Don't Blink - November 21, 2025

- Cidercade hoodie / black tshirt

- No context quotes, "Dice goblin is pleased." then much later in the night "Dice Goblin is not pleased with the results."

 

- The Keepers walk down into the abandoned city made of bones. There are sometimes archways made of crossed giant tusks. Every building they look into seems to be residential. 

- The road that leads down from the overlook funnels along with all the other roads the center of the settlement to a temple dedicated to both Solinari (good magic) and Nuitari (evil magic). The building is large enough that it would fill a city block, so Niniel does a quick tour around it and there's a second pair of doors on the opposite side with the same symbols.

- Caleb gives the first doorway a look over and doesn't see any traps, and the door is unlocked.

- The group proceeds into the temple.

- There is a hallway inside the door that leads deeper, it has carvings, pictograms of animals and people and other random symbols that don't seem to relate to language.

- The middle of the building is a big amphitheater with another sacrificial table in the middle of the "stage" pit. The table is stained with blood and has claw marks.

- As everyone is looking around, Poetry notices there are two more statues at the top of each side of the seating part of the amphitheater. They are hark, yak, a chameleon, and a ram.   

- Soliana ritually casts Detect Magic and watches as Niniel hops over the railing and approaches the table. Once Niniel lands, she looks over and the yak statue is right there now in the "stage" pit. Caleb who had been trying to watch the statues did not see it move.

- The table is emanating conjuration and necromantic magic, but everything seems to be emanating a little bit of conjuration magic. 

- Niniel summons her tentacle between herself and the yak statue. Then she cuts her hand and bleeds a little bit on the table, which absorbs her blood.

- The magic does not change with the addition of the blood.

- Niniel takes a step back from the table and bumps directly into the hawk statue. 

- Caleb says out loud, "Okay, so you wanted us to come and see. Here we are. I'm not seeing anything that makes these gods worthy of our worship."

- Soliana casts Gift of Alacrity on Caleb quietly while he's talking.

- Caleb again creates a psychic link to a statue again, and he hears, "Lie upon the table. Join our life together."

- Caleb says he doesn't want to die or join them, and the voices say even louder, "Complete the ritual."

- Caleb says aloud, "No."

- The statues all become creatures sort of related to the carvings they represented as stone. 

- The hawk becomes a humanoid hawk like creature with hands at the ends of its wings and humanoid legs. 

STATUE BATTLE

Hawk is black mini, blue is the Yak / Yeti, green is Chamelon, and Ram is red. 

- Caleb takes a step to the right and throws a psychic dagger at Hawk for 14 psychic dmg and then a second one in quick succession for 6 psychic dmg.

- The Hawk flies up to the highest level of "seating" and then it opens its mouth and "sings" something creepy. Poetry, Niniel, and Caleb take 6 psychic dmg and they are Frightened.

- The Yeti creature moves over to Niniel and breathes a cone of cold breath over her, Caleb and Zemma. 27 cold dmg is dealt. 

- Zemma runs around to flank with Niniel and bites it for 10 piercing dmg.

- Soliana Summons Aberration next to Hawk and it psychically slams it for 18 psychic dmg.

- Ram leaps down two sections of "seating" and charges Soliana for 20 bludgeoning and knocks her prone.

- Poetry steps a little closer to Soliana and summons Ember 10' from and one tier up from Ram, but it dodges the fiery summon. She hits it with a Flame Seed for 4 fire dmg, but it shrugs that off completely. She is no longer Frightened.

- Chameleon hops down one tier of seating and run part of the way around then flings its long reptilian tongue at Zemma, missing. 

- Niniel says to the Yeti, "I hate you." Her tentacle smacks the Yeti for no cold dmg, but it's Speed is reduced by 10'. She then uses her still bleeding hand to cast Sickening Radiance next to her as a Careful Spell. Only Soliana's summon is affected. She is no longer Frightened.

 

- Caleb throws a psychic dagger at Ram, but misses. He throws a second one hitting for 22 psychic dmg. 

- Hawk keeps singing and Caleb takes 11 psychic dmg. It is affected by the Sickening Radiance for 17 radiant dmg and is now at Exhaustion 1. 

- Yeti is affected by the Sickening Radiance for 29 radiant dmg and is now at Exhaustion 1. It then claws Niniel for 18(-7 from the tentacle) slashing dmg, then misses on the second.

- Zemma bites Yeti for 12 piercing dmg and then again for 14 piercing dmg.

- Soliana stands up then Starlight Steps 30' away up the seating then casts Wither and Bloom (3rd level) next to where she had been standing dealing 4 necrotic dmg to Ram and healing Caleb for 30 HP. The Star Spawn psychically slams into Hawk for 15 psychic dmg and it crumbles into a piles of rubble. 

- Ram is affected by Sickening Radiance for 25 radiant dmg and is now at Exhaustion 1. It charges Caleb (Soliana cancels the crit with Silvery Barbs) and rams him for 18 bludgeoning dmg and he is not knocked prone. 

- Poetry casts Moonbeam behind the Ram who ignores it. Then Ember runs around the outside of the Sickening Radiance and throws a Flame Seed at Chameleon, but misses.

- Chameleon is unaffected Sickening Radiance. It then teleports to flank Zemma with the YetiYak and bites her for 21 (10) piercing dmg. Zemma is now Grappled and Restrained. 

- Niniel's tentacle moves 5' and misses smacking Chameleon. She then reaches out and casts Shocking Grasp on it for 6 lightning dmg and then she climbs up two tiers of seating to get away from the flank train.

 

- Caleb Disengages (rogue bonus) hops up a tier in the "seating" putting himself between Ram and Soliana and then throws a psychic blade to at Ram for 10 psychic dmg.

- YetiYak is unaffected by Sickening Radiance this turn. It turns to Zemma and claws her 15 (7) slashing dmg and then again for 12 (6) slashing dmg.

- Soliana casts Vortex Warp on Zemma moving her out of Chamelon's biting mouth. Then the Star Spawn then moves to flank with Zemma (unaffected by the Sickening Radiance), then smacks its brain for 19 psychic dmg.

- Zemma then bites Chameleon for 15 piercing dmg then again for 13 piercing dmg.

- Ram is unaffected by the Sickening Radiance this turn. It takes 6 radiant dmg from the Moonbeam. It hops up one "seating" tier growls and then breathes fire at Caleb and Soliana for 27 fire dmg (Caleb Evades). 

- Poetry casts Healing Spirit on Soliana's location. Soliana regains 3 HP. She then casts Firebolt at YetiYak for 10 fire dmg killing it!

- Chameleon is unaffected by the Sickening Radiance. It then teleports next to Niniel and then bites her for 15 piercing and she is Grappled and Restrained.

- Niniel Misty Steps 30' away from Chameleon and out of its mouth. She then Eldritch Blasts Ram twice for 27 force dmg killing it.

 

- Caleb turns and interposes himself between Chameleon and Soliana (still prone on the ground) and then readies an action to attack the Chameleon when Zemma gets up to it.

- Zemma darts over to Chameleon and bites it for 9 piercing and then again for 15 piercing dmg.

- Caleb's held action of throwing a dagger deals 21 psychic dmg.

- Soliana pulls herself to her feet and casts Witch Bolt (4th level) on Chameleon for 25 lightning dmg. Chameleon explodes into a cloud of dust and sand. 

END OF BATTLE

- Poetry casts Detect Magic and the table and the room are all still magic. 

- Soliana casts Dispel Magic on the table, but the table is still magic and unchanged. 

- Poetry comes over and casts Cure Wounds on Soliana for 10 HP. 

- Caleb collects some rubble and puts it on the table. The rubble melts into the table and becomes part of the table.

- Poetry sets a copper coin on the table and it sits on top of the table. 

- Everyone takes a seat in the stands and patches themselves up. (Short rest.)

 

- 2,500 XP ea for 36,500 XP total ea.

Unsettling Paths - November 14, 2025

 - Plain blue tee (NEW DICE BOX!!!!! Look at all the pretty, shiny math rocks!)

 

- Soliana sheepishly conjures a new Healing Elixir which to feed to the snackrifice, then she conjures another one for back up.

- Niniel spends the time collecting a bit of snow from the blowing blizzard outside which she converts to water then splashes on the snackrifices. He is high out of his mind.

- Caleb gives Soliana a talking to about running into danger. She is very chagrined. 

- Soliana then climbs into one of the top bunks in the bunk room and trances while being nearby in case the snackrifice wakes up and needs something.

- After an hour of resting, Niniel Summons Shadowspawn and sends her deepwater catfish down the yeti tunnel and tells it to go 1000 feet down then come back.

- While she's in the yeti room, she notices there's a 7'-8' stone pillar carved a bit to look like a walrus. She doesn't remember seeing it there before. The bottom third is pedestal, and the rest is walrus.

- Before she went Caleb linked their minds so she could call for help telepathically.

- Niniel touch the walrus pillar. It feels a little bit warm.

- She tries giving it some scritches. It feels a little bit warm.

- She uses Ghostly Gaze and it's like looking like a stone carving.

- She asks the walrus if she needed to kill guy? It is a stone pillar.

- The Shadowspawn (catfish) did not see any creatures in the tunnel. It does not have an opinion about the walrus statue. 

- Niniel attempts to Shocking Grasp the walrus and she takes 5 (2) lightning dmg. 

- She finally gets with Caleb explains about the walrus pillar and asks him to send Zemma in to help block up the tunnel the yeti disappeared down so that at least there will be noise if it comes back.

- Niniel and Zimma rig up some of the chain from the snackrifice table in the entry to the yeti tunnel so that it will make noise if it comes back giving them a bit more notice.

- Niniel then boosts Zemma up so that she can touch the walrus. It feels slightly warm.

- Before she goes to bed, Niniel decides to reverse the flow of her Vampiric Touch spell and manages to deal 34 necrotic dmg to herself and sends 17 HP to Soliana. 

- After she finishes trancing Soliana, goes into the little kitchenette and mucks about with Grim and spell components and when everyone wakes up for the morning she has figured out how to Alarm things, run away really fast (Expeditious Retreat), the cold gave her some ideas (Frost Fingers), Niniel and Zemma moving things around gave her some ideas (Catapult), and the energy that connected her with Niniel for 12 seconds also gave her an idea (Witch Bolt).

- The snackrifices's real name is Stenvar and he's from a small village called Frostvic. There are spirits who live in the area and they require tributes to keep them friendly. The fact that he didn't get sacrificed is probably bad for the village. 

- He's not on the council, so he doesn't really know about the spirits.  

- The plan seems to be to leave Stenvar here while the Keepers go to Frostvic to talk to the council about this whole blood sacrifice thing. 

- Soliana accidentally lets slip the word "snackrifice" which saddens Stenvar.

- Stenvar was drugged when he was brought here, so he's not exactly sure where the village is from here.

- Soliana sighs and goes into the bigger room and starts her one hour ritual to re-summon her in snowy owl form instead of her octopus one. 

- Once Soliana has an owl again, they take her into the yeti room again and the walrus pillar (which she just now found about because all the conversation last night was telepathic).

- Stenvar does not know anything about the walrus pillar / totem.

- Soliana ritually casts Detect Magic. The walrus totem seems to exude transmutation magic.

- Niniel writes in her book to Kraken Daddy, "Why the fuck is there a walrus statue here... sir?" 

- Also, Zemma and Niniel realize that the pillar is now in a different place that it was last night, but there is no sign of it have moved through the room or of its original location. 

- Soliana tries casting Dispel Magic on it, but it does nothing. 

- Niniel casts Eldritch Blast and blows a chunk off the statue.

- Soliana examines the broken spot and the magic seems even throughout the stone. 

- Niniel picks one of the bits up and puts it in her patron pouch and speaks into the pouch asking why there is a walrus here. Also she says the stone is the walrus.

- Soliana uses Shape Water to grab some of the snow from outside (it's still blizzarding) and puts it on the statue. The snow starts to melt.

- Niniel summons her Tentacle and smacks it for 2 cold dmg. There is no perceivable change.

- Everyone feels like the statue is watching them.

- Caleb attempts to connect with the walrus telepathically asking, "Can you hear me?"

- Caleb gets a chorus of voices in his head asking, "Why are you here?"

- He explains about seeking shelter from the blizzard and saving a screaming person from a yeti. 

- The response is "You interfere. You injure. You are not welcome. Here is ours. The village is ours. You are not welcome."

- The response about why sacrifices are required is, "Flesh is life." 

- Caleb is very salty about this response. Something about spouting useless, mystical tautologies. 

- "Find us and learn." 

- To which Caleb responds, "Bet." Caleb takes 7 psychic dmg.

- Caleb finally explains to everyone else why his nose is bleeding.

- Niniel sends some more Eldritch Blasts until the totem cracks in half. Once cracked in half it is no longer magical.

- The Keepers head down the yeti tunnel and leave Stenvar in the outpost to wait out the blizzard.

- Niniel brings out her Dancing Angler fish. 

- Caleb notices that the stairs down are unusually grippy and then realizes the stair treads are paved with teeth. Humanoid looking teeth. Just teeth. Not other bones.

- The stairs finally end and there is a hallway. Each side of the hallway are lined with little boxes made of wood. The boxes seem to be about 4" cubes. 

- Niniel casts Ghostly Gaze and each of the wooden cubes seems to filled of desiccated, humanoid hearts. Niniel darts down the hallway for the one minute her spell lasts and find that the end of the hallway starts to have empty boxes. She makes it about 2/3 of the hallway in that one minute.

- Past the hallway, they emerge from the hallway onto an overlook there is an immense underground chamber with a ceiling covered in bioluminescent moss that casts a blue-green kind of dim light into the cavern. It looks like there is a city here. Or at least buildings. There don't seem to be people walking around.

- The buildings are two or three stories tall and do not reach the ceiling. The doors appear to be larger than average. There are no sights or sounds of living creatures.

- As they turn to follow the path that leads down into the settlement, they notice the opening to the hallways that leads back up to the outpost with Stenvar are flanked by two more statues, one of a bear and another of an owl. They pause before continuing.

- It's finally sensible to send Stardust (owl) on a fly over, so Soliana has to stop cuddling her like baby and self-soothing by petting her soft belly feathers.  

- Stardust flies around through the settlement and notices no signs of living creatures, but everything seems to be made of bone. Not all humanoid bones, some of the bones seem absolutely huge. Like dragon huge. There are more of the statues of different animals throughout the village. Stardust easily sees five of them before she reports back.

 

- 1,800 XP each for 34,000 XP total ea. LEVEL EIGHT, BABY!