Chains and Riddles

and

Justin as the DM

"**Chains and Riddles**" is the thirty-first episode of Rise of the Arcane, the third season of Tales From Del'nasra

Del’nasra having been scattered about the Feywild has had its own share of trials and tribulations, and now the Fonkey Casuals have disturbed a fiend inside of an abandoned chapel…

## Episode Synopsis

#### The Episode

The chain devil that stepped forth from the rift into the Nine Hells didn't seem immediately hostile, even though it had animated most of the chains it had created. While everyone inside the chapel positioned themselves around, Vonkar was outside with the now broken open lock box.

The devil began asking for the lockbox, demanding that it was cursed. Vonkar was called out to by Antyr and Grin, and with his new magical gauntlets he punched the front door of the chapel in. The lockbox was handed over to the devil who apologized for thinking they were seeking to free the spirits within, calling them the Belwyn family, a group of vampires who had once worshipped Asmodeus. He said their spirits were bound within the ring and that destroying the ring would free them and the vampires in their service and resurrect them again.

Antyr suggested they could help with the lockbox and cast *Mystic Seal* on the box, locking it with magic. The devil thanked them all and offered them up the goods he had acquired from people breaking into the chapel for the ring before departing to the Nine Hells once more. The group began looting the room, and while Antyr was identifying what the items may be, the unravelling weave triggered an arcane surge and caused a fireball to erupt around Antyr inside the confined space. Torger was the only one who evaded the fiery explosion, and the fireball resulted in all of the platinum coins melting into the point of being worthless, including the assorted gems lying about the room.

The items that survived the explosion were immediately determined to be magical and were identified as Blasted Goggles, a jar of dried leeches, a potion of greater healing and an elemental gem (sapphire). The loot that survived the explosion were distributed and the party settled down for the night in the chapel. While everyone was sleeping, Antyr sent Endylus out to scout the chunk of Cala de Cuervos that had fused with this region of the Feywild. While Endylus was scouting they discovered a satyr looting the pantry of one of the homes that had been displaced here. Leek caught a few almiraj's to feed the party which everyone seemed to consume with pleasure, aside from Hopper as almiraj's were far too close to resembling rabbits for him to be comfortable. Torger noticed this and gathered some edible mushrooms for Hopper to consume. With warm food in their bellies, the party went to sleep.

On Antyr's watch they snuck to where the satyr had fallen asleep and used a strange ability where they siphoned some of the satyr's life force. The satyr hadn't been killed, but withered immediately. Seeing that the satyr wouldn't fare too well upon waking they killed the satyr with another cantrip and left the body behind, having satiated whatever entity had now been living inside of them.

The rest of the watches went by uneventfully and come morning the party set out to continue towards the domain of Midsummer. Torger revealed on his watch that he saw two dog-like creatures made of plants eating the body of a satyr.

#### After the Break

Everyone woke up the following morning with a few comments on Antyr's rejuvenated appearance, the group set out following the orange blossoms once more as they began to bloom again. After a few hours the party encountered a tree that the blossoms spread around with a strange bark-like blister growing on the outside of the tree. Torger broke the blister open and upon doing so, Arthur Wordweave spilled out sputtering and covered in what resembled amniotic fluid.

He said the last thing he remembered was falling to the bottom of the ravine, his legs shattering and then hearing Auntie Gothel's voice and then he was in the tree-like blister. Saying that he just wanted to go home, the party set out and continued on their way, with Arthur transcribing more things into his book that he was writing.

Eventually, the path of orange blossoms came to an end at a wide, open meadow filled with these orange flowers and dominated by a massive apple tree. The bark of the tree resembled screaming agonizing faces in the wood and three colours of apple (yellow, red, green) grew from its branches. As the party approached the tree it broke out into a riddle and said:

> *"In hues of sorrow and joy entwined, the answer to your safety, you will find. Ask with wisdom, question with care, the right apple's secret, shall be laid bare. Two questions is all you get, so think hard and without regret, for should you dine on the cursed fruit, this visage you see is all you’ll get.”*
>
>

The party spent a decent amount of time discussing the nature of the riddle, and which questions they should ask the tree. They seemed nervous about eating the wrong apple and possibly ending up in a not so great way, judging by the faces formed into the bark. One question was asked in regards to which apples they should eat with the tree responding with, *“Which fruit is safe, we can't imply. Through questions two, your path you chart. Do it quickly, and do it smart.”*

After much time debating the nature of the riddle and not coming to a conclusive way to figure out their final question, Arthur took inspiration from Grin's not-serious inquiry about asking the tree it's favourite color. The response to this cited that yellow was it's favourite colour, causing the group to realize the yellow apple was safest. As everyone took a bite from a yellow apple a small doorway formed at the bottom of the tree causing the faces in the bark to recede.

## Featured Characters

### Player Characters

* Antyr Xiloscient
* Grin
* Hopper Thimblefoot
* Torger Otrson
* Vonkar Eldsaga

### Returning

* Sir Arthur Wordweave
* Carnifex
* Endylus
* Leek

### Mentioned

* The Archmaw
* Auntie Gothel
* The Belwyn Family
* Henry Lofferton (unnamed)