Cycle of Millennia 2021 Session 20: A Trap
Here is week 20 of my 2021 Dungeons and Dragons Campaign Cycle of Millennia. Lets go over session 20: A Trap.
Don’t forget that this campaign has been ongoing for over three years. There is a lot of story to cover and I’m writing a book series to document it all. I am adapting this adventure into a book series. The first three are on Amazon.
!!!Trigger Warnings Abound!!!
This campaign takes place in an incredibly unpleasant setting. The party has dealt with Human Traffickers, Sex Slavery, Child Sacrifice, The Apocalypse, Genocide, Wicked Cults, and other related topics.
There is a God of Madness that is fond of causing auditory and visual hallucinations, makes use of psychic gaslighting, commands the literal legions of hell, and all around causes untold suffering in the setting.
Essentially, nothing is off the table in this campaign. If the above ideas are not ones you want to think about, I do not think this blog series is for you. That is not a problem and does not indicate any failings on your part. I am a storyteller that does not shy away from the darkest topics. It would be horrible for me to not warn my audiences of this in advance.
!!!Final Trigger Warning. Past this point there be dark topics!!!
Knowing that there were enemies all around them, the party deliberated on their next move. Their choices were defend Mongress, or hunt down vampires. Or so it seemed, Grez pointed out that there was nothing indicating that Kranaak would send his Demonic armies there. Meanwhile, the Vampires had clearly fled to Scholars Way. That seemed to be the better lead.
Lord Death also told them that he had solved the cipher. They needed to find a blind seer. Given Scholars Way was known for its seers it was clear where they should go next. Once they arrived, Rose pointed out that the Vampires likely had an escape route outside the city in case of attack.
She also wanted to be extra sure though. So the former Orabaras adherent used a scrying orb to confirm what they believed. And she didn’t need to wait long before seeing a cave system that had to be nearby. Reminding them about escape routes, they started searching outside.
Caic had no trouble finding them with his powers. And just as she predicted, they found a hidden lair with inside an abandoned farmhouse. That seemed perfect given the environment. Everyone who visited Scholars Way tended to go right to the big universities and study buildings.
Under the farmhouse, the group found a massive cave system. But they traveled from area to area and it was empty.
As the group continued deeper, they only grew more worried. The only unusual sight they found were a series of candles. Candles that had been lit recently. Were they walking into a trap?
Something Wrong:
At the complete other end of the cavern, they found the Vampire Coffins. Unfortunately, Caic didn’t sense any entities lurking inside. Given the timing of events, it was becoming increasingly clear that something strange was happening. And they were expected.
However, his divine sense did detect something dangerous near the. What the party initially perceived as decorative flowers, ended up being sentient and aggressive. After as few strikes, the plant opened up flytrap like jaws and revealed where the Vampires had ended up. They were food to this plant. But why?
Of course, this was still a Zombie Plant and nothing more. This group had slain Demon Lords, Archangels and even Semi Divine entities. This didn’t have that level of strength. Unfortunately, whoever had set up this trap was counting on that happening. The moment it died, the monster released magical gas into the chamber. And it started to harm the party immediately.
Not having a way to fight against such an environmental hazard, especially one that was clearly a spell from Nihilinn itself, the party fled from the cave. They were attacked by Ghasts, Allips, and Shadows. All weak enemies, but their job was to slow the party down and let the gas kill them.
Shalendris Appears:
Grez ran ahead with superior speed and was attacked by Shalendris. He hadn’t expected one of the defector Death Knights to show up personally. Thought that did answer who had set this trap up. However, the Death Knight’s partner was nowhere to be seen. And they always traveled in pairs
Unfortunately her barrier was still intact. They had only killed one of the Cultists after all. He couldn’t defeat her. In fact, the Monk couldn’t even damage her.
However, the same did not hold true in reverse. Now that she had the advantage, Shalendris revealed her Rune power. She was able to attack at blinding speed in rapid succession. A good thing that Grez absorbed Lightning or he would have been in much greater danger given that she seemed capable of infusing her attacks in such a way.
Luckily, she claimed that if he made it to the ladder which marked the final run of the cavern, she would leave him alone. Fleeing past the Death Knight, Grez figured out why. He encountered something worse than an invincible Death Knight.
Another Lich:
He found a Mindflayer Lich. Like Banshees these had to be Orabaras creatures turned into Undead. He fled back to the rest of the party to warn them. And only with proper use of time stop to escape from such a dangerous and powerful enemy.
After climbing the ladder and escaping Shalendris themselves, the group killed the Wights guarding the Lich. But the potent spellcaster revived them as ghosts.
The party fended off most of the ghosts but they know that the Mindflayer Lich is watching their movements. As if the gas wasn’t dangerous enough on its own.
Wrap Up:
There is a barrier trapping them here. If they do not win this fight soon, Nihilinn may claim them all in death.