The morning sun barely peeked through the high windows of the biblioplex, casting long shadows across the lecture hall where the first-year students of Strixhaven gathered. Luna fluttered excitedly to the front, her wings shimmering in the soft light, eager for the day’s lesson on magical auras. Bob, with his meticulously groomed beard, arrived just in time, earning a nod of approval from the professor, a tall elf with silvery purple hair and a glowing pink hue.

The lesson began with an introduction to “Aura Sight,” a crucial skill for any aspiring mage. As the professor held up a small metallic cube, students took turns attempting to identify its aura. Bob’s keen observation revealed a faint yellow glow, indicating conjuration magic, a revelation met with the professor’s praise. Despite some initial failures, the class’s spirits remained high as they practiced their newfound skills.

The session’s highlight came when the professor unveiled the term-long project: unlocking a magical box with five keyholes, each protected by a different aura. The box, containing answers to a quarter of the final exam questions, was a tantalizing prize. The adventuring party—Luna, Bob, Krenn, and Ophelia—were assigned to work together, their diverse abilities promising a unique approach to the challenge.

Gathering in the library, the group examined the box. Each keyhole displayed a distinct aura: the first flickered like a flame, the second shimmered like liquid, the third was still with faint movement, the fourth bounced with changing colors, and the fifth pulsated rhythmically. Consulting a book on auras, they began to decipher their properties.

Their first significant breakthrough came with the green aura. Krenn’s inspection revealed it resembled ivy with tiny leaves, indicative of necromancy. After much deliberation, Luna’s druidcraft spell caused a flower to bloom in the keyhole, making the aura react dramatically. The keyhole disappeared, and multicolored flowers surrounded the lock, marking their first success.

Buoyed by their achievement, the group turned their attention to the blue aura, which looked like water. Pouring water into the keyhole caused concentric ripples but no lasting change. A similar attempt with the red aura resulted in superheated steam and minor injuries for Ophelia and Bob, confirming the aura’s connection to evocation magic.

Their next challenge was the yellow aura, associated with conjuration. Krenn’s experiment with a magical rod left his hair bright orange, a harmless but perplexing change. Despite their best efforts, the aura remained unsolved. Turning back to the green aura, they noted its plant-like growth, considering nature spells as a solution.

The group’s dynamic shone through their discussions and strategies, blending their knowledge and abilities to tackle each challenge. As they pondered the remaining auras, the potential dangers loomed large, especially with the necromantic aura. Yet, their camaraderie and determination kept them moving forward.

Session Notes
  • The session begins with a casual conversation among the players, discussing lawn care and local weather conditions.
  • Players discuss the challenges of maintaining lawns in their respective areas, mentioning specific issues such as brown spots, watering needs, and the use of lawn food.
  • Brian mentions using a specific lawn food mixture from a local garden place called Zanzos to address lawn issues.
  • The conversation shifts to discussing property maintenance, including the use of bark to cover the ground and reduce dust.
  • Players talk about the climate and geographical features of their areas, including elevation and desert conditions.
  • They discuss water usage, water restrictions, and the impact of hot weather on lawn maintenance.
  • The group shares experiences with yard work, including weed whacking and dealing with weeds and grass from nearby golf courses.
  • The conversation turns to game-related topics, with Brian, the DM, summarizing events from the previous session.
  • Brian recaps the party’s encounter with giant frogs, noting that Bob got black goo on his hands after the fight.
  • The party considered various places to seek help, including the biblioplex and the dean’s office, but found that the giant frogs were not seen as unusual by other students.
  • The group decides to head back to the biblioplex to gather more information.
  • There is some discussion about logging into the virtual tabletop software, with players ensuring they are correctly set up.
  • The party receives their class schedules and dorm assignments from the info desk at the biblioplex.
  • The schedules are based on general education requirements and the college they intend to join.
  • First-year students, including the party, are assigned to Founders Hall, a dormitory in the central area of the school.
  • The party is informed that their books have been pulled together and can be picked up at either the library or the bookstore.
  • The group picks up their books and settles into campus life at Strixhaven.
  • The session focuses on the party’s first class, “Basic Magical Auras,” a required course for all first-year students.
  • The class is held in the biblioplex, in one of the lecture halls.
  • Luna, being excited, is the first to arrive at the 8:00 AM class.
  • Bob, the dwarf fighter, arrives late to class due to his extended beard grooming routine. The DM asks him for a Dexterity check, which he manages to pass, arriving just in time before the professor enters.
  • The professor, a tall elf with silvery purple hair, purple eyes, and a slightly glowing pink hue, welcomes the first-year students to the “Basic Magical Auras” class. She emphasizes the importance of understanding magical auras as a key aspect of their magical studies.
  • The professor asks the class if anyone is familiar with magical auras. A human student on the other side of the room raises his hand and explains that auras indicate the type of magic found on an object. The professor confirms this and elaborates that auras can reveal the nature, school, and function of magic.
  • She introduces a concept called “Aura Sight,” a feature akin to the detect magic spell, which students will learn to use without casting a spell. The effectiveness of Aura Sight will depend on the students’ performance in the class.
  • The professor pulls out a small metallic cube from behind her desk and asks for a volunteer to identify its aura. A student volunteers but fails to see any aura, leading the professor to encourage the class by reminding them that it’s only the first day.
  • Bob volunteers next and, after initially seeing nothing, eventually perceives a faint yellow glow around the cube. The professor confirms that the yellow glow indicates conjuration magic and that she had just conjured the cube for the test. She praises Bob for his keen observation.
  • The professor answers Bob’s question about whether all conjuration spells cast a yellow glow by confirming that the color is indicative of the type of magic.
  • More students attempt to identify auras on various objects the professor produces, with mixed success. Krenn, the half-elf wizard, struggles to discern the aura on a carved wooden horse, and Ophelia, the human sorcerer, also fails to identify an aura on her first attempt.
  • The professor reassures the class that it’s normal to have difficulties on the first day and expresses confidence that they will all master Aura Sight by the end of the course. She encourages the students to practice identifying auras around the campus and keep a journal of their findings for class review.
  • The professor assigns several chapters from their large textbook to be read by the next class, covering the fundamentals of magic and auras.
  • The DM explains that the game will not cover every class day-by-day but will focus on key classes and events in a more flexible timeline.
  • The session concludes with the DM requesting everyone to make Arcana checks to see how they are doing in the initial part of the class. The results vary, with some students finding it challenging either due to lack of interest or difficulty in understanding the material.
  • Classroom Dynamics
    • The DM describes the classroom environment, noting that Bob and Ophelia are excelling while Luna is eager but not exceptional. Krenn is identified as someone who might cram at the end.
    • The professor sets the term-long project: unlocking a magical box with five keyholes, each protected by different auras (magical energies).
    • The box is revealed, approximately one foot wide and half as tall and deep, with five uniquely shaped keyholes.
    • The professor explains the task involves identifying and stabilizing the auras to unlock the box, emphasizing it as a group activity.
    • The contents of the box include answers to a quarter of the final exam questions, providing a strong incentive.
  • Project Setup
    • The professor explains that the box has shifting auras requiring identification and stabilization.
    • The class is grouped randomly into teams to work on their respective boxes, with the adventuring party forming one group.
    • The professor warns about potential mishaps and advises against working alone with the box.
    • The project is to be primarily conducted outside of class, with students encouraged to use resources like the biblioplex (library).
  • Initial Strategy Session
    • The group discusses where to meet regularly, considering public spots like parks or the library.
    • They decide to meet in the library, where they have access to magical books and resources.
    • The party proposes using a book on auras to understand the different magical protections on the box.
  • Examining the Box
    • The group observes each of the five keyholes, noting the unique auras:
      • First Keyhole: Red aura, active and flickering like a flame.
      • Second Keyhole: Blue aura, shimmering and moving like liquid.
      • Third Keyhole: Green aura, generally still but with very faint, slow movement.
      • Fourth Keyhole: Orange/yellow aura, bouncing around and changing colors quickly.
      • Fifth Keyhole: Deep purple aura, dimming and brightening rhythmically.
  • Researching the Auras
    • The group consults their book on auras to interpret the observed phenomena.
    • They consider the connection between the blue aura and water, identifying it as likely reactive to water.
    • They recognize the blue aura as possibly being an enchantment magic.
  • Discussion and Analysis
    • The party discusses the nature of the keyholes and the concept of “keys.” They realize that the keys are more metaphorical, likely requiring magical manipulation rather than physical keys.
    • They deliberate on the professor’s advice about stabilizing the auras, suggesting that making the auras inert or causing them to interact might be the solution.
  • Progress and Teamwork
    • The group collaborates effectively, pooling their knowledge and observations.
    • They successfully identify the nature of the blue aura, marking progress in their project.
    • The session ends with the group having a better understanding of their task and a plan to continue their research and experimentation.
  • The session begins with the DM instructing the party to move on to the next aura, specifically the green one.
  • Krenn inspects the green aura and notices it looks like ivy growing, with a plant-like feel and tiny leaves inside the aura.
  • Krenn identifies the magic school associated with the green aura as necromancy, explaining that necromancy involves life and death.
  • The party moves on to the yellow aura. Krenn initially loses focus but eventually identifies the aura as related to light or electricity, and the magic school as conjuration.
  • The purple aura is next. Luna is too excited to focus, but Bob and Krenn observe the aura pulsating and identify it as pure arcane power. They associate the purple aura with illusion magic and note that it may be the hardest to open.
  • The party decides to tackle the blue aura next, which looks like water. They discuss the possibility of using water to interact with the aura.
  • The DM notes that water is easy to find, and the party proceeds to pour water into the blue keyhole.
  • As water is poured into the blue aura, it absorbs into the sides of the keyhole, causing concentric ripples through the aura but not permanently changing it.
  • The party then tries pouring water into the red aura, which they suspect is related to fire. This results in steam pouring out of the keyhole, causing Krenn and Luna to instinctively jump back.
  • Ophelia and Bob take four points of damage from the superheated steam.
  • The DM confirms that the red aura is related to evocation magic, which is associated with damaging spells like firebolt.
  • The party discusses various ideas for interacting with the yellow aura, including plugging the keyhole with gum or insulating themselves with rubber.
  • Bob jokes about sticking a fork in the keyhole, likening it to a wall outlet.
  • Luna, being a fairy and able to fly, offers to fly and fetch a metal fork to test their hypothesis.
  • The session begins with the party discussing their approach to interacting with a magical rod and the potential reactions it might produce.
  • Krenn Smith tentatively holds the rod, and as he sticks it into the box, he feels a minor shock that changes his hair color from white to bright orange without causing any damage.
  • The group observes that the yellow aura around the keyhole remains unchanged despite the reaction.
  • Luna is unaware of her hair color change and the group discusses the nature of the yellow aura, identifying it as related to conjuration, which involves creating or altering things.
  • The team speculates that the aura’s effect is to change something about the person interacting with it rather than causing harm. They confirm they have not solved the yellow aura yet.
  • The conversation shifts to the green aura, which they associate with plant life, noting its growth and expansion as they examine a tiny plant within the keyhole.
  • The party decides to pour water on the green aura’s keyhole, but it does not absorb, leaving the area around the hole wet without significant change.
  • A closer inspection reveals that the green aura resembles an ivy or mold, growing slowly but steadily.
  • The group considers using plant food or other methods to encourage the growth of the green aura.
  • They attempt to connect the auras with a common thread but realize they may need to solve each keyhole independently, as suggested by the professor’s earlier comments.
  • Ophelia and Luna, as Witherbloom students, discuss utilizing nature-related spells to influence the green aura.
  • Ophelia muses about a nature spell that could promote growth, and Luna checks her herbalism kit and spells for a possible solution.
  • The DM hints that the solution involves a specific spell, leading Luna to realize that the druidcraft cantrip could be useful.
  • Luna uses druidcraft to make a flower bloom in the keyhole, causing the green aura to react dramatically. The aura grows larger, then forms a 3D flower that blooms and wilts, making the keyhole disappear and multicolored flowers appear around the lock.
  • The group confirms they have successfully solved the green aura keyhole, but the box remains locked, indicating they need to solve all auras to unlock it completely.
  • They discuss the implications of the keyhole’s disappearance and whether it means they are permanently locked out or if they have just solved that part of the puzzle.
  • The DM confirms that solving the green aura keyhole is a significant achievement, and they note it was related to Luna’s druidcraft spell.
  • The session ends with the group realizing they need to continue exploring other spells and strategies to solve the remaining auras.
  • The DM hints at the dangers of incorrectly solving other keyholes, especially the one associated with necromancy.
  • The group reflects on their progress and acknowledges the challenge of finding spells relevant to the different auras.
  • The session concludes with plans to possibly meet in person at Brian’s parents’ house for the next session, acknowledging some members’ scheduling conflicts.