Here’s the latest write up from the Scarlet Citadel, in which the characters came face to face with Imortra the Debased for the first time. I made a few changes to her spell list as the selection in the adventure is very concentration heavy. She made good use of dimension door this session!
You can read earlier posts here. This post contains spoilers for Scarlet Citadel.
After agreeing with Gilsfeyr, leader of the Cult of Camazotz, last session that they would go to parley with Kurgorom, the characters head off for the derro village, accompanied by Gilsfeyr’s derro pariahs. The derro insist the adventurers crawl on hands and knees as they pass the stairs to the Black River and Gellert the Gruesome’s abode.
After catching a glimpse of a large chamber of glowing purple crystals, the group passes through the Fungus Farm where they are watched by more derro.
At the foul-smelling derro village, the two factions greet each other by screeching like bats and jumping up and down. Kurgurom appears from her hut and the characters are allowed up to the ledge to negotiate.
Maya (wearing Cagoth-Ze’s amethyst brooch) takes the lead. She isn’t keen on Kurgurom’s suggestion to be taken to Imortra in chains, but agrees to her second proposal – convincing Imortra that they have been sent by Cagoth-Ze to serve her, then attacking at the right moment. Kurgurom asks the characters to capture Imortra alive and bring her back to the village to be tortured.
The derro witch queen scratches Tricksy with a needle coated with one of her concoctions, allowing him to see the cavern as it really is – there are facades of ancient buildings cut into the stone. She gives them 4 potions of augmented reality so they can “see the truth, not lies”. Tricksy casts identify and finds out the potions are likely to cause side effects.
After reaching an agreement, the characters have a long rest in one of the derro huts as slavering chupacabras prowl around outside.
Tricksy drinks a potion of augmented reality and uses his cloak to scout Imortra’s caverns in bat form. He sees a dozen prisoners shuffling around, overseen by a trio of mindrot thralls, and a tiled portico with three statues and stairs leading down. Beyond is another chamber with a large skull symbol inlaid in the flood. Every so often he can’t think straight – one of the side effects of the potion.
When Tricksy returns to the others, the characters go with Kurgurom and derro from both factions to meet Imortra. They drink their potions – Maya is surrounded by faerie fire as a side effect, while Clairmont gains temporary hit points.
After a while Clairmont loses his patience and starts the inevitable battle. Tricksy casts web and Maya turns the lich hound which disappears to the ethereal plane. All the derro run away!
Arriving in the Prisoner Quarters, Kurgorom tells one of the thralls to fetch Imortra. The elf wizard appears with her lich hound pet. Maya does most of the talking but Tricksy and Clairmont are also questioned by Imortra.
Imortra casts globe of invulnerability to protect herself, but is bloodied by the characters. She casts dimension door to escape and a trio of devils appear from the statues….
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Main image by David Auden Nash
Richard Green | Game Designer 