After a quick start last week with 4 players present, this week's session was a bit of a disappointment. Everyone understood Mike's reason for missing and no one can hold that against him. (We all wish your wife a quick recovery, Mike.) But, Stefis was MIA, even though I had seen him online earlier. Michael and Ridge also failed to report in. I'm sure Michael is making last minute prep for his Ethiopia trip. I can only assume that Ridge is still having to take care of his grandmother after her fall, but I think everyone would like to hear from those who have missed just to make sure they intend to keep playing. We welcomed a new player today. Welcome Dan. He didn't get to introduce his character though. He was busy playing Bryndon and doing a good job of it. I'll be excited to see him introduce Jarvin. He seems like one of the most original characters I've seen in a long time. That's not a slight against anyone else. Can't be really since I had a hand in the creation of most of the characters in game. I just really like his concept. We also welcomed a friend of Dan's. Welcome Mickey. Thanks again for coming over to help out on such short notice and to do so at that time of night shows how committed you are to D&D and to your buddy Dan. Thank you. We hope to see you again in the future. We got a late start after waiting for everyone to show up, but then Jabri came online and at least we had a group and could play. The party made their way back out of the "Starry Cavern" and found Grunden and Nundro waiting in the storeroom. A decision was made to push on toward the entrance cavern, even though many were still terribly wounded. Back at the entrance the party finally took a well deserved long rest. Next day the party set out over land for the ruins of Conyberry and Agatha the Banshee. Arriving in Conyberry that night, the party decided to push on another 5 miles and try to speak to Agatha the same night. A feeling of dread and foreboding came over the party as pushed further into this corner of the Neverwinter woods. Ariving at the clearing of Agatha's home before midnight, Bryndon (voiced by Dan) and Jabril made their way into the small domed structure. As soon as they did, they were greeted by the spectral form of Agatha who said; "Foolish mortals. What do you want here? Do you not know it is death to seek me out?" Jabril offered his apologies and explained that they were there to give her a gift. He elbowed the Elf in the ribs and waited for Bryndon to produce said "gift." Bryndon played his own waiting game and luckily for the party, amused Agatha in the process. After listening to the sweet words of the silver tongued Elf, Agatha agreed to answer two questions and also gave a rather cryptic foretelling of Bryndon's future when she said; "You go to a place from where there is no return. There you will find old magic, blood magic. And much magic will you need to defeat the devil that is that land." Sensing a sadness in Agatha, though not understanding it as fully as Jabril did, Bryndon ask what could be done to help her. Which, of course, was what needed to be done to help her. She was indifferent to the suffering of others so she was cursed to be a banshee until someone took an interest in her own suffering. By using one of your valuable questions to benefit her, you broke the curse and freed her soul. You also got the information that Sister Garaele asked for. She will, undoubtedly, be grateful. Being very late, the party here rested in the hovel of the once Banshee protector of Conyberry. The next morning dawned clear and the party started their trip back to Phandalin along the Triboar Trail. After a 5 mile hike out of the woods and a 20 mile trek on the road with Glanbir scouting ahead for traps and ambushes, the party finally came to the spot on the road where they first saw Wyvern Tor. (#3) This is the point were we called the game. Alex had something come up and didn't make it back after the break. Jabri had a couple of minor issues also. I know Dan wanted to continue and I felt bad that his first game with us was so full of obstacles, but I think it was the right thing to do. I hope we will see him next week, so that he can introduce his character and meet the rest of the group. I really would like to get this group back to how it was before. We never had any problem with people missing or being late. At least not in the core group of players. I understand that real life sometimes gets in the way, but I hope we can continue this campaign until the end. I believe I have enough material to do just that. After White Plume Mountain and Rook's story arc with his father, we will go into Curse of Strahd. After CoS we can take a planar odyssey or go through G1,2, and 3, otherwise known as "Against the Giants." Then we could finish our campaign with a classic death trap like S1, "Tomb of Horrors." XP: 500 xp - For successfully persuading Agatha to answer the sister's question. 500 xp - For using one of your questions to set Agatha free. 1000 xp Total divided by 6 = 166 xp Sorry about the lack of XP, but you didn't do much this session to award xp for. No combat. Only the RP encounter with Agatha. BTW, you did leave a live Flameskull that someone is going to have to deal with before Grunden can start working the mine. Loot: A wooden pipe adorned with platinum filigree (150 gp). (Bag of Wacky Wizard Weed. Unidentified. But surely Longbottom Leaf, Old Toby, Southern Star, or Southlinch) Silver Comb, provided by the Harpers to Sister Garaele. Bryndon recovered it after the party went to sleep in Agatha's small abode.
