Southern Hemisphere

**The Grip** is the name of this campaign, This and its **counterpart** are located on the planet known as **Mikvid**.

 ☆ Default State

   The "default state" of the world of **Faerûn**takes place in the year of **1489 DR**. Unaltered and unchanged by any events everything takes place as it would if you play by the book and in the rules of the regular Dungeons & Dragons world.

The adventure we were going to use in combination of homebrew content was a adventure module titled **Lost Mine of Phandelver** which takes place in this world during this time.

## ☆◩ The Shatter

   The term **Shatter** is referring to the shattering and merging of new locations throughout Faerûn altered by the entity known as the **Time Shatter** escaping the **Timestone** on **1490 DR**. This event causes multiple realms to merge onto of one single realm, creating locations around the continent such as **Cobblestone** and **Tolterro**.

The **entity** known as the Time Shatter is able to manipulate the minds of people residing within the realm into accepting and believing new changes without any contradictions, controlling them to avoid paradoxical thinking and to allow the masses to accept the changes as if nothing had ever changed in the first place.

Currently the only people who are aware of this are:

* The Nine Lords of Hell, who tried to keep the Timestone safe to seal away Time Shatter.
* Tyriel, the Keeper, who is slowly regaining his memory as he travels.

## ☆◩◭ The Landing

    The term **Landing** is refers to the sudden mass shifting of worlds caused by the Time Shatter escaping the Timestone, causing a segment of the Shattered Faerûn being warped and changed by a time anomaly when walking over the divide of the **Arcane Rift**.

Around the world, night turned to day, and people were gathered up and moved South towards a royal bunker built to house and protect many souls during times of great need. Parties of three were rounded up at the gates of **Phandalin** and were escorted south towards their supposed safe haven, unaware of the Arcane Rift they needed to cross and the unfamiliar new land that awaited them there.

Currently the only people who have full understanding of this event are:

* Tyriel, the Keeper, flew off to an unknown direction when he sensed the Landing.

...but there are some people who have partial understanding such as:

* Travelers who wander from Shattered Faerûn past the Arcane Rift such as the adventuring **party**, who were flung 200 years into the future of **1717 DR**.

As a result of this event, many places from Faerûn have been transported to a new world named **Mikvid**, on the land known as the **Grip**.

## ☆◩◭ Before Dalereckoning

***BDR*** also known as ***Before Dalereckoning*** just means events that took place even further back in time. This is information gathered or given to the players that help the players and characters understand events more clearly.

## ◩ History & Plot - The Grip

The **Grip** is the name of the campaign that takes place in the ****Southern Hemisphere**** of Mikvid.

On the year **1489 DR** the continent of Faerûn is in its default vanilla state and to make sense of all the new lore content being merged with the old I adapted the character **Tyriel** to be related to these anomalies, since he had the closest connection with fundamental elements like demons.

On the year **1490 DR** Tyriel, the **Keeper** accidentally knocked the **Fundamental Object** known as the **Timestone** off its pedestal causing it to shatter on the floor where it landed creating the reality merging event known as **The Shatter**. It freed an all powerful and malicious being known as the **Time Shatter** who has no regard at all for the damage and destruction his warping of time and space creates.

Since the release of the once captured Time Shatter, things have started appearing and merging seamlessly into the many alternate worlds of Faerûn, such as **Cobblestone** and **Tolterro****,** so seamlessly that this fragmenting of reality has given the Time Shatter the ability to merge memories and experiences to assist in preventing any paradoxical thinking.

On **1517 DR** the event known as the **The** **Landing**occurred causing their world of Faerûn to split into a strange new one.

This event would lead the **party** to travel over the **Arcane Rift** and travel **200** years into the future of **1717 DR**. Across the arcane threshold and onto the unfamilliar planet known as **Mikvid**, on the land known as the **Grip**.

 ◩ Timeline and Events

##### 2164 BDR

* Loxodon Civil Conflict, some kind of dark organization is formed and they forged an oppressive regime against the people and extorted them for money.

##### 2157 BDR

* Loxodon Civil Conflict, lasted 7 years and various Master Masons separate from the Original Order, **Rex Maul** being the loxodon responsible for creating the **Lodge of the Plains**, also known as the Second Lodge.

##### 83 BDR

* **Krahl** is born within the Lodge of the Plains.

##### 0 Dalereckoning

* **Tyriel** the **aasimar** plummets from his home and descends into the **Pains of Kreation**.

##### 940 DR (July 7)

* **Janko** is planted near the **Ancient Tree**.

##### 1000 DR

* Tyriel enters the **Foggy Abyss** and slowly over the millennium he mutates into a winged tiefling, losing his sanity and vision in the process.

##### 1017 DR

* Krahl, the High Priest of the **Order of the Tusk** passes away at the wizened age of 1,100.

##### 1097 DR

* **Rasmitan-Vishnu-Apu-Singh** is born into the care of the **Gustrunk Monastery**.

##### 1140 DR

* Janko grows into a small **treant** and wakes up from his 200 year growing cycle.

##### 1250 DR

* Tyriel succumbs and is recruited by one of the **Nine Lords of Hell**, **The Coughing One**.

##### 1347 DR

* Rasmitan-Vishnu-Apu-Singh finishes his training and ascends into a **Gustrunk Loxodon**, he then becomes a teacher at the Gustrunk Monastery.

##### 1450 DR

* Tyriel is tasked with defending the **Keeper** of the **Timestone**, killing many who attempted to reach it.

##### 1485 DR

* Tyriel gains the title of Keeper of the Timestone after the sudden disappearance of the previous Keeper.

##### 1489 DR (Default State)

* **Faerûn** is in its default state as depicted by the official map created by Wizards of the Coast.

##### 1490 DR (Shatter)

* Tyriel accidentally breaks the Timestone, by knocking it off its pedestal with his unfamiliar tiefling tail, releasing one of the imprisoned Nine Lords of Hell, known as the **Time Shatter**.
* This causes the event known as the **Shatter** to occur, creating new locations in the world of Faerûn such as **Tolterro** and **Cobblestone**.
* **Xanthias** is born in the **Slum** of Tolterro

##### 1497 DR

* The Gustrunk Monastery is attacked, leaving Rasmitan-Vishnu-Apu-Singh as the only surviving **Gustrunk Loxodon**.

##### 1501 DR

* **Garmelio** is born in the financial district of Tolterro, under the care of **House de Marino**.

##### 1504 DR

* Xanthias impresses **Mop** and joins a faction of the **Tolterro Patrol** known **Cleanup**.

##### 1510 DR

* Xanthias encounters the **Tolterro Rakshasa** within his masters tent in the **Cleanup Base**camp, and is banished, forced to leave Cleanup, and to never return back to Tolterro.

##### 1515 DR

* Xanthias completes his bard training in **Ferrero**
* Garmelio encounters the **Band of Ten** in Tolterro, and sneaks into their camp, meeting the adolescent **red dragon**, taking a handful of its shed scales as well as a **red orb** which called to him before fleeing the scene.

##### 1516 DR

* Garmelio sets off towards Cobblestone from his home city of Tolterro and spends a year honing his magic by taking on various jobs he picks up.

##### 1517 DR *(The First Contact, April)*

* **April 1st**, Tyriel is affected by amnesia from being flung into a new world and lands somewhere in a wild forest, left to tend to himself and survive.
* **April 9th**, Tyriel overcomes the wilderness and miraculously ends up wandering into civilization held on the island of **Cobblestone**.

* **April 11th**, Garmelio meets Tyriel in a tavern and the two form the (first) adventuring **party**.
	+ They take on a job to assist the local lumberjacks to quell a part of the forest where some black bears have moved in. They hire two halfling twins who promise that they will make hauling the bears easier for the adventuring duo, and entice them with knowledge that they know of a skilled leather-worker who can make some incredible equipment from the bears hide for them as long as the craftsman could keep the meat and offal.
	+ The duo make quick work of tracking and killing the two black bears, unfortunately finding a lone bear cub who seems too young to understand what just happened, quickly latching onto Tyriel as its parental figure. He reluctantly adopts the cub black bear. The halfling twins start hauling a bear each using their carts.
	+ The duo make their way towards the leather-worker who works on the two bear corpses, making two wondrous **Bear Skin Robes** (+1 Nature, +1 AC) with the head still attached to use as a helmet or cape. He takes the rest of the bear meat and begins to break it down and start preserving it, the duo leave back to the Cobblestone Port.

* **April 15th**, Garmelio and Tyriel take on a job which is supposedly being paid for by the mayor to investigate a derelict library to salvage any books or knowledge that they can, the barkeep who tells them about this job also explicitly asks them to find photographs if they can, paying extra from his own pocket if they can find any photos.
	+ They head towards its location to find a collapsing ruined building, missing its roof and with some floors exposed revealing two floors below. This building was destroyed a long time ago, but being left in this condition and exposed to the elements for so long has almost deteriorated everything.
	+ The duo head deeper and are attacked by a few giant rats and goblins, but are able to fend them off. One of the goblins escapes in a tiny carved out tunnel hidden behind some bookshelves and torn papers.
	+ Being able to freely explore the ruins, they gather a few scraps of information and find a photo album, the album looks suspicious and some of the pictures have marks on them signifying that someone was targeting specific people.
	+ Garmelio finds the **Dragon Book** within the ruins of the bottom most partially flooded level of the library.
	+ Heading back to the Cobblestone Port, they give the information they gathered to the mayor of the town directly instead of going back to the barkeep. The mayor states to the duo that he never issued such a job, but would be happy to take some of the documents they gathered for some coin. They exchange some of the documents for money, and head towards the bar with the photo album they held onto.
	+ Threatening the barkeep, Garmelio gets an answer as to why he lied about the mayor issuing this job. He confesses saying that his late wife had passed away, and he was looking for some sort of memorabilia of her to ease his pain. Everything he had of her was lost when the town was attacked and rebuilt, and he was reminded of a government book that his friend, the mayor of Cobblestone, had kept which had a collection of photographs of the citizens of the port town. He is unsure why the photos had marks on them, but begs for the photo of his wife. Garmelio submits to his demand for a price, and gives up the photo in exchange for some coin. Afterwards Garmelio gives the mayor the photo album and gets compensated for his contribution, keeping the barkeeps reason for creating the job a secret.

* **April 26th**, The group take a job to defend the cargo ship named **Supersend** which is heading towards Ferrero. Garmelio takes the opportunity to meet the **crew**, and explore the ship. Using Tyriel to distract the crew, Garmelio disguises himself and sneaks into the cargo hold, discovering the **Mysterious Throne.**
* **April 27th**, the ship sails peacefully with no issues.
* **April 28th**, the ship is attacked by two kuo-toa and a Giant Crab. The Supersend Trading Co. crew loses three people during the fight, but are able to fend off the invaders.
* **April 29th**, the ship lands in Ferrero. Garmelio and Tyriel say their goodbyes to the captain and the crew, and then head off. Garmelio later sneaks back in and starts a fire, engulfing the ship in flames causing it to sink in the port of Ferrero.

##### 1517 DR (The Journey to Phandalin, April - May)

* **April 30th**, after resting for the night in Ferrero, the group explore the city and end up walking into **Rockseeker's Antiquities**.
	+ They end up taking on a job to escort **Gundren Rockseeker** towards **Phandalin** with his bodyguard and closest friend **Sildar Hallwinter** tagging along.
* **May 5th**, the party is ambushed on the road towards Tolterro by goblins hiding in a cave known as the **Cragmaw Hideout**, they kill a horse and steal a wheel.
	+ They meet a nomadic loxodon monk on their way towards the goblin hideout named Rasmitan-Vishnu-Apu-Singh who temporarily joins the group to help the travelers.
* **May 6th**, the wagon they ride goes much slower now that they lost a horse and the wheel was damaged.
* **May 15th**, Garmelio has his **Nightmare of Tolterro**, and dreams of a man he feels he is fated to meet someday, a halfling rogue named **Tom Sneek**.
* **May 25th**, Arriving in Tolterro, the party is unable to continue as getting into the city is nigh impossible with the security blockade which was put in place, due to some sort of internal event.
* **May 28th**, the group continues South to their destination of Phandalin .

##### 1517 DR (The Landing, June)

* **June 1st**, Arriving in Phandalin , the party parts ways with Gundren Rockseeker and Sildar Hallwinter being paid for their hard work defending the wagon.
	+ Night turns to day and the earth shakes violently as the **Landing** occurs.
	+ Tyriel senses something terrible and flies off leaving the party without explanation.
* **June 2nd**,The remaining remnants of the government round up people to send them towards a safe barracks, forming a new party consisting of Garmelio, Xanthias and Rasmitan-Vishnu-Apu-Singh.
	+ The trio are attacked by a supposed member of the Band of Ten, **Moonpupil** the Silent, but are able to defeat and capture them.
	+ The party encounters the **Arcane Rift** and are find the **Book of Lore**off a corpse of a person who attempted to cross back over the divide, letting the party prepare for the jump through time and giving them some maps of the surrounding areas.
	+ They decide to walk through the divide, and because of the time difference between the two areas around the Arcane Rift, the party each come through the rift a couple of hours apart and spend the entire day waiting for each other to arrive at a makeshift campsite.

##### 1537 DR (Knowledge from the Future)

* The **Racial Cleansing of the Bucket Empire** begins.

##### 1617 DR

* Janko falls into a deep hibernation from listening to a magical melody he hears while chasing after the people responsible for stealing his **magical nest**.

##### 1642 DR (September 11)

* **Elmskin Goldman** is born under the Ancient Tree.

##### 1717 DR (The Arcane Rift, June 3 - 6)

* **June 3rd**, one by one everyone passes through the threshold of the Arcane Rift, being transported 200 years into the future Garmelio and Xanthias decide to move further South.
	+ Rasmitan-Vishnu-Apu-Singh says he is going **North** and separates from the party, going by himself.
* **June 4th**, The duo continue making their way South, and when they make camp to rest.
	+ They are awoken by their hostage Moonpupil having some sort of **magical episode late in the night**, where their eyes started to glow brighter and brighter causing a magical surge in the area before dissipating and knocking the mute elf assassin unconscious.
* **June 5th**, The party continue South with the unconscious Moonpupil being carried by Xanthias, before being suddenly ambushed by a boar owned by the elf druid bounty hunter known as Elmskin Goldman.
	+ The party come to an agreement and are both given *5gp* each to cooperate and hand over the prisoner. Garmelio is able to convince Elmskin to trade with the party as well as take refuge in his **cabin**, which lies West of the **Fork in the Road****.**
	+ Elmskin tells the duo about Moonpupil's Crystal Malnourishment.
	+ Xanthias learns from Elmskin of the "**Racial Cleansing of the Bucket Empire**" which happened 180 years ago, but he doesn't elaborate on it very much.
	+ Garmelio learns from Elmskin that the Red Orb that he stole from the tent the night he met the baby Red Dragon is actually a powerful relic known as the **Gem of the Red Dragon**, and that it belonged to the supposed leader of the Band of Ten known as **The Red Dragon**.
* **June 6th**, After spending the night at Elmskin Cabin, Elmskin Goldman leads the duo back to the Fork in the Road.
	+ They encounter an aggressive Will-O'-Wisp among the many makeshift graves and crucifixes and are able to defeat it.
	+ The group also encounters a beer stein ominously placed in the middle of the road, Garmelio checks the object and when he lifts it up, releases a djinn who calls himself **Djinsin** who grants him one "wish" in the form of answering any question he had. Garmelio asked for information regarding the supposed leader of the Band of Ten known as the Red Dragon, and the djinn told him "The Red Dragon is a ruthless leader, he is the one who selects who joins and leaves the Band of Ten, but has supposedly fallen under the control of another.", before returning back into his vessel and slumbering peacefully.

##### 1717 DR (The Kingdom of Stone, June 7)

* **June 7th**, The duo travel further South and reach the **Lodge of the Plains**.
	+ They approach the **Ornate Gate** and are stopped by **Khrahl's Chosen**, and are asked several questions while they are searched.
		- Garmelio states his real name and reveals the Gem of the Red Dragon. The leader of the group tells Garmelio to seek **Starseer** the Elder.
		- Xanthias states his last name is **Aye** and allows them to search his belongings. They are both allowed to enter.
	+ As they enter the city they see various different buildings and shops.
		- There is a **Loxodon Sculptor** who is working near the fountain found in the heart of the city. Garmelio attempts to show off his magic to them by mocking his performance attempt by saying that "My work will last forever but your fire magic will only last until you fade away". In conversation with Xanthias the duo learns that he is attempting to become a Journeyman in the Order of the Tusk so he can work at the Temple, and that he is 65 years old.
		- The two go towards the general store and sell off various items to the owner of the establishment, **Harmarg the Boog**. Garmelio parts ways with the pocket discus he received from Paw Keete which the owner now keeps displayed inside a locked glass case.
		- The two visit the tools and supplies store. Xanthias buys 10 feet of steel chain and the owner of the supply shop creates a grapple hook using some spare steel and bends it to shape with his bare hands, on the house. Garmelio buys some lockpicks.
	+ The two knock on Starseer's door, and after being initially told to leave Garmelio reveals to him the Gem of the Red Dragon.
		- As he reluctantly lets them inside he tells Garmelio to place the Red Orb as well as his Dragon Book on his scrying table, telling the two to seek out the **Lens of Clarity** which will assist him in deciphering the runes inscribed on the Red Orb. Starseer says that this lens can be found at the **Original Arcane Temple**, located in the **Lodge of the Caves**, and since the adventurers are going that way to pick up some **Moon Mushrooms** for him.
	+ After leaving **Starseer**'s home, the duo decide to visit the tavern where they encounter the barkeep **Tommy Husk** and his cousin **Timmy Tusk**.
		- They learn of the local drinks known as **Iron Ale** and **Stone Whiskey**.
		- Xanthias drinks a flagon of iron ale and is coerced into performing at the **Fountain Square** by Garmelio. Xanthias works out a deal with Tommy to utilize his kitchen to brew some **Lizard Blood Ale** and have a discount on his drink, in exchange he would advertise the bar after his musical performance. The barkeep accepts.
	+ Utilizing the commotion Xanthias' performance created, Garmelio sneaks and breaks into a **Noble House**.
		- He is able to successfully steal the following books and items:
			* **Loxodon Personal Journal** (book)
			* **Geography Book** (book)
			* **Loxodon History of First Plains** (book)
			* **Stornhorn** **Ornate Mason's Tools** (+2 History, unique mason's tools, family heirloom)
			* **Stornhorn** **Bracers** (+1 Intimidation, family heirloom)
			* **Stornhorn** **Crest Necklace** (+1 Wisdom, family heirloom)
			* **Stonehorn Family Signet Ring** (Ring of Thunder Resistance, family heirloom)
	+ Slipping back into the audience, Garmelio witnesses Xanthias beg for coin after his spectacular performance, only to see him drop and lose a pouch of money which gets grabbed and stolen away by some loxodon children who blend back into the crowd which had started to dissipate.
	+ The two decide to settle in for the night and head for the inn. They meet the innkeeper, a chunky loxodon woman named **Mary Thaggleburn** who offers the adventurers some **Rock Cocoa**.
	+ Xanthias steals Garmelio's Ruby Dagger from his bag out of habit and his desire to hoard unique and interesting items as he sleeps.

##### 1717 DR (Starseer's Task, June 8)

* **June 8th**, The duo wake up after their long rest, and after some conflict involving the stolen Ruby Dagger, the two make peace and head towards the Ornate Gate to tell Khrahl's Chosen that they are ready to head into the Lodge of the Caves. They are led by one of the trio named **Rayhl** who answers a few questions the two have burning on their mind.
	+ Xanthias asks Rayhl what exactly happened during the Racial Cleansing of the Bucket Empire, and he learns from him that it is an incredibly taboo topic that the people of the Lodge are forbidden to speak of since they are supposed to "Never question the High Priest", that all the members of the army or militia of the Bucket Empire wore "bucket" helmets (of a similar type that Bucket wore) to hide their faces to remain anonymous, and that the Lodge of the Plains was only safe from their raids because the settlement was too difficult for them to attempt a direct attack.
	+ Garmelio asks Rayhl about Krahl, and learns from him that he was a High Priest of the Order of the Tusk, and was often referred to as the "Defender of the Lower Plains". He also learns that the Council of the Master Masons are corrupt, caring more about gold than their own people. He also learns that there were originally 17 in the Council, but 7 broke off from the group.
* Garmelio and Xanthias create a title for their group, and they decide to call themselves the "**Rift Walkers**" during the last conversation they have with Rayhl before he reaches the end of his escort. He tells the duo that he will be heading back towards the lodge.
* Garmelio is able to divine the magical properties from the stolen goods he acquired from the Noble House.
	+ **Necklace of the Stonehorn Family**, a necklace passed down through countless generations which resonates with arcane memory. **+1 Wisdom**
	+ **Star and Moon Crested Bracers of Intimidation**, metal bracers that feel like they were crafted with an intense rage. **+1 Intimidation**
	+ **Elegant Set of Mason's Tools**, featuring a moon crest on the hammer, and a star crest on the chisel. **+2 History**
	+ Garmelio can't feel any magical energy from the stolen Stonehorn signet ring, and continues walking along the precarious cliff side path leading deeper into the Lodge of the Caves with Xanthias.
* Across a bridge leading over a steep, misty abyss, Xanthias spots the glint of a Steel Broadsword caught wedged off the edge, almost appearing as if someone attempted to catch themselves with the edge of the sword before plummeting off into the misty darkness below. He takes the sword.
* Moments later, a **Skeleton** drops down from above in ambush, but the two are able easily defeat it and continue forwards.
* The path forwards is blocked by a collapsed column, Xanthias uses the stolen Mason's Tools to chisel the pillar in half and the two push one half off the edge, the sound of it hitting the floor is never heard.
	+ Slowly and carefully sidling along the now exposed route, Xanthias goes first and has no issue crossing to the other side, but Garmelio looses his footing and nearly falls off the edge, being caught by Xanthias who had his hand reaching over preemptively fearing the worst outcome. With a test of strength, he is able to pull Garmelio back over onto safe ground.
* As the two catch their breath, they notice they are sitting next to an **ornate fountain detailed with gold**, the water seemingly coming from some ancient river source deep within the mountain. Xanthias tries some and feels its effects, 2d4+2 healing, it is a magical alcohol that quenches thirst, giving +1 Strength and -1 Wisdom/Perception stacking depending on how much is drunk. Xanthias empties his waterskin off the edge and fills it to full with the ancient water, which stores enough for two "uses". Before moving on Xanthias takes another swig, starting to feel the inebriation coming from the alcoholic water.
* The Rift Walkers are able to find and gather 3 intact Moon Mushrooms in the tunnel leading past the ornate fountain, as they gather Garmelio tells the story of **Raven Hoad-Ae** to Xanthias.
	+ In the very same tunnel, Garmelio spots a out of place chest, the wood and metal looking strange for some reason. Xanthias utilizing Tasha's Hideous Laughter cracks a joke that makes Garmelio cringe, and the chest begins to laugh uncontrollably revealing that it was actually a **Mimic** in hiding. With some effort the two are able to destroy the creature, kicking its remains off the edge and into the abyss.
	+ In the same area, Garmelio spots 3 golden columns, all of the intricate details carved into them have faded except for one, which bears the symbol of a moon.
* Heading deeper in, enter a cave which gleams with an abundance of gold ore within its walls. A statue of a dragon lays in waiting here, and Xanthias is able to determine that the species depicted is actually of a **Gold Dragon**.
* The Rift Walkers are halted by a massive open chamber which has progression blocked with a thick golden vault door with seven different knobs that are able to be twisted to change the number on it. Garmelio is able to easily deduce the solution using the information he learned from Rayhl, unlocking the sealed vault with the sound of the pressure shifting and the draft of the air pulling into the sealed room.
	+ The environment inside the sealed room is immaculate, with gold trimming on almost everything, vibrant red rugs are dotted all around the floor, and torches of magical golden light burn keeping the chamber lit with a warm glow. The duo deduce that this location must be the Original Arcane Temple. They find statues dating the chronology of a folk tale of **Gold Tusk** and the Red Dragon within these chambers.
	+ They are ambushed by one of the armor sets which are intricately positioned along the walls, which reveals itself to be a set of **Animated Armor**. With some blood shed and skin bruised by the duo, they are able to defeat the entity which drops Steel Gauntlets, Xanthias appraises them and when he puts them on feels a surge of strength flow through his hands.
		- He puts the **Gauntlets of Strength (+1 Strength)** into his bag.
* Progressing deeper the two find a carved relief on the floor, and a bloodied bag in the corner of the room.
	+ Disgusted by the sight and smell, Xanthias lets Garmelio figure out the solution as he wanders into a small room off to the side, which houses three cells with bars made from gold keeping bleached loxodon skeletal remains trapped within.
	+ Garmelio inspects the bloody bag, and learns that its a decapitated head. Using the still bloody head he splatters the relief in the floor with blood, causing a locked door to slide open vibrating with sound of stone scraping along the floor.
* Before the two head further down the newly revealed staircase, they opt to take a long rest having each other take watch every few hours until they fully recover. Xanthias recovers from his drunkenness.

##### 1717 DR *(The Original Arcane Temple, June 9)*

* **June 9th**, now fully recovered the two head deeper in.
	+ Walking down the stairs they find themselves in a hallway with two pressure plates, one with the symbol of a star and the other with the symbol of a moon.
	+ There is also a rag wrapped pair of gauntlets which Garmelio appraises to be **Gauntlets of Effect** (requires focus, behaves like the spell Mage Hand).
		- Xanthias replaces his previous gauntlets and takes rag, putting both it into his bag.
	+ Garmelio attempts to look at the stolen Stonehorn signet ring again, now able to feel its magical properties he appraises it to be a **Ring of Thunder Resistance**.
* Three **Ghouls** ambush the Rift Walkers as they drop in from above, Xanthias is able to quickly kill one, and Garmelio is able to destroy the other but is grabbed by the third and is grabbed and bitten on the neck.
	+ Xanthias attempts to kill the ghoul but accidentally slashes at Garmelio at the same time.
	+ Garmelio is able to use his shocking hands to grab onto the ghoul turning it into a pile of ash.
	+ They find 50 silver coins and 2 slabs of mysterious meat, they split the money.
		- Xanthias takes the meat, wrapping it carefully with some of the rag he stored earlier putting it away in his bag.
	+ They stand on the pressure plates simultaneously and unlock the door.
* The two head into the next chamber which leads to another intricately crafted room.
	+ Within the ornate but small chamber, there is a door leading into the next room which is blocked by a thick gold door with two holes covered in soot and ash, which seems to lead into some sort inner workings.
	+ Xanthias tells Garmelio to attempt using his fire magic to burn both slots simultaneously, which causes a loud mechanical click as the door begins to shudder open.
* The next room leads the duo into a dining room or study of some kind, with a table in the center covered with 6 gold coins and cutlery sprawled all over the table.
	+ On a nearby lectern, there is a golden ornate chest. Garmelio attempts to use his few remaining lock picks to open the chest but fails twice breaking his lock picks on each attempt.
	+ Frustrated, Xanthias takes out the Elegant Mason's Tools and with determined strength and precision is able to break open the lock with one mighty swing.
		- Inside he finds 40 gold coins which he splits with Garmelio, and a **Ceremonial Dagger** made with an ivory handle and a golden blade. It features on the side of the blade the same symbol that the Dragon Book has.
* Going deeper in leads into another holding cell area, with golden skeletal remains of loxodons trapped inside.
	+ There lies a chest which opens with no resistance, offering the duo 4 healing potions, 2 potions of vitality, and a spell scroll which Garmelio appraises to be a **Death Ward** spell. Xanthias takes the scroll and keeps it on a easy to reach part of his bag.
* Heading into the next room, they come into the most ornate room they have seen yet. Everything from the floor to the ceiling is made from pure gold, which has many beautiful decorative etchings engraved on the material. A massive vibrant red carpet rolls out towards a massive golden throne.
	+ The two come closer to investigate the opulent chamber and throne, only to be surprised by a massive creature as it drops from a secret alcove near the ceiling, knocking the duo back and on the floor. It reveals itself to be a giant armored figure, with glowing red eyes and thick golden tusks coming from its fitted helmet.
		- The armored creature takes a mighty swing on the grounded and surprised Garmelio who has his chest slashed with its massive golden battle-axe, cutting apart and spilling blood across the floor, revealing to Xanthias the red dragon scales that seem to be growing on Garmelio's torso.
			* Having the chance to get up, Xanthias quickly runs over to Garmelio and uses the Death Ward scroll on the bloodied half-elf sorcerer, causing the scroll to burn up in an instant.
			* Garmelio gets up and casts Aganazzar’s Scorcher, destroying one of his pocketed dragon scales from Tolterro. The attack blasts through a chunk of the armored opponents armor with the brunt of the blast hitting his leg, white bone can be seen revealing that this creature is actually a skeletal loxodon.
		- The monster is taken aback by the blast and retaliates, targeting Garmelio again he gets a clean slice across his head decapitating him for a moment only to have mere instant moments later, a swirl of arcane energy reconnecting his severed head back into place, chunks of blood and bits of brain matter splash across the floor and wall. Writhing in pain and screaming in agony, Garmelio is left wounded and at the cusp of death, clutching his face and permanently scarring where the cut occurred.
			* Xanthias attempts to draw the attention of the skeletal loxodon and stabs at it from behind, his rapier bouncing off its golden armor. With a worried smile Xanthias attempts to use a Vicious Mockery which cuts into the skeletal loxodons emotions deeper than he thought it would.
			* With the creatures gaze now focused on Xanthias, Garmelio chugs down two different healing potions, one a flask filled with a purple liquid he picked up in Cobblestone and the other being one of the healing potion he picked up in the room prior, bringing him back from the cusp of death.
		- The creature attempts to hit Xanthias with his golden battle-axe, and successfully lands a heavy blow with the dulled edge of its heavy battle-axe, knocking the wind out of him and bruising his chest, tearing slightly into his leather armor.
			* Xanthias attempts to disable it with Tasha's Hideous Laughter, failing to tell a humorous (or humerus) enough joke to send it into a magical laughing fit. Its eyes now dead focused on Xanthias, the dragonborn attempts to use another Vicious Mockery which successfully lands and causes the creature to groan and hiss with pain and anger.
			* Garmelio uses a quick Fire Bolt against the monster, destroying another chunk of its armor away sending it reeling back, following up with a Fire Bolt which bounces off its battered gold armor.
		- The armored skeletal loxodon attempts to swing its mighty battle-axe against Garmelio but he swiftly dodges out of the way, causing the creature to accidentally slam its weapon too hard into the ground causing it to get wedged in the floor, it tugs and pulls but fails to pull it out.
			* Xanthias focuses and marks the armored monster with Faerie Fire, he then taunts it with a Vicious Mockery by making a fool of the gold tusked skeletal loxodons critical failure.
			* Garmelio concentrates and blasts the armored monster with a Scorching Ray, the illumination of the Faerie Fire helps connect all three shots against the monster dealing incredible damage destroying even more of its armor.
		- With its red glaring eyes now focused on the dragonborn bard, the monster retaliates and using its massive golden tusks it swings its massive head and gores Xanthias in the shoulder, causing him to bleed out rapidly from the puncture wound and stagger with pain.
			* Garmelio utilizing the opening uses another one of his red dragon scales acquired from Tolterro, and focusing his mind he conjures another Aganazzar’s Scorcher, the monster gets blasted by the fiery ray and is pushed back against the golden throne, letting out a ghastly sounding roar of pain.
			* Xanthias chugs down his potion of vitality which he picked up in the room prior, he clutches his shoulder and focuses using his heightened regeneration, he is able to completely heal all of his wounds.
		- The monster attempts to attack Garmelio but is quickly halted as Xanthias takes a reactionary attack at the creature with his rapier, the thin flexible sword slipping through the cracks in its armor and working its way up the monsters spine the dragonborn bard is able to destroy the skeletons skull from the inside out, causing the golden giant to fall limp and topple over, the magic force keeping it together ends and the bones separate and crumble apart.
* After the battle Xanthias gets up and goes up to Garmelio, and force feeds him one of his own healing potions. The two spend a while just catching their breath and bandaging up their wounds.

##### 1717 DR (Janko Unchained, June 9 - 12)

* **June 9th,** the Rift Walkers finish their short rest after their fight and prepare to delve deeper.
	+ Xanthias loots the sparkling gold corpse of the skeletal loxodon. He picks up:
		- **Golden Crown of Morning Star the White** (no attunement, necrotic energy, image of a sun on the front)
			* Garmelio immediately dons the crown, much to Xanthias' dismay.
		- **Golden Gauntlets of Morning Star the White** (no attunement, +1 AC, +1 Charisma)
			* Xanthias puts these on replacing his **Gauntlets of Effect** (attunement, mage hand).
		- **Vial of Gold Liquid**(unidentified)
	+ Exploring past the now motionless corpse of the skeletal loxodon, Garmelio peers over the edge of the water works found past the massive gold throne and gives it a closer inspection.
		- After his investigation, Garmelio takes a sip of the clear, delicious water, which looks like it has tiny flakes of gold floating throughout. When he takes a drink, the water tastes delicious and sweet like honey, and fills him with vigor and energy (full heal, +2 temp health).
		- Both Rift Walkers empty their waterskins and fill them to bursting with the magic gold flaked water, Xanthias replacing his "alcoholic" magic water.
	+ Moving past the streams of gold flaked water, the Rift Walkers encounter a series of locked doors with various different pressure plates corresponding with symbols of the sun, moon, and stars.
		- Unable to open the first door, Garmelio asks Xanthias if he could use a few pieces of his 10 foot chain to create makeshift lockpicks, unsure, Xanthias tests the golden torches littered throughout the chamber with the Steel Sword he picked up earlier off the side of the ravine during their walk into the Lodge of the Caves. When the fire touches the metal, the rusted and damaged parts get cleaned off with a shiny finish. The metal doesn't actually heat up so Xanthias is unable to utilize it to soften the chain into a workable form. Xanthias also sticks his rapier through the fire, cleaning and polishing it up as well as tinting it slightly with a gold hue, affecting it only visually.
	+ Utilizing the items Garmelio stole earlier (such as the Masonic Tools, the gauntlets and the large necklace) to open each one the doors with a little bit of trial and error.
		- The Rift Walkers are successfully able to proceed deeper into the beautiful and immaculate gilded treasure room. They loot a plethora of loot ranging from various gold and platinum coins, to unique arcane items and weapons.
			* **2p** + **1p** + **12gp** + **15gp** + **9gp** + **21gp** + **25 gp** + **14 gp** = **(3p, 96gp)**
				+ 15 gold coin left over from miscount, garmelio should take
			* **x2 minor health potion** (1d4 health)
			* **x3 health potion** (2d4+2 health)
			* **Golden Flute "Masonic Battle-Pipe"** (+1 bardic inspiration die, +1 AC for round when used in combat)
			* **Red Dragon Scale Gauntlets, with Golden Claws** (no attunement, does not affect spell casting, adds fire resistance on arms and hands, melee slashing *Swipe Attack* [2d8+4])
			* **Golden Scepter of Morning Star the White** (1d6+3)
			* **x14 Gold Tipped Arrows** (+1 damage)
	+ Garmelio spends some time looking through the golden shelves of the library inside this treasure trove and finds a few noteworthy texts.
		- **High Priest of the Lodge** (book)
		- Glossary on Dragons (book)
		- The Godly Dragons (book)
		- Construction Documents & List of Hired Contractors related to the Lodge of the Plains (paperwork)

* Before the Rift Walkers are able to approach the large gold safe located at the end of the gilded chamber, the lower level starts to fill with a thick fog.
	+ Xanthias nearly falls asleep out but is able to cast **Enhance Ability**(*Bears Endurance*) on himself, slapping his own cheeks to stay awake, while Garmelio's innate Fey Ancestry keeps the half-elf conscious.
	+ The Rift Walkers see a group of large figures that look like loxodon through the thick fog, who are surprised to see that their targets didn't fall unconscious.
	+ Garmelio channels a Aganazzar’s Scorcher down the hallway, blasting a few of the silhouettes, but unfortunately to no avail as both Rift Walkers are targeted with paralysis.
	+ They are knocked unconscious from the sleeping gas as they are unable to resist breathing it in.
	+ The Rift Walkers are dragged away towards the holding cells held within the Arcane Temple located in the Lodge of the Plains.

* **June 10th**, the Rift Walkers wake up to find themselves in a marble rooms trapped in two separate metal cells, with Starseer being a captive as well. Everyone is surprised when a log begins to move on its own and speak, seeing the captured treant held in the largest cell. Everyone being held within in a cell has had their weapons confiscated.
	+ Garmelio asks Starseer various questions, such as why they captured the group, and why he's in a cell with them. Starseer explains that the Lens of Clarity were stolen, and that everyone who's being held in the cells are suspects, and are going to be interviewed by the **Enforcer**.
	+ The prone treant tries and fails to pick itself up, but because its missing both of its arms the creature has trouble standing up. Starseer is taken by a duo of prison guards to be interrogated by the Enforcer.
		- After the guards bring Starseer in to talk to the Enforcer, Xanthias uses his newly acquired masonic battle-pipe to create a racket to call over the prison guard duo.
			* Pulling their attention, Garmelio attempts to use his stored "Charm Person" scroll on one of them, it works successfully but the charmed guard (named Leon) fails to convince his partner to free the prisoners. They both walk back to guard the door into the Enforcer's office.
	+ Not long after, Starseer returns and is put back into his cell, Garmelio is taken out of his cell and led into the Enforcer's office.
		- Garmelio is asked various questions, ranging from his name, about his business down in the Original Arcane Temple, and if he knows the whereabouts of the Lens of Clarity. Garmelio lies and states his name is **Mike Smith**, and that he has no idea where the Lens of Clarity could be, and that his business was to just explore the supposed "ruins".
		- After the interrogation, Garmelio is brought back into his cell and Xanthias is pulled out next. Using a **Message**, Garmelio tells Xanthias in one long sentence all the important details he lied about to the Enforcer to keep their stories straight.
	+ Using the psychic information, Xanthias attempts to follow the same story as Garmelio, but fails in telling the Enforcer that his fake name is **Xan Aye**.
		- Xanthias is successful in conveying the same story that Garmelio messaged him to follow. He explains that he wasn't looking within the Original Arcane Temple for the Lens of Clarity, but was just exploring them since he heard a rumor it was full of gold and arcane riches. Xanthias is led back into his cell, the treant is brought in next for questioning.
	+ The Enforcer attempts to question the treant but gets no results from his interrogation, as the treant is unsure why he was even captured to begin with.
		- The treant makes a fool of the Enforcer by spitting a water stream on his face, but the warden retaliates by beating the crippled treant with his fist. The treant is led back into his cell.
		- The captured group has a moment to plot some sort of plan, then by some miracle the treant is able to stand up and struck with the euphoria of finally being able to move, bursts through the metal bars of his cell and starts to charge towards the Enforcers office.
	+ After being apprehended by the guards and the Enforcer, the treant is able to calm down to a point where the massive loxodon warden says the group is free to leave since their questioning is over.
		- They are blind folded and brought outside into the heart of the Lodge of the Plains.
	+ **Evening**, the treant and Rift Walkers are released and the duo head towards Elder Starseer's home.
		- They learn from the Elder that the Gem of the Red Dragon isn't actually a gem, but a dormant red dragon egg of a golden blood line, gold blood signifying great power.
		- Xanthias hands over the Moon Mushrooms they collected and receives a Spell Scroll containing the **Spirit Guardians** spell from Starseer.
		- The Rift Walkers learn of **Morning Star the White**, the **Gold Tusk** loxodon.
		- Garmelio gets the Gem of the Red Dragon and Dragon Book back.
		- Elder Starseer tells the Rift Walkers of the **Order of the Black Tusk**.
	+ The treant waits outside standing in the fountain, absorbing the fresh water into his body to start regrowing its arms.
	+ The Rift Walkers go to the inn and rent a room from Mary Thaggleburn.
		- Garmelio reads the book High Priest of the Lodge and learns about all the High Priests.
			* Morning Star the White
			* Horus
			* Krahl
			* Lyr
			* Magnus
			* Maximus
			* Theos
			* Starseer
			* Ragnok
	+ They fall sleep and wake up in the morning the next day.
* **June 11th**, the duo wake up in the morning and head outside to find the treant sunbathing in the town square, overgrown on top of the fountain, with new sprouts formed where its missing arms were.
	+ Xanthias offers the treant some of the magical gold speckled water he got from the Original Arcane Temple. The treant happily gulps down half of the waterskin, and to everyone's surprise, the tree creature's arms start to swell in size and reform.
		- Xanthias gives him the rest of the water in his waterskin, and Garmelio follows suit, offering his two portions to the treant as well.
		- The four massive swigs of magic and nutrient rich water aid the treant in reforming its arms back, he thanks the duo and tells them his name, Janko.
	+ The Rift Walkers, including Janko, check the Ornate Gate, but see that it has been locked down for the time being because of the recent theft of the Lens of Clarity.
		- They head into the bar and speak with Timmy and Tommy.
			* Xanthias orders a Stone Whiskey and asks the bartenders if they know a way outside the gate, but gets no useful answers.
			* Garmelio asks when they will be getting their next shipment, and Tommy replies saying it will be coming withing a few weeks or even months.
	+ Before Xanthias can even finish his drink, the Arcane Temple guards and the Enforcer come barging into the establishment.
		- The Enforcer arrests the party on suspicion that they were involved in the theft of property in the Stonehorn Estate, bringing them to the Fountain Square and putting them in stockade blocks.
			* The group is pressured into ratting out whoever the thief is, and Xanthias eventually barks out that Janko did it. Garmelio also says that Janko is responsible.
		- The Enforcer takes Janko into his office and interrogates him about the missing Stonehorn relics.
			* Janko says he did it, but isn't able to tell him where he hid the items. The Enforcer doesn't buy it and gets sprayed by water and taunted by Janko until he gives the tree a lesson with a punch into a hole located near his "chest".
			* Janko is beaten over and over but doesn't say anything except for that he did it.
		- Several hours pass and Janko is taken back outside and put back into the stockade blocks.
			* The Enforcer asks once again asks for the thief to come clean and confess.
			* Garmelio says that Elmskin Goldman was responsible for stealing the relics, but the Enforcer doesn't buy it.
			* Nobody responds and the Enforcer leaves the group overnight in stockade blocks.
	+ **June 12th** at **3AM**, Garmelio attempts to use his Subtle Spell Burning Hands and a bit of Slight of Hand to try to escape his bonds.
		- The half-elf fails and blasts fire out of his hands not even scorching the nearby wood.
	+ Xanthias attempts to use a candle from his bag and his tail with a little bit of finesse to try to burn through his bonds.
		- Using Prestidigitation to light the candle and Garmelio using Control Flames the duo attempt the combination, but are unsuccessful as Xanthias accidentally ignites his last ration on fire, shaking violently to get it out of his bag.
	+ At **4AM**, Elder Starseer comes to speak to the group.
		- He comes to offer guidance but is appalled when he learns that the group is actually responsible for stealing the Stonehorn relics when Xanthias attempts to involve him in their crime by having him move the items from their bags to another location.
		- Disgusted, Starseer leaves and heads back home.
	+ At **6AM**, the Enforcer comes to greet the bound party.
		- Xanthias lies and "admits" he found some of the relics while adventuring through the Original Arcane Temple.
			* The Enforcer doesn't buy his lie.
		- Garmelio confesses that he stole the relics, and returns all (but one) of his stolen Stonehorn relics.
			* He is able to keep the Stonehorn Signet Ring as the Enforcer wasn't even aware it was one of the stolen items.
		- The Enforcer releases the group from their stockade blocks.
			* The Enforcer says the group needs to stay within the Lodge of the Plains to appear in their court, or suffer harsh consequences.
	+ At **8AM**, the Rift Walkers knock on Elder Starseer's door and demand to speak to him.
		- Reluctantly the Elder lets the criminal group into his house to have a word.
			* The Rift Walkers try to get any more information about the situation, but Starseer is left in the same murky situation.
		- Xanthias begs Starseer to help create a diversion so they can flee from the town.
			* With some coaxing from Garmelio, Elder Starseer reluctantly agrees and decides its for the best if the group left.
	+ At **9AM**, the Rift Walkers and Janko sneak closer towards the Ornate Gate.
		- Some guards pass by on patrol but Janko is able to disguise himself among the bushes camouflaging Garmelio and Xanthias
			* Xanthias gives Janko his unequipped **Gauntlets of Strength** (+1 Strength).
		- The group see Elder Starseer speak to the guards at the gate and he is able to successfully pull away their attention for just a few moments.
			* Garmelio gives Janko the Potion of Flying he found earlier during his adventure and was saving for a occasion like this one, Janko quickly guzzles it down.
			* Janko lifts both Rift Walkers onto his shoulders and is able to majestically start floating upwards, and then flying away from the Lodge of the Plains.
	+ At **10AM**, the Potion of Flying starts to wear off and Janko begins to descend.
		- The group touch down South of the Lodge of the Plains, and they thank the friendly treant for helping them escape.
			* Janko says he will be heading North East back towards his home at the Ancient Tree. He says his farewells to Garmelio and Xanthias and thanks them for helping him get his arms back, and walks into the forest melding with the other trees, vanishing.

##### 1717 DR (Akakia & the Swamp, June 12 - 13)

* **June 12th**, at **11AM**, the Rift Walkers find and follow the **Road South of the Lodge**.
	+ Xanthias scrounges for food, climbs a tree, and finds two bird eggs.
		- Garmelio asks Xanthias about his last name again, and the dragonborn - with some reluctance gives in and tells him that his last name is **Ahk-Rid**.
	+ **12AM**, the cobblestone path the Rift Walkers walk on gets more and more worn, turning from stone, to dirt, to grass.
		- The Rift Walkers see a hooded figure in the distance near a large tree that has fallen over.
			* Xanthias waves and calls their attention, shouting a greeting.
				+ The figure returns the greeting and waves back, asking the duo for help.
		- The two adventurers come towards the figure who explains her current predicament.
			* Her name is **Akakia**, and she is a red headed elf in her 50s-60s. She was travelling towards her cottage in the woods, but a storm during her trip there caused a tree to collapse on top of her horses leg, the horse is named **Mustard**.
		- Xanthias casts **Speak with Animals**on Mustard in an attempt to calm him down to try to shear a bit of fur from him in order to cast Enhance Ability on himself.
			* Despite speaking directly to Mustard and telling him of his intentions, the horse panics and starts to thrash around not allowing Xanthias to get close.
				+ Xanthias coerces Akakia to trim the hair so he can cast his magic. She calms her mount and trims off some of the horses tail, giving a fist full worth to the green dragonborn.
		- Xanthias casts Enhance Ability, Bull's Strength, on himself and attempts to lift the log up.
			* With some effort he is able to lift it up but the horse does not move.
				+ Garmelio uses his **Grey Bag of Tricks** and summons a **Giant Badger**.
					- The sorcerer commands his familiar to scare the horse
		- Xanthias is successfully able to keep holding the massive log up with his Bull's Strength coursing through his body.
			* Garmelio's giant badger frightens the horse and gets it to move away from the fallen tree.
				+ Xanthias drops the heavy log once Mustard moves away, stepping back to catch his breath.
			* Garmelio flings a Firebolt towards the log, but the extremely damp wood just leaves a small scorched mark.
		- Akakia thanks the duo for their help, and asks if they have any sort of means of health restoration.
			* Xanthias offers up two lesser healing potions.
				+ The dragonborn attempts to pour the potion on the horse not realizing it needs to be orally ingested.
					- He hands her the potion and tells her to feed it to Mustard.
				+ Mustard's wounds heal and he is able to walk again.
			* Akakia thanks Xanthias and tells the group that she would love to offer them a horseback ride to her cottage, as well as a warm bed for a single night.
		- The group accepts her offer and mount Mustard, moving off road South West towards **Akakia's Cottage**.
	+ **1PM**, as the trio travel towards Akakia's home, Xanthias decides to spark a bit of conversation in the form of a few questions.
		- Xanthias asks her about any information regarding the Racial Cleansing of the Bucket Empire.
			* She answers saying that the **Bucket Empire**wipes out anyone who do not agree with their terms.
				+ She escaped, and fled away from their reach.
					- The Bucket Empire began in Tolterro.
		- Garmelio asks her about the Band of Ten and the Gem of the Red Dragon.
			* She has no information regarding the Gem of the Red Dragon, but answers that the Band of Ten are an elite organization with a mysterious agenda, they act as if they have plans or orders from a higher up.
		- Garmelio tells Akakia that they crossed over from the Arcane Rift, and are both from the city of Tolterro.
			* She seems surprised, and during her reply she seems to be aware of the Shatter.
		- Garmelio asks if she knows about Tyriel.
			* She has a worried response, and calls him "Tyriel, the Dark", and asks the youthful half-elf why he traveled with such a creature.
				+ Garmelio explains and details all the time he spent with the winged tiefling.
	+ **8PM**, the trio get off of Mustard and reach Akakia's Cottage.
		- Akakia ties Mustard to a post near her home, and offers the duo to have their fortunes read as thanks for all their assistance.
			* Garmelio goes first, Xanthias in the meanwhile goes off to forage in the thick wilderness for food and spellcasting components, but ends up somehow getting on top of a tree near the cottage.
				+ As Garmelio holds onto Akakia's hands, he begins to feel a magical surge as invisible spirits freely pass and commune through Akakia. She tells Garmelio to ask any questions he has.
					- The reading is somewhat vague, she speaks of a valuable being stolen from him, that he must follow the trail, something about Great Gods, and the need for a Surge of Strength.
						* Her last message to Garmelio was "Walk through a narrow path, surrounded by Ocean."
			* Garmelio finishes his reading and heads out to find Xanthias on a tree, telling him its his turn to have a reading. Xanthias drops down and heads into Akakia's home.
				+ Xanthias holds onto Akakia's hands, he begins to feel a strange magical feeling as he looks into her eyes which seem glazed over, as if possessed. She tells him to ask any questions he has.
					- Much like Garmelio's reading, it is somewhat vague. She tells him that he has seen much suffering, a terrible fate before the Shatter, that the city of Tolterro was full of oppression from the Bucket Empire, who killed while disguised in their bucket helmets.
						* He also learns that he descended from a powerful family, and that his alignment has fated him to become a Force of Balance, or a Great Carrier of Justice. When he asked about the Gem of the Red Dragon, and she tells him that a "powerful heart" lies within the gem.
							+ His final question was regarding Mop, and what happened to her or where she went. She replies and says that she was "mislead, manipulated". Mop assumed she was in control, but her huge ego allowed her to be easily controlled.
	+ **9PM**, the duo are given access to Akakia's basement dwelling where they set up their beds and prepare to go to sleep.
		- Garmelio does some reading, looking into the book "Godly Dragon".
			* He learns of the society within the races of the dragons, the lineage of Gold Blooded Dragons, how the Gold Blooded Dragons gain strength by consuming gold, and that the Gold Blooded Dragons have been missing for so long that they are considered an urban legend.
		- Garmelio reads another book before resting, titled "Battle of the First Lodge".
			* The book tells of the Battle of the First Lodge, where Seven Master Masons broke off to form the Lodge of the Plains. There was a Gold Blooded Dragon who came to assist the Ten remaining Master Masons in the Lodge of the Caves by inspiring them with its presence. It seems like the dragon didn't actually participate in the battle, and the Seven fought the Ten in a civil war.
	+ **12PM**, Garmelio falls asleep.
* **June 13th**, at **9AM**, the Rift Walkers wake up and prepare to head out.
	+ Before heading out, Garmelio asks her to point out and name a few points on his map.
		- She points out the **Temple Shrine**, which is the small community found near the **High Peak**, and of a village which can be found going past the swamp West, called **Honey Wood**.
	+ Akakia tells them that if they want to save a lot of time travelling, that they can pass through the **Black Swamp** instead of taking the road. She warns them however, that it can be a potentially dangerous route, with occasional "bad and scary" creatures going through the same swamp.
		- Xanthias inquires about what "bad and scary" creatures they could expect to encounter, but she offers no real useful answer.
			* Garmelio insists she tells them, and the elf woman answers reluctantly. She tells the duo of how her brother was killed thirty five years ago by a creatures tentacle which grabbed and pulled him into the murky swamp water. He never resurfaced, so she assumed that he drowned.
	+ **12AM**, the duo start making their way through the Black Swamp.
		- Hearing some noises they decide to sneak up to the source. Xanthias successfully sneaks, Garmelio fails and steps on a twig.
			* Two trolls are seen eating a decaying deer carcass, they are alerted by Garmelio and combat begins
				+ Garmelio initiates with a Scorching Ray, disintegrating one of the trolls.
					- Xanthias moves up to attack the other troll being hit by its club as a reaction, then he uses his College of Swords Slashing Flurry to slash into it furiously, killing it.
		- Garmelio attempts to harvest anything useful from the decaying deer corpse, and is able to cut away two large fistfuls of animal fur for Xanthias to use.
	+ **1PM**, they approach a stream that fills into a murky pond.
		- Garmelio takes a moment to undress and inspect its dark depths. He does not find anything.
			* Xanthias brushes his teeth with the stagnant, dark green water.
				+ He is able to shrug off the poisonous effect of the water as a result of his green dragon heritage, and actually heals a small amount from the vile water.
		- Garmelio, utilizing his grey Bag of Tricks, throws out a figurine and creates a Wolf companion.
			* Looking further down the path, Xanthias finds a trail of blood and a pouch containing: x1 ration, x2 arrows, and a dagger *(D6 + 1 + DEX/STR)*
		- Xanthias uses Speak with Animals on the Wolf Garmelio summoned, and asks it to sniff out the blood to determine what creature it came from.
			* The wolf responds saying it smells of elf, and thus the duo proceed down the bloodied path.
	+ **2PM**, following the bloodied trail, the Rift Walkers encounter a particularly marshy area of the swamp.
		- The summoned Wolf takes the lead, and as it steps into the shallow water, gets attacked by a quick thrash of a tentacle which comes bolting out of the water.
			* Garmelio attempts to use his Shocking Grasp in the pool of water, and slightly zaps the monster.
		- Xanthias attempts to attune to the Mage Hand Gauntlets, but isn't able to focus enough to get the magic to bind onto him, unable to use the magic.
			* Xanthias casts Enhance Ability, Bull's Strength on himself.
				+ Garmelio tosses in a Bead of Force into the pool, the tentacle gets slightly thrashed by the force of the expanding bubble.
		- Xanthias is grabbed by the leg and pulled into the murky depths below where the tentacle resides, getting caught stuck in the roots and plants which thrive in the dank environment.
			* Garmelio attempts to free Xanthias by cutting the roots but isn't able to cut through with his insufficient strength.
		- Xanthias struggles for a little but is able to eventually rip the entangling roots away, freeing himself with his enhanced strength.
			* Xanthias re-equips his Golden Gauntlets of Morning Star the White.
				+ The duo move away from the hostile pool of water and progress further into the swamp.
	+ **3PM**, past the pool of water where the octopus tentacle attacked, the Rift Walkers find a tree blocking the path forward.
		- Xanthias pushes the tree out of the way enough for the duo and their animal companion to continue.
			* The duo happen on a large ancient tree with a magical aura, which houses an ancient looking two handed sword wedged into it.
				+ Xanthias is able to pull it out with his enhanced strength, and does a sword kata after pulling it out.
					- Garmelio and his Wolf are very impressed.
		- The duo nearly reach the end of the swamp, but Garmelio feels uneasy about fleeing and letting the tentacle live.
			* Xanthias agrees, and they decide to head back.
	+ **4PM**, the Rift Walkers head back to where they encountered the tentacle.
		- They concoct a plan to defeat the tentacle.
			* Garmelio attracts its attention by skipping a wisp of fire across the surface of the water.
				+ It quickly thrashes at the wisp and everyone readies themselves for combat.
					- Garmelio attacks the tentacle with a Cone of Fire, scorching its flesh and making the area smell of cooked seafood.
		- Xanthias steps into the pool of water and uses a Thunderclap, blowing hard into his Golden Masonic Battle-Pipe, causing an intense feedback loop which he channels straight into the water.
			* The creature reels in agony and retaliates by thrashing against Xanthias, bruising him.
		- Garmelio fires a Scorching Ray, which connects and blasts off chunks of the tentacle.
			* Xanthias uses his Defensive Flourish, and as he is readying himself to take more damage, the tentacle falls limp.
		- Just as a precaution, Xanthias makes sure to stab the water with his sword to ensure the octopus is truly dead.
			* Garmelio tells Xanthias to take the tentacle with him as proof of slaughter, he does and rips out a 4ft long tentacle which weighs about 3 pounds.
				+ Xanthias makes Garmelio carry the disgusting tentacle.
		- The duo decide to head back to Akakia to tell her of their hunt, and to perhaps ask if she could spare one more night of hospitality.
	+ **6PM**, the Rift Walkers make it back to Akakia's Cottage.
		- Xanthias knocks on her door.
			* Surprised to see the duo again, Akakia asks why they returned.
				+ Garmelio drops the tentacle on her doorstep, saying they took care of the monster who attacked her brother.
		- She is incredibly thankful, but she tells them that she desires solitude, so she will only tolerate one more night.
			* Akakia sells some of her personal potion stock to the party, and allows them to sleep in her basement for one more night.
	+ **9PM**, Xanthias and Garmelio get ready to sleep.
		- Garmelio reads the book "Glossary of Dragons".
			* It gives him insight and knowledge of metallic dragons.

##### 1717 DR (Honey Wood Massacre, June 14 - 15)

* **June 14th**, at **7AM**, the Rift Walkers wake up and begin their perilous trek through the Black Swamp once more.
	+ **1PM**, the duo traverse through the same route they took prior with no issue, reaching the road leading towards Honey Wood.
		- As they start approaching the town gate, the duo spot a large humanoid figure moving towards their direction, leaving the town.
			* Xanthias holds Garmelio's shoulder and casts a Enhance Ability, Eagle's Splendor (Charisma) on the half elf sorcerer.
				+ Garmelio uses Minor Illusion to make his voice booming, he yells at the figure to stop and reveal themselves.
					- The figure stops for just a moment, but continues moving away from the town, closer towards the Rift Walkers.
		- The two quickly hop inside the nearby bushes and attempt to stealth past the figure.
			* The figure is a huge 7-8 foot tall half ogre, half orc hybrid known as a **Ogrillon**, wearing leather and fur armor and carrying a massive sack of something metallic as the clinking of the metals can be heard as he walks past the bushes.
				+ Garmelio pulls out a copper wire and sends the creature a Message, he says something among the lines of:
					- *"I can see you, stop where you are and drop everything you're carrying, we know you are responsible for attacking the town."*
		- The ogrillon panics and starts shifting his gaze around looking for the source of the sound, pulling out his scimitar and pointing it all around him in a defensive yet fearful stance.
			* He continues moving after being startled, only to have Garmelio shoot him another Message:
				+ *"I can see your wound, you better listen to me or you will die, lay down your stolen goods."*
					- This time the ogrillon ignores the Message and continues moving away from Honey Wood.
		- Garmelio leaves the bush while Xanthias stays hidden in the bush.
			* The ogrillon sees and hears the shuffling of the bushes and quickly takes out his scimitar again, pointing it towards Garmelio.
				+ Garmelio asks the ogrillon if he has been hearing voices.
					- In response the creature says *"Go away, what you want with Bo?"*.
						* Garmelio makes the creature an offer to help him alleviate the voices in his head.
							+ Bo responds by bringing his blade closer towards Garmelio's neck.
								- Garmelio threatens him and tells him he shouldn't do that, telling Xanthias to step out from the bush.
		- Xanthias steps out from the bush and yells at Bo to drop his weapons and the things he is carrying.
			* He doesn't comply, and starts walking away.
				+ Xanthias says that he warned him and uses his Poison Breath on the ogrillon, who coughs heavily with the burning poison entering his lungs.
					- Garmelio reacts to the starting of combat and casts Scorching Ray, hitting him with 3 of the 4 blasts.
						* Xanthias seeing the fiery energy knows what is about to happen and rolls out of the way of the blasts, barely moving out the way before he himself gets hit by the spell.
		- Xanthias attempts to stab Bo with his rapier but from wiping off the poison saliva from his mouth, his hand becomes slick and he fumbles taking the gilded rapier out as it gets flung 10 or so feet away.
			* Bo smiles and takes the opportunity to land a crushing critical blow against Xanthias' stomach, winding him and sending him reeling back in pain as he nearly spills his guts onto the floor.
				+ Garmelio sees how dire the situation gets and pulls out one of his dragon scales and casts Aganazzar's Scorcher, blasting the ogrillon with a ray of pure concentrated fire.
					- Bo falls over, dead and steaming with smoke and heat. His body is cooked and almost all his clothing is completely burnt.
	+ **2PM**, Xanthias lays on the floor in pain and takes one of his minor health potions.
		- The duo look to see what Bo has in that large clanking sack.
			* Its a massive sack of gold objects, candlesticks, plates, cutlery, etc., as well as 37 gold coins found scattered loosely in the sack.
				+ Garmelio takes the gold and puts it in his gold pouch, where he keeps the Gem of the Red Dragon.
					- Xanthias looks over and salvages the fur off Bo's armor and gathers 2 more clumps of fur to use for spell components, he also grabs his belt to help close up the nearly open chest and stomach wound he got from Bo.
						* Garmelio and Xanthias move the loot sack into the bushes where they hid prior.
		- Garmelio tells Xanthias to stay put and recover while he investigates the situation inside the town. Xanthias agrees and kicks back for a moment regaining some small health from the short rest.
	+ **3PM**, Garmelio enters Honey Wood and using his Minor Illusion, calls out in a booming voice and asks:
		- *"Hello? Is anyone out there?"*
			* Garmelio hears no response and investigates the first building he sees, the door is ajar and as he enters he sees that it's a bar. Nobody is inside, the cash register is empty and some bottles from the shelves and racks look knocked over, with liquid pooling in those spots on the floor.
				+ It looks like someone quickly packed up as they were attempting to flee.
					- Heading out he uses a Message to contact Xanthias that the town seems abandoned.
						* Xanthias arrives in town and comes with Garmelio to investigate the second building they see.
		- They enter a family home, there looks like signs of a fight or struggle as blood is spattered on the floor, walls and on the dinner table.
			* The cupboards and dressers have been emptied out, like someone was digging for treasure in this home.
				+ The duo head out to explore the next building.
		- They enter another family home, this one slightly larger than the last.
			* The duo spot a bloody trail leading into a basement, as well as a somewhat fresh campfire which had been used recently.
				+ Heading into the basement they smell the putrid scent of rotting flesh and decay.
					- The sight is horrifying, they witness a mass of corpses, mostly human with some half-elves, some with limbs torn or cut off, some with internal organs spilling out.
						* There isn't anything of value, and the two quickly evacuate the awful place, leaving the home and getting a huge lungful of the fresh air to clear out their senses.
	+ **4PM**, Xanthias comes to the conclusion that there isn't much they can do at this point but move on towards the High Peak.
		- Before they leave, Xanthias gathers a few of the more valuable looking pieces of stolen gold and grabs about 5 pounds worth of gold cutlery, necklaces, chains, rings and a single large candlestick.
			* He also asks to borrow Garmelio's Ruby Dagger, dragging Bo towards a nearby tree and carving above his corpse:
				+ *"ENEMY OGRE ATTACK TOWN"*, with fairly legible and large text, written in Common.
					- He also takes Bo's ear, cutting it off cleanly with almost no resistance. Xanthias cleans off the dagger and gives it back to Garmelio.
	+ **5PM**, as the two pass through the town once more, Xanthias enters the bar Garmelio explored previously.
		- He grabs a bunch of alcoholic beverages, enough uses to get three people into a drunken state. He also grabs a extra bottle to take with him along the travel, pouring a bit onto his cut wound to try and disinfect the gash in case the trip into the basement may have introduced some sort of disease.
			* Garmelio inspects the first family home once more and finds a personal journal, he quickly skims through it.
				+ It tells of how quiet the town is, how dull it can be at times, how the monthly town tax collector is unfair since the entire town needs to struggle to keep up with their demands, and of how they enjoyed fishing in the towns main source of income, the **Dragon Lake**.
	+ **6PM**, walking away from the town they notice that it's getting late, and start to prepare a campsite.
		- Xanthias digs a hole, and gathers some nearby tinder.
			* Garmelio uses a match and then Control Flames to make the flame turn into a little dragon effigy which flies through the air and crash lands into the fire pit, causing it to instantly erupt into a cozy, warm fire.
				+ Xanthias is very impressed, noting it as something he will have to create a song about.
		- Xanthias goes into the somewhat cold water of the Dragon Lake, walking slowly as he sneaks into a high density area full of fish. He looks around and spots a silhouette of a distant island in the middle of the lake.
			* Pulling out his golden masonic battle-pipe, he slowly sticks the tip of it into the water, and blasts a discombobulating Thunderclap into the water, causing a massive splash and ripple to form around the green dragonborn.
				+ Three fish rise to the surface, dead. The rest of the fish in the surrounding 100 foot radius all flee from the sudden vibration in the water.
					- Grabbing all three fish, Xanthias is able to prepare and cook enough food to satisfy two rations worth between the duo.
		- Xanthias plays a bit of music, and sparks a bit of conversation with Garmelio, asking him about his family and his business. He knows a little from what he learned through word of mouth and listening into conversations while growing up in the slums, but not the whole picture.
			* Garmelio indulges him and explains his family business, his mother is an alchemist who creates potions, and his father is a businessman who helps sell the product. He then asks about Xanthias' parents.
				+ Xanthias replies that he never knew much about his family, besides their name and crest, and then hands over the faded green leather patch of his family crest.
					- Garmelio utilizing his knowledge of Tolterro, tells Xanthias that this is the crest of a family of hired freelancers and mercenaries who were famed for the quality of their work, they were extremely reputable but isn't sure what happened to them. All he knows is that they were famed.
						* Xanthias thanks him for the insight into his past, and ponders to himself if joining Cleanup was some sort of sick, twisted sense of fate as a result of his family's reputation in combat.
* **June 15th**, the duo wake up early in the morning and travel along the narrowing path towards the Temple Shrine, a stop along the route towards the High Peak.
	+ Xanthias spots that the island he saw earlier has definitely moved. He would have investigated it if not for the slight sense of urgency to reach their destination to attempt to catch up with the one responsible for stealing the Lens of Clarity.
		- They take all day to travel the long, slightly elevated path, setting up camp to rest at the end of the day.

##### 1717 DR (The Temple Shrine, June 16th)

* **June 16th**, **7AM**, the duo wake up and start walking once more.
	+ **9AM**, the Rift Walkers approach the front of the Temple Shrine.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

* The duo enter the Temple Shrine, they find a large rusted over statue of a winged humanoid in the center of a cleared out plaza.
	+ They encounter a group of monks, and a shifty half-drow who attempts to pickpocket Xanthias.
		- Garmelio catches him in the act.
* They introduce each other, the half-drow reveals his name to be Devaglio Fance.
	+ Once the group is permitted into the temple proper by a priest, they are given permission to explore the building outside of certain areas that the guards will not allow them past.
		- The group enjoys a free meal and meet up with various characters in the dining hall.
			* Afterwards they enter another room and find it to be a general supply shop, run by a dwarf male.
				+ The group purchases various items, Devaglio attempts to steal from the distracted owner and gets caught, the group is told to leave immediately despite the Rift Walkers not being associated with the half-drow.
* Garmelio looks into a small study/library area and does some research.
	+ Xanthias goes and buys some alchemical supplies from a pharmacy found close to the general store.
* The group make their way to a free bedroom they have been given, and sleep.
	+ Devaglio sneaks out in the middle of the night to try to snoop around the restricted areas, gets caught by a guard but is able to use his deception to not get into serious trouble, just being asked to return to his bedroom.

##### 1717 DR (Entering the Temple Sewer, June 17th)

* The next day the group attempt to speak to one of the high priests of the Temple Shrine to see if they would be permitted to heading towards the High Peak.
	+ The high priest does not allow the group to pass due to a myriad of reasons.
		- Garmelio does the talking and attempts to deceive the high priest that they have permission from the Lodge of the Plains, and shows him the signet ring he was able to keep from returning.
			* This ruse is not enough and the high priest absconds.
* Speaking to various other people they end up bumping into one priest who is willing to assist the group, as long as they help him collect some crystals found only in the sewers found underneath the Temple Shrine.
	+ Agreeing to this, the group follow his instruction to not disrupt the mediation and prayer of the priests found in the location where the stairwell down into the sewers lead.
* Once in the sewers the group are met up with a few giant rats, and remnants of various curiosities such as a boat, skeletal remains, broken tools, etc.
	+ Garmelio finds a magical staff which helps focus his arcane energy even further.
		- The group find a abandoned campsite and decide to take a rest, Garmelio attunes to the wand.