The Strixhaven campus buzzed with the hum of student life, a tapestry of magical energy and academic rigor. As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting a golden hue over the ancient stone buildings, a group of adventurers found themselves drawn to a peculiar task: unlocking a magical chest bound by elemental locks. The chest, a relic of arcane craftsmanship, stood as a testament to the trials of student life at Strixhaven.
Luna approached the chest with determination. Her eyes fixed upon the green lock, its verdant glow pulsating with necromantic energy. With a whisper of nature’s incantation, she invoked Druidcraft. The lock responded, its aura dissipating as it clicked open, revealing the first of the chest’s secrets.
Krenn stepped forward to confront the purple lock, its illusory magic casting an ethereal light. With a flick of his wrist, he unleashed a Firebolt, aiming it directly at the lock. The flames seemed to absorb into the lock, leaving no trace of damage. Krenn, realizing the lock’s true nature, reached out and discovered that it was never truly locked at all.
Luna, undeterred by the challenges that lay ahead, turned her attention to the blue lock, its watery essence shimmering in the light. With a commanding gesture, she cast Create or Destroy Water, and the lock’s aura rippled and faded. The blue lock yielded to her magical prowess, unlocking with a soft click.
Bob faced the red lock, its fiery aura flickering with evocation magic. Drawing upon his own connection to nature, he cast Druidcraft, snuffing out the flames that danced around the lock. Deprived of its elemental strength, the red lock succumbed to Bob’s spell, granting access to yet another of the chest’s mysteries.
Ophelia stood before the final challenge: the yellow lock, crackling with the energy of lightning and conjuration magic. With a determined expression, she conjured an Ice Knife, launching it directly at the lock. The icy projectile splintered upon impact, triggering the lock’s mechanism. Despite the minor explosion that followed, causing Ophelia and Luna to sustain slight injuries, the yellow lock finally yielded, granting the party access to the entirety of the chest’s contents.
With all locks defeated, the chest creaked open, revealing a scroll within. The scroll, a relic of academic prowess, contained questions and answers for the upcoming final exams—a boon that would surely aid their scholarly endeavors.
As exams loomed, the adventurers turned their focus to their studies. Krenn, his mind sharp and focused, excelled in his preparations, earning the chance to reattempt tougher questions. Luna, with her natural affinity for the arcane, also performed admirably. Bob, weary from a night of revelry, struggled but managed to complete his exam. Ophelia, despite her challenges, displayed a resilience that saw her through the ordeal.
The day of the exams arrived, and the adventurers faced the true test of their academic mettle. Krenn and Luna, with their thorough preparations, navigated the true/false questions and essay sections with ease. Bob, though exhausted, pushed through with sheer determination. Ophelia, her resolve unwavering, barely passed but succeeded nonetheless. Their efforts were rewarded—Krenn and Bob earned special “student dice” to aid them in future endeavors, and all leveled up, gaining new abilities and spells.
With exams behind them, the adventurers sought respite at the newly opened Boathouse Tavern. The tavern, a beacon of festivity, welcomed them with the sounds of music and laughter. Grayson, an ever-enthusiastic NPC, introduced them to the Wizard Gizzard game—a competitive test of magical prowess.
Inside the bustling tavern, the adventurers joined the throng of students gathered around the game setup. The objective was simple: launch magical spheres into a bucket using spells. Krenn, displaying his competitive spirit, performed remarkably, while Ophelia faced challenges but remained determined. Luna and Bob cheered their comrades, fostering a sense of camaraderie.
As the evening wore on, the adventurers reveled in their achievements and the bonds forged through their shared experiences. The session concluded with lively conversations and a sense of anticipation for future adventures. The promise of new challenges and the allure of the unknown beckoned, leaving the adventurers eager to continue their journey at Strixhaven.
Session Start: Pre-Game Chat Session Recap by DM (Brian) Current Objective Discussion on the Purple (Illusion) Lock Krenn’s Attempt on the Purple Lock Clarification by DM Remaining Locks The group is discussing their previous attempts to unlock the blue lock, which represents the school of enchantment. They recall trying to use water-based spells, which were absorbed by the lock but did not open it. Other attempts, including trying to electrocute the lock, also failed. Krenn suggests using a fire spell (Firebolt) on the blue lock to evaporate any water. The Firebolt singes the lock but does not unlock it. The DM explains that the blue lock is associated with enchantment magic, and the characters discuss the possibility of illusion or physical manipulation of the lock. Luna tries to open the lid of the chest but finds no change in the lock’s status. The DM describes how the lock’s aura, visible due to a detect aura spell learned in class, would disappear and the lock would turn when successfully unlocked. Krenn attempts to use Burning Hands on the blue lock but finds he has no available first-level spell slots. The DM reminds them they have had time to rest and restores Krenn’s spell slots. Krenn uses Burning Hands on the blue lock, resulting in steam and minor damage to his hand, but the lock remains unaffected. The group discusses the nature of enchantment magic and considers different spells, including animal friendship, which they realize is not applicable. The DM hints that different schools of magic or elements associated with the locks can play a role in unlocking them. The characters recall using Druidcraft for the green lock associated with nature and necromancy. Luna attempts Destroy Water on the blue lock. The blue aura, described as moving like water ripples, fades away, and the lock unlocks. The group discusses the next lock, the red lock, associated with fire and evocation. Luna uses Druidcraft to snuff out the fire, successfully unlocking the red lock. The final lock, the yellow lock, represents lightning and conjuration. Krenn tries using Produce Flame on the lock, but it has no effect. Bob attempts an unarmed strike on the yellow lock, resulting in no damage but confirming the lock’s physical presence. Krenn uses Ice Knife on the yellow lock. The ice knife wedges into the lock and explodes, requiring a dexterity saving throw from all characters. Luna and Krenn take damage, but the lock unlocks. The DM explains how the ice knife’s conjuration magic triggered the lock’s mechanism. The group realizes there were multiple potential solutions for each lock, emphasizing the importance of understanding different magical elements and schools. The group discusses the practical applications of this lesson in the real world. With all locks unlocked, they open the chest to find a scroll containing questions and answers for their final exam, giving them a strategic advantage. The session transitions to the end of the semester, and the characters prepare for their final exams. The DM asks how seriously they are studying. Luna and Krenn choose to take their studies seriously, while Bob plans to party and cram at the last minute. The DM prepares to have Luna and Krenn make skill checks (Arcana or Insight) to determine their chances of success on the exams. Class Preparation and Exam Retests Exam Day Exam Performance Leveling Up Detailed Mechanics and Abilities Character Management Closing Notes Friday Evening After Exams: The session begins on a Friday evening at the end of exam week. The adventurers finish their exams and walk around the Strixhaven campus. Boathouse Tavern: They hear music and excitement coming from the Boathouse Tavern, which has just opened. Brightly colored-haired students are singing and playing instruments on the patio. Description of the Tavern: The tavern is well-lit as evening falls, with students enjoying the festive atmosphere. Grayson, an NPC, mentions the “wizard gizzard” machine inside the tavern and rushes past the group. Inside the Tavern: The adventurers enter the main dining area of the Boathouse Tavern, which is filled with approximately 50 students. Servers move around, delivering food and drinks. Observing the Game: The adventurers observe students casting magic at the boxes to launch spheres into the bucket. The game involves hitting the boxes with spells to trigger glowing spheres that shoot out of the funnels. Character Participation: The adventurers decide to join the game. Game Strategy and Spells: Arcana Checks: The DM decides to use Arcana checks to determine the characters’ success in the game. Krenn receives an additional roll due to Bob’s encouragement. Game Outcome: Over the next 20-30 seconds, Ophelia struggles to get the aim right, and one of her spheres harmlessly hits Bob. Krenn manages to get a sphere into the bucket, showcasing his magical prowess. The session continued with the characters participating in a competitive game, possibly the Wizard Gizzard game, where players launch magical spheres. A player mentioned it was a good time for them to leave, indicating it was late (3-3 likely referring to the time). The session was concluded for the day, with the DM suggesting that the players think about their strategy for the remaining part of the competition. There was a light-hearted mention of using grease, possibly hinting at a spell or a tactic for the next session. The players expressed gratitude towards the DM, Brian, before saying their goodbyes. The conversation included casual farewells and mentions of meeting again, with one player mentioning a birthday and another referring to an upcoming Tuesday. The session ended with everyone saying goodbye and looking forward to the next game.Session Notes