53. 04/09/2022 Session Writeup

## Session Summary

After leaving the temple of Oghma (and reviewing the notes they found there), the party headed towards the Temple of Mystra. They ran into a house-mimic (and a mimic bench), then a group of hyenas. Astrid fed the hyenas jerky, and then they entered the temple.

The temple consisted of a central chamber with a statue of Mystra. Surrounding the chamber, they found the following rooms:

* Above the door: Before we can show you, you must understand
	+ A voice calls: "You must understand what it was like in those days, for those who were not gods. Every word could be dangerous, every step could bring fortune or ruin."
	+ An item: A second lucky boot, which matches Lu's

* Above the door: Before you enter, expel the unworthy
	+ "Those from this plane either sought to control the magic themselves or protect themselves from it. Some conceived of a barrier - magic to keep out magic. But all magic? True separation?
	+ A shield, which Astrid took

* Above the Door: Before you seek knowledge, you must master falsehood
	+ A recording saying "Taking magic from other planes and attempting to use it as our own was always a losing proposition - we may love magic, but we are not of magic - it is something we need to learn and not breathe. We needed another solution"
	+ A sense of calm permeates this place, and Paolo and Masina heard some chimes in the distance. They got the idea that  that just thinking about this place while it is fresh in your memory (before the long rest) will allow you to fight off stun or frightened status effects

* Above the Door: Before you take, produce
	+ A recording saying: "What could power a barrier? The power had to be self-sustaining, immense, outside of the will of the gods. What could we do?
	+ A Note from Azuth:  A wish spell is a powerful thing. The ultimate spell of creation. A way to harness great amounts of arcane energy. If combined with the power of a dying god - is that what they did?

* Above the Door: Before you resort to force, persuade
	+ A recording saying: "Sune killed Myrkul by rendering him obsolete. It was poetry, it was a promise of memory beyond lifetimes, and the god of murder and death and nothingness ceased to be"
	+ The room convinced Lu and Astrid that it was the best thing ever, and it was in everyone's best interests to do whatever you can to get everyone else in here (no other changes to personality). Someone showed up to lead them somewhere else, but before that could happen, Masina and Paolo dispelled the effects.

* A room that is reduced to rubble
	+ The recording says something about forces arrayed against them, but it's indistinct

* Above the Door: Before you seek the secrets of the dead, master those that control life
	+ A Recording saying: "Death follows life, and life follows death. Myrkul ceased to be, but death did not.  Power came and created a new death, but the expelled by his death remained."
	+ A cluster of gems is stuck within a mosaic in the walls

* Above the Door: To allow for longevity, first allow for change
	+ A recording saying: Mystra died, Mystra came back. She was the only one who could die for to create - but magic still lived. The goddess's death rewrote magic, magic recreated the god, and some magic remained within the barrier
	+ A note, looks fairly recent - pages are not yet yellowed. "So if the barrier was created with any other power, then the barrier would be stronger? This is worth following up on. . ."

A burst of wild magic created a magnificent mansion, so the group decided to use it for a long rest. Paolo created a murderboard, Astrid went snooping around the library, Lu enjoyed a bath, and Masina decided to enjoy the hot tub.