As the sun’s first light crept through the dense canopy of Sedgemoor, the swamp seemed to breathe with anticipation. A day of discovery awaited the students of Strixhaven, led by their enigmatic guide, Professor Totsky. The air was thick with the promise of magic—both its wonders and its dangers. The adventurers gathered their resolve, ready to face the mysteries lurking within the marsh’s tangled depths.
Their journey began with a delve into the heart of the swamp, a place rumored to be touched by the dark tendrils of the Eldritch Bomb’s corruption. They were tasked with locating and purifying the springs tainted by this ominous force. The group set out, their minds echoing with Professor Totsky’s instructions to collect the necessary components for a cleansing ritual. They moved with purpose, each step a testament to their determination to rid Strixhaven of this blight.
The early hours of their expedition were marked by the eerie quiet of the swamp, broken only by the occasional rustle of unseen creatures in the undergrowth. Luna, ever the vigilant fairy, flitted above her companions, her wings shimmering like a beacon in the dim light. It was she who first spotted the danger—a pair of wargs lurking behind the stumps, eyes gleaming with hunger.
The ensuing battle was a testament to the group’s cohesion and bravery. As the wargs charged, Ophelia’s magic danced through the air, striking true and forcing the beasts back. Bob, ever the stalwart fighter, rallied despite a comical misstep that sent his axe spinning into the murky depths. Undeterred, he pressed forward, his resolve as unyielding as the armor he wore.
Krenn, with his keen mind and mastery of spells, unleashed a torrent of fire that scorched the wargs, the flames reflecting in his eyes with a determination as fierce as the blaze. Meanwhile, Luna transformed into a mighty bear, her roar echoing through the swamp as she engaged the enemy with primal ferocity. The battle was brief but fierce, ending with the wargs vanquished and their goblin riders fleeing into the shadows.
With the threat quelled, the adventurers turned their attention back to their primary task. They explored further into the swamp, discovering a pair of sheds marked with Strixhaven University insignia. Inside, they found tools and potions—a welcome boon for their quest. The exploration led them to a peculiar bubbling spring, its surface marred by the telltale signs of necromancy.
Bob, guided by a sixth sense, probed the spring, his intuition rewarded with the discovery of a hidden source of corruption. The group set to work, using a potion provided by Professor Totsky to cleanse the tainted waters. A brilliant flash of light signaled their success, the spring’s water now clear and free of its dark magic.
Their investigation unearthed more than just the spring’s secrets. Ophelia, while wringing water from her clothes, stumbled upon a water-damaged journal buried in the mud. Its pages, though sodden, revealed sketches of creatures they had encountered and cryptic notes on necromantic experiments. These fragments hinted at a sinister mastermind orchestrating the chaos, though the identity remained tantalizingly out of reach.
The session ended with a sense of accomplishment tempered by the knowledge that their journey was far from over. As they prepared to return to Strixhaven and report their findings, the adventurers couldn’t shake the feeling that the true challenge was yet to come. The swamp, now cleansed of its immediate threat, seemed to whisper promises of further mysteries, their echoes guiding the students back to the safety of their academy, where new adventures surely awaited.
The session opens with some technical issues involving the camera, with players struggling to see and hear each other. Discussion shifts to outside topics such as air quality and general well-being, with players conversing about smoke in their areas and recent events affecting them personally. The players discuss past events and encounters, reminiscing about the Rose Stage Festival where Bob was booed during an improvisation play. This play was part of the festival where an animated Owl Bear attacked, and the party successfully dealt with the threat. In the aftermath of the Owl Bear attack, the adventurers discovered traces of a mysterious black goo on a piece of the set, raising questions about its origin and purpose. Professor Totsky is mentioned as having shown concern regarding this black goo and its potential connection to the Eldritch Bomb, a corrupted magical substance. A side conversation occurs about personal health situations and antibiotics, with Shannon mentioning Jared’s struggles with antibiotics and dehydration. Shannon confirms her readiness for the game, mentioning she prepared her character’s spells last week. Professor Totsky is taking a class on a trip to the Sedgemoor for gathering magical components, and she invites the adventurers to join for safety and collaboration. The players decide to rest overnight and join the class trip in the morning rather than venturing into the swamp alone at night. The DM reminds players that they can take a long rest, allowing them to regain health points and prepare new spells. The next morning, the adventurers meet with Professor Totsky and her class and set out to the Sedgemoor, a swampy bayou area known for its magical components. Professor Totsky instructs her students to gather specific components, while she directs the adventurers to investigate potential corruption in underwater springs. She provides the group with a vial of water to clear any corruption they find in the springs, hoping it will address the Eldritch Bomb issue. As the adventurers explore the swamp, they come across tree stumps and wooden bridges leading to an island with two sheds marked with “Strixhaven University Research Department.” Luna, using her ability to fly, crosses to the island and discovers two wargs hiding behind the stumps. These wargs are wolf-like creatures known for their aggressive nature. The wargs notice Luna and charge at her, leading to a combat encounter. The DM instructs players to roll for initiative to determine the order of actions in the upcoming battle. The session begins with the DM describing a warg rushing towards the party, attempting to bite but missing its target. Ophelia considers her options and decides to use a spell that deals 2d6 damage. One warg fails its save and takes 6 points of damage, while the other succeeds and takes 3 points. Ophelia’s wild magic triggers, resulting in the appearance of a modron, a creature familiar to the players from a previous adventure. Bob, initially uncertain of his options, is reminded by the DM that his hand axes can be thrown. He attempts to throw a hand axe but misses, and it lands in the water. Bob decides to try jumping to a tree stump in the water, succeeding partially. He ends up with his torso on the stump and feet in the water, needing to scramble up next turn. Krenn observes Bob’s actions and chooses to use Aganazzar’s Scorcher. He positions himself to avoid hitting allies and successfully hits a warg, dealing 18 damage. Luna uses Entangle to trap both wargs in vines, allowing her to safely move away. One warg attempts to bite her as she moves, but misses due to disadvantage. The wargs struggle against the entangling vines but fail to break free. Ophelia uses a fire spell, targeting the wargs, while Bob attempts to move closer to the fight by climbing and leaping, albeit with difficulty. Bob throws another hand axe, successfully hitting a warg and killing it. The goblin rider escapes into the water. Krenn, standing waist-deep in water, uses Aganazzar’s Scorcher again on the remaining warg. Luna transforms into a bear and attacks the warg, successfully knocking it out. The goblin rider flees. The party discusses the contamination of water and their objective to find and investigate underground springs. The modron, after wandering, disappears suddenly, leaving the party to continue their exploration. Krenn moves across the bog, wet and muddy but unhindered, while Ophelia considers her options to cross the water, contemplating using her familiar, despite its size limitations. The session begins with a discussion among the players about potential animals they could ride, with suggestions including a hawk and a seahorse, leading to a humorous exchange about the practicality of such choices. A player humorously considers using the enlarge spell on a familiar to make it rideable, while another contemplates making an intimidating jump using their high deception skill. An attempt is made to jump off a pier with flair, including a handspring and backflip, but it results in a comedic failure where the character lands in the water, soaking themselves completely. The group encounters a large tree stump and discusses their next actions, focusing on searching for springs or other points of interest. Luna, in bear form, explores a nearby shed, using her claws to open the door and discovering various foraging supplies, including two healing potions, which she takes. Krenn Smith continues his investigation, moving to a different area and discovers a nest of winged snakes, noting their presence without disturbing them. The investigation of the sheds reveals typical foraging tools and more healing potions, with no signs of the magical corruption known as the Eldritch Bomb. Ophelia, still wet from her earlier fall, is distracted by her situation but continues to look around the area. Krenn decides to explore other land masses, opting to use levitate to safely travel over potentially dangerous terrain like quicksand. Bob successfully navigates tree stumps to reach another island, where he hears a bubbling sound and conducts a closer investigation. Bob uses a stick to probe the bubbling mud and water, discovering it is like thick clay, eventually finding a deeper spot where the stick sinks further, prompting a dexterity save. The session involves the characters investigating a mysterious bubbling spring in Sedgemoor, with a particular focus on the presence of necromantic magic. Investigation of the Spring: Character Movements and Interactions: Discovery of the Source: Attempt to Cleanse the Spring: Finding the Water-Damaged Journal: Implications of the Journal: Search for Additional Clues: Conclusion of the Session: The DM, Brian, begins by explaining the distinction between spell levels and character class levels, emphasizing that they are separate concepts that players need to understand. He clarifies that players gain access to a new level of spells at every odd character level, meaning that when characters reach level five, they will unlock access to third-level spells. A player responds with understanding, indicating they grasp the explanation about spell progression and character levels. Brian assures the players that at the start of the next session, he will quickly review any new powers or abilities their characters have acquired as a result of leveling up. The conversation closes with expressions of gratitude towards Brian, with multiple players thanking him for his guidance and explanations. The session appears to wrap up, with Brian confirming the plan to move forward to the next part of the adventure in the subsequent session.Session Notes