The Bow’s End Tavern was alive with the raucous sounds of clinking glasses and hearty laughter, the air thick with the scent of roasted meats and spiced ale. In the midst of this lively chaos, a group of Strixhaven students gathered around a table, their eyes fixed on a small, enchanted box. It was the final round of “Wizard Gizzard,” an exhilarating game of spell and strategy, and tensions ran high.
Krenn Smith, the half-elf wizard, stood poised with a confident smirk. His final Firebolt spell struck the box with precision, earning him the title of champion. The crowd erupted in cheers, and an orc chef named Tolk approached, presenting Krenn with a mysterious satchel. Within the dark confines of the bag, Krenn found a fuzzy ball that, with a bit of conjuration magic, transformed into a friendly boar named Gore. The tavern’s patrons marveled at the unusual prize, adding to the evening’s jubilant atmosphere.
However, the merriment was abruptly cut short as a frantic dwarf burst through the kitchen door, his face a mask of terror. “The steam, it’s too spicy! It’s trying to kill us! Someone help!” he yelled, his voice cracking with desperation. The students sprang into action, their celebratory mood replaced by a shared sense of urgency.
They rushed into the kitchen, greeted by a scene of chaos. Unconscious chefs lay sprawled on the floor, and the air was filled with thick, swirling steam. Luna, the fairy druid, quickly assessed the situation. Her eyes narrowed as she spotted the source of the chaos—humanoid steam creatures with wings, darting through the air and exuding an aura of malevolence.
Without hesitation, Luna cast Ice Knife at the nearest creature. The spell hit its mark, sending shards of ice exploding outward and slowing the creature. But the battle was far from over. The steam creatures retaliated, one releasing a cone of scalding steam that caught Krenn and Bob, the stout dwarf fighter, in its path. Bob gritted his teeth, enduring the pain, while Luna nimbly dodged behind Krenn, avoiding the worst of the attack.
Bob, ever the warrior, swung his hand axe with precision, striking one of the steam creatures and dealing a solid blow. Krenn, despite his wizardly demeanor, proved his mettle by resorting to an unarmed strike, delivering a punch that sent another creature reeling. Beside them, Ophelia, the human sorcerer, conjured a ghostly hand, but her initial strike missed its target.
In a dramatic display of her druidic powers, Luna transformed into a cheetah, her lithe form allowing her to leap swiftly at a steam creature. Her claws slashed through the vaporous foe, causing it to burst into a harmless puff of steam. The party marveled at Luna’s transformation, their spirits buoyed by her prowess.
Yet the steam creatures continued their assault. Another creature clawed at Luna, who retaliated with a savage bite, her cheetah form proving both swift and deadly. Bob, wielding his great axe, cleaved through a steam creature, which exploded in a burst of superheated vapor. Krenn followed up with a Magic Missile, sending three darts of energy into the last creature, dissipating it into nothingness.
As the steam cleared, the party surveyed the wreckage. Four cauldrons still emitted wisps of steam, and the unconscious chefs began to stir. Krenn used his medical skills to revive an owl-like chef, who recounted the strange burst of heat that had knocked him out. The chefs, including Tolk, were bewildered and grateful for the students’ intervention.
The party’s investigation led them to a disturbing discovery. A black, oily substance smeared the rim of one cauldron, its foul odor reminiscent of a bog. Luna, using her herbalism kit, identified traces of conjuration and evocation magic in the substance, though its exact nature remained elusive. The party speculated on the connection between the substance and previous encounters, recalling the transformation of frogs into giant attackers during a race.
The black oil posed a mystery that demanded further investigation. Luna suggested they consult Witherbloom College, known for its expertise in natural and magical phenomena. The idea that the substance could be linked to the college’s focus on plant and necromantic magic seemed plausible. Bob, despite his jest about paying attention in class, attempted to recall any relevant arcane knowledge but struggled to focus.
As the session drew to a close, the group pondered the implications of their discovery. The attack on the kitchen, seemingly random, hinted at a larger, more sinister plot. With their newfound clues, the students of Strixhaven prepared to delve deeper into the mysteries that lurked within the magical university, their camaraderie and courage their greatest assets in the face of the unknown.
The next session promised further revelations and challenges, as the party resolved to uncover the truth behind the oily substance and the malevolent forces at play. For now, they had earned a moment of respite, but the halls of Strixhaven held many secrets yet to be unveiled.
The session begins with the players greeting each other and resolving some technical issues. Barbara, Seward, and Brian discuss the details of the tavern scene, particularly the appearance of characters in a picture. Bill joins the session, explaining his delay was due to technical difficulties. Barbara asks about the ability “Wild Magic Surge,” which she mistakenly associates with her druid character, Luna. Brian clarifies that it is a feature for Shannon’s character, Ophelia, as she is a sorcerer. Brian recaps the previous session where the party solved a lock puzzle, obtained a study guide, completed their exams, and then went to the Bow’s End Tavern to play “Wizard Gizzard.” The game “Wizard Gizzard” involves casting spells to hit a magic box. Brian mentions Bob’s role in the game, noting Bill’s character chose to encourage Krenn rather than participate directly. Bill and Brian discuss Bob’s participation strategy for the upcoming rounds—deciding between heckling and encouraging Krenn. Brian explains the rules for heckling, requiring either a performance, persuasion, or intimidation check. In the next round, Luna (Barbara) decides to cast Ice Knife, successfully hitting the target and earning a point. Krenn (Seward) uses a Magic Missile, hitting the target and earning another point. Brian asks for an Arcana check to determine the control over their spells. Despite Bob’s heckling, Krenn performs well, earning two points. The score is updated: Luna and Krenn are tied with four points each, Ophelia has one point, and Grayson has two points. In the final round, Luna plans to use her quarterstaff but decides to cast Ice Knife again after clarifying the rules. Krenn uses Firebolt, encouraged by Bob, who continues to heckle. Brian requests another Arcana check for the final shots. Krenn successfully scores two points, Ophelia and Grayson each score one, and Luna scores one but misses her last shot. Krenn is declared the winner of “Wizard Gizzard” despite the heckling. The tavern crowd cheers, and a large orc chef named Tolk congratulates Krenn on his victory. Tolk presents Krenn with a mysterious prize—a satchel—that he warns might be disruptive if used carelessly. Krenn cautiously opens the satchel, finding it dark inside and detecting conjuration magic. Krenn reaches into the bag and pulls out a fuzzy ball, which he places on the table. Rolling a D8, he discovers the ball transforms into a boar named Gore. The boar is friendly and will accompany Krenn for the rest of the day, disappearing at night. Seward names his pet: Seward decides to name his new pet boar “Gore” and pats it on the head. Dwarf’s warning: As the students prepare for another round of “Wizard Gizzard,” a frantic dwarf bursts from the kitchen, shouting, “The steam, it’s too spicy, it’s trying to kill us, someone help!” Party’s response: The party quickly reacts, with Seward deciding to run into the kitchen with Gore. Initiative: The DM instructs the players to roll for initiative as they move towards the kitchen. Kitchen scene: Upon entering the kitchen, the party sees unconscious chefs on the floor and steam filling the room. Flying steam creatures, appearing humanoid with wings, are moving rapidly and seem to be part of the steam. Luna’s ice knife: Luna (Barbara) casts Ice Knife at the closest steam creature, hitting it. The ice explodes, slowing the creature but not defeating it. Steam creature’s attack: A steam creature flies towards the party and releases a cone of steam. Krenn (Seward) and Bob (Bill) take 2 damage each, while Luna ducks behind Krenn and avoids the steam. Gore also avoids the attack. Creature’s claw attack: Another steam creature attempts to claw Luna but misses. Gore’s attack: Seward commands Gore to attack the steam creature, but Gore misses. Bob’s turn: Bob decides to use his hand axe for better maneuverability in the confined kitchen. He attacks a steam creature, dealing 5 damage. Creature’s counterattack: The previously hit steam creature tries to claw at Bob but misses. Krenn’s firebolt: Krenn attempts to use Firebolt, hoping to dissipate the steam creature with heat. However, the attack energizes the creature, making it stronger. Another creature’s claw attack: Another steam creature tries to claw Bob but misses. Ophelia’s ghostly hand: Ophelia (Shannon) uses a ghostly hand spell but misses the steam creature. Luna’s strategy: Luna considers her options and decides to transform into a cheetah to engage in melee combat. Luna’s transformation: Luna successfully transforms into a cheetah and uses her claw attack on a steam creature, scoring a critical hit and dissipating the creature into steam. Party’s reaction: The party witnesses Luna’s transformation for the first time, marveling at her newfound combat prowess as a cheetah. Steam Creature Explosions: Attack on Luna: Boar’s Turn: Bob’s Turn: Krenn’s Turn: Luna’s Turn: Ophelia’s Turn: Bob’s Second Turn: Krenn’s Second Turn: Luna’s Final Battle: Ophelia’s Final Move: Post-Battle Scene: Krenn’s Medical Aid: Investigation and Uncovering Clues: Brian: Explains that the librarian initially thought the substance found in the chest was some sort of oil for maintaining the leather. It smelled like a bog and seemed like the same substance found on the frog. The exact nature of the substance remains unknown. Barbara: Asks about the contents of the cauldrons. Brian: Describes the stew in the cauldron as a fish stew with vegetables and spices. The green color is attributed to the vegetables. Barbara: Notes that the black substance is only found on the last cauldron. Barbara: Recalls that the frogs turned into giant attack frogs after a race, possibly due to the black substance. Seward: Clarifies that the substance discussed is black, not purple. Brian: Confirms the substance is black and acknowledges that it smells like a bog. Suggests using an herbalism kit to identify it. Barbara: Decides to use an herbalism kit to analyze the black substance. Brian: Instructs to make a wisdom check. The substance is identified to have natural components and possibly magical properties. Further study at the school might be needed. Barbara: Mentions there is no bog on the university grounds. Brian: Points out a river on the grounds and suggests the Witherbloom College might be relevant due to its nature focus. Barbara: Considers visiting the Dean of Witherbloom, associating the bog smell with something related to Witherbloom. Brian: Agrees that Witherbloom College could be a good place to investigate. Bill: Notes that the cauldrons have colors that match the locks on a previously encountered box, suggesting a potential magical connection. Seward: Comments on the colors and their possible link to the black substance. Barbara: Speculates that the green color, associated with plants and necromancy, might be relevant. Bill: Confirms that the green cauldron has the black substance. Seward: Questions why there are not five cauldrons. Bill: Suggests that the red and orange colors might be combined in one cauldron. Barbara: Reflects on the connection between the colors and the black substance. Brian: Reminds Bob about his magical inspection abilities learned in class. Bill: Jokes about not paying attention in school. Brian: Encourages making an Arcana check to inspect the cauldrons. Bill: Attempts an Arcana check but struggles to recall his knowledge. Brian: Describes Bob’s struggle to focus and suggests others try making Arcana checks. Seward: Decides to observe Bob. Brian: Luna also attempts an Arcana check and notices different forms of conjuration magic emitting from the cauldrons and their contents. Bill: Comments on the importance of colors. Seward: Notices that the black substance does not emit any magic but has remnants of conjuration and evocation magic. Brian: Explains that the black substance has no active magic but has traces of past magical auras. Seward: Realizes the need to determine who is capable of evocation magic. Brian: States that anyone could learn evocation magic and questions the motivation behind the attacks. Seward: Expresses confusion about why the new students are being targeted without personal vendettas. Bill: Suggests that the answer might be in the overarching narrative. Brian: Jokes about the school’s dislike for player characters due to the chaos they bring. Seward: Reflects on the danger posed to bystanders in a game setting. Seward: Ponders the reasons behind the kitchen attack and whether it was a coincidence they were present. Brian: Mentions that some orcs are friendly, including Tulk, who seems helpful. Brian: Chef Kurtie admits using magic to enhance flavors but denies causing the explosion. Seward: Asks if anyone has seen anything like the black substance before. Brian: Tulk mentions the use of magic engines on campus and suggests the black substance might be an addition to the cauldrons. He speculates it could be a prank or a genuine attempt to cause harm. Bill: Comments that a more dangerous scenario would make a better story. Brian: Ends the session with the group pondering the possibilities and mentions the next session will be in two weeks.Session Notes