lore.
    • the chest in Room 6F
    • the metal pill container in Room 6F
  2. Drop the Planetar off in the middle of the desert
  3. Then off to Sky Diamond Academy

Other stuff: