The hidden passages beneath the keep were beginning to feel less like corridors and more like the throat of some ancient beast—narrow, dark, and thick with the sense of being watched. The party pressed onward, their boots whispering over cold stone, the scent of stew and long-burned fires fading behind them as they re-entered the chamber where their descent had first begun. One path remained unexplored: the right-hand passage, yawning wide and unwelcoming, yet undeniably the only way forward.
They stepped through.
The room beyond was vast yet stark, its emptiness unsettling. Smooth walls encircled them, each surface speckled with pale points—dots of paint mimicking constellations, though none among them matched any sky the companions knew. The illusions of familiarity dissolved beneath closer scrutiny. To Thorn’s sharp mind the patterns refused to resolve into meaning, and Tempest—still half-giggling from the aftershocks of her own wild magic—found only randomness. But Elora’s gaze, ever piercing, noted what the others had missed: among the false stars, some shone darker. Hollow.
She stepped closer. Not stars—holes.
As she shared the discovery, Maledurk lumbered forward with the earnest curiosity of someone who had never once questioned the wisdom of sticking body parts into unknown objects. Before anyone could stop him, he pushed a clawed finger into one of the dark pinpricks.
A flash of pain. A sting. A hiss of breath.
Then the poison hit.
His vision wavered, a cold sickness washing through him. But Elora was quick—her magic flowed like warm sunlight over him, dispelling the toxin before it could take root. Maledurk groaned, more embarrassed than harmed, and growled out a warning no one needed anymore: “Don’t stick your fingers in the walls.”
The party edged forward, but caution dissolved the moment they reached the far door. Maledurk, driven more by duty than good sense, tested the threshold with one heavy step—and the stone slab beneath his foot sank with a grinding click.
The walls answered.
A hail of darts screamed from every darkened hole. The air filled with the whisper of death. Elora ducked; Tempest shrieked and flung herself sideways; Maledurk hit the floor with the reflexes of someone who’d spent too long dodging much larger things. But Thorn, caught mid-turn and too slow, staggered as two darts sank into his arm.
The poison worked fast. His breath hitched, skin paling as the toxin threaded its way through his blood. Yet again Elora was there, steady and sure. She drew the darts free, placing her hand on his shoulder, and warmth spread through him like dawn returning after a long night. The fog lifted from his mind; clarity returned. He nodded his thanks, shaken but resolute.
Beyond the trap-ridden corridor, a new chamber awaited—a library, this one preserved by time rather than ravaged by it. Shelves sagged beneath ancient tomes. Dust motes floated like drifting embers in the still air. The scent of old parchment hung thick, evocative and eerie all at once.
Thorn and Elora broke off at once to investigate, their shared reverence for knowledge guiding their steps. Most of the books were too fragile to touch, their bindings brittle, their pages ghost-thin. Yet Thorn’s searching hand found one volume whose leather cover remained strong beneath his fingers. He opened it, breath catching.
A spellbook.
Even without reading deeply he could feel its weight—the power etched into its pages. Secrets waited here. New strength, new understanding. He closed it gently, as though afraid it might crumble after all, and tucked it close against his heart.
But curiosity had to yield to purpose. A single locked door remained, carved cleanly into the wall at the library’s far end. Maledurk strode forward again, though this time everyone watched the floor as much as the door, wary of treacherous stone plates.
The key slid into place smoothly—too smoothly, as though it had always been meant for this lock. With a turn, the tumblers clicked open, and the door swung inward.
The room beyond felt older than the rest. The air held a chill undisturbed by centuries. Shelves lingered here as well, though fewer, their contents sparse. But all eyes were drawn to the raised dais at the center, where a sarcophagus of pale stone rested like the heart of a forgotten ritual.
Its surface was covered in tiny carved runes—lines of text etched by deliberate, careful hands. Secrets slept in that stone box. Warnings. Histories. Perhaps the next piece in the strange puzzle of who or what had stolen the party’s lives out from under them and hurled them across planes and places.
The companions exchanged glances—some wary, some excited, some exhausted by the endless mysteries unfolding in these underground halls.
But whatever answers lay sealed within that sarcophagus would have to wait.
For now, the chill in the chamber deepened, and the silence pressed heavier against their chests, as though the tomb itself held its breath.
The story paused on the edge of revelation.
Recap of previous events (as summarized at the start of the session) The party had previously descended a staircase into an underground area and explored a room where they encountered prisoners chained up against the walls. Continuing deeper, they discovered a kitchen-like room with two large boiling cauldrons. One cauldron contained a soup or stew that appeared very hot. The second cauldron behaved strangely when they attempted to dump it out; nothing spilled when tipped. Using a large ladle hanging on the wall, they were able to scoop some of the stew/soup from this cauldron. Maledurk chose to taste the liquid. Each cauldron contained a key, and the party ended up with two distinct keys in total. Aside from the cauldrons, no other significant items or exits were found in that kitchen room. Leaving the cauldron room and choosing their next destination The current room has no doors or hidden keyholes that the group can find. The party decides to backtrack into the larger chamber at the bottom of the stairs where they first arrived in this area. The group agrees to investigate this right-hand opening next. Entering the “star-walls” room The party moves through the open doorway (no physical door, just an open passage) into a new room. The room is described as large and mostly empty. Elora’s Concentration icon is still up from a previously cast spell (Detect Magic). Visual details of the room: Perception checks and discovery of the wall holes The party members make Perception checks to study the walls and the star patterns. Thorn’s observations: Elora’s observations (with her very high Perception roll): Elora tests a wall hole and is poisoned Elora decides to physically test one of the holes. Immediate result: She feels an instant prick on her finger, as if from a needle inside the hole. The DM calls for a Constitution saving throw. Poison effect: Elora cures herself with Lesser Restoration Elora and the group consider whether anyone can help with the poisoned condition. Elora identifies that she has the spell Lesser Restoration. Elora casts Lesser Restoration on herself. Elora warns the others not to repeat her experiment. Thorn examines one of the holes more cautiously After seeing what happened to Elora, Thorn takes a more careful approach. He considers using his ability to see in darkness and looks into one of the holes rather than touching it. Observations: Moving toward the door at the far end of the room The party confirms there is nothing else obvious to discover in the star-walls room. They decide to cross the room and head toward this door. Maledurk volunteers to go first and approaches the door. Maledurk steps on a pressure plate and triggers the dart trap As Maledurk moves up to the door: Just before reaching the door, Maledurk steps on a section of stone floor that depresses under his foot. Trap effect: Results of the Dexterity saving throws: Thorn’s damage and condition: Thorn takes 4 hit points of damage from the darts. The DM calls for a Constitution saving throw for Thorn. Thorn is now poisoned, similar to Elora earlier. Elora removes the poison from Thorn Thorn is visibly affected by the poison; Elora recognizes the condition from her own recent experience. Elora again uses Lesser Restoration, this time on Thorn. Result: After the trap triggers once, the darts lie on the floor around the edges of the room. Assessing the now-safe door and proceeding Entering the library room Beyond the door is another room, described as a library. There are also a few chairs and tables in the room, arranged as places for someone to sit and read. On one side of the room (to the party’s left when they enter, which is drawn as the right side of the map), there is another closed door. Searching the bookshelves Before going to the keyhole door, the party decides to examine the books. Condition and types of books: Many of the books are very old. Topics visible from the spines and covers include: The DM clarifies that there are no apparent comic books; everything appears to be academic or arcane in nature. Discovery of a spellbook: Between Elora and Thorn’s searching, Thorn finds a particular book that stands out. The DM indicates that, if Thorn keeps this book and takes time outside of this immediate scene to study it, he will be able to learn new spells from it. The specific spells are not detailed during this session; they will be provided later. Thorn chooses to take and keep this spellbook. Examining the keyhole door in the library With the book search complete for now, attention returns to the door with the large keyhole. The party recalls the two keys found earlier in the cauldrons. Maledurk approaches the door carefully. Comparison of keys: Maledurk selects one key and tries it in the lock. Entering the inner room with the sarcophagus Maledurk opens the newly unlocked door. Inside, the party sees another room. At the front of this room is a raised platform: Description of the sarcophagus: It is clearly a stone sarcophagus placed centrally on the raised platform. It is relatively plain and not highly ornate. The DM notes that there is writing etched into the surface. The group has not yet entered the room further, read the inscriptions, or attempted to open the sarcophagus.Session Notes