Luck & Beauty¶

2024-Nov-09

• After breaking more windows and insulting the lich, Kleb takes some psychic damage
• Chamber: Crusade
  • Skeletons with crossbows flank the lich, and the mage puts an enfeeblement curse on Eugene
    • Rowan tries to dispel the curse manually, but it is not effective, as Rulkorf recognizes it as less of a standard curse and more of a life-draining effect. Furthermore, the magic tries to spread to Rowan but he manages to separate himself in time
    • An inscription above the entrywar reads “The devout man will pass,” which inspires Rowan to remember the mantra of his lady Fortune favors the bold. The party sets off in search of the artifact of Tymora that the lich claims must be retrieved to heal Eugene
  • A series of letters in the floor prompt them to learn “The origin of God,” presumably the name of the goddess from which Tymora and her sister split
    • Unable to figure it out, the trio bypass the puzzle with air travel
  • The Path of God, the next chamber, promises a path forward only for the luckiest. Finally opting to be bold, Rowan steps into the abyss…and immediately plunges downward
    • Rulkorf makes him fall as lightly as a feather, and turns into a giant eagle to dive after him. Eaglekorf saves the paladin, and they follow after Kleb on his broom
  • Entering the final room, Kleb is surprised by a large knight, who fails to follow through on his sword swing and topples backward
    • Kleb offers him some water, and the knight drains the canteen. In return, he allows them to inspect the arrayed artifacts
    • These include a greatsword, illuminated manuscript, amulet, shield, cup, and a coin
  • Rowan seizes the coin without hesitation, and is recognized as a true follower of the goddess. The knight hails him, and exalts in being relieved of his watch. He decides to follow the party out, and is given a Daylight-infused torch to bear
  • The knight provides the solutions to each puzzle as they pass them again. The goddess’ name was Tyche, but beginning with an I, of course
  • They make it back to the beginning chamber, finding Eugene withered but alive. Giving him the coin has no effect, but noticing that the sigils of Tymora are weather and worn on the coin, Kleb helps Eugene rub the coin
    • It uses the power of a Greater Restoration to revitalize Eugene
  • Eugene recognizes the old knight, who was his friend long ago named Templeton. Templeton, unfortunately, does not apparate into the mansion with them once the lich tosses them the key
  • Third key, acquired!
    • Rowan still has the coin, but gives it to Eugene as a memento for the sake of his friend
• Chamber: Beauty
  • The party find themselves in a large circular room ringed by pillars with a high, flat ceiling. In the center, a beholder floats languidly and the adventurers see a key floating in its eyeball fluid
    • Kleb recalls that its primary eyeball has an antimagic field projected in a cone in front of it
  • Rowan magically frightens the beholder and throws a bunch of sand into its primary eye, and Kleb follows that up with a couple crossbow bolts
  • Eugene is put to sleep and kleb is both paralyzed and levitated by two eyestalk beams, although Rulkorf manages to soften his fall. Both sides trade magical effects, to little avail
  • Rulkorf begins to be petrified, but manages to cast Freedom of Movement on himself, so he becomes a sort of pseudo-golem without the typical restraints of petrification
    • He later frees Kleb from his paralysis before taking cover behind a pillar
  • Kleb unleashes a flurry of attack on the monster, focusing on its necrotic beam stalk, and succeeds in cutting it off
    • In retaliation, a different beam is fired at him, but is deflected into a pillar instead. The column dissolves into fine grain dust