For The Penumbra

Stone befriends Pebble, by Salad

"**For The Penumbra**" (1x04) is the 4th episode of *Dun-Johns & Dragons*.

## **Synopsis**

### **Previously on *Dun-Johns and Dragons***

In the previous episode, the party explored the run-down house. In the bottom of a grandfather clock, Yoolna spotted a spying device for someone below. A specter appeared and seemed to attack, but none of the party's attacks seemed to have any effect on it, including a fiery blast from Magpie's Wand of Wonder which did significant damage to several party members. The party realized it was an illusion and continued searching the house. They found a trapdoor leading to a series of underground passages, at the end of which they met Makaria Quest, apparent leader of a quasi-criminal organization called The Penumbra. She gave them a map and orders to retrieve valuables from a nearby dungeon, or else. After spending the night at a local pub, the party awoke to find a a threatening note on their door, implying that members of the Penumbra were watching them impatiently. They left the pub and learned from a passerby that the Baelor Butcher had struck again.

### **Part I**

Father Buckitt shares that people in the city have been hearing news of the Butcher — murders and disappearances — for the past six months or so. The city guard, known as the Braven Fist, have offered a reward for information leading to the Butcher’s capture. Following the crowd, the party witnesses two bodies being carried out of a merchant’s building. The captain’s clerk from whom they collected the reward for the bears is directing crowd control. The clerk recognizes them and takes them aside, introducing himself as Taman Amberash, the captain’s chief clerk. He tells them the captain (Olo) had been assigned to investigate the recent murders and had seemed intent on the task, but about a week ago, he said he’d been reassigned, and had not been heard from since. The clerk admits he is in over his head and asks the party to find out what happened to the captain. He notes the captain was last seen leaving the city by the southern gate two weeks ago.

The party decides to carry on with their quest for the dungeon given to them by The Penumbra, while keeping an eye out for the captain or any information about his whereabouts. They head south from the city and approach the Nevertop Peaks as night falls. They initially decide to push on, but as exhaustion sets in, they change their minds and make camp at the foot of the mountains. During the night, Stone befriends a stray dog they find near the camp, which the group names Pebble.

The next day, they follow the map into the mountains and eventually locate a jagged crack in a cliff face which seems to be the entrance to the dungeon they seek. After some largely unsuccessful attempts to widen the opening, they squeeze through and find themselves in a stone corridor, and presently notice that the opening behind them has disappeared.

### **Part II**

Going deeper into the mountain, they come upon a corridor with two lit torches giving off unnatural light. At the end of this corridor, they come to a partial cave-in and an iron gate. Yoolna picks the lock on the gate and inside the room, they find skeletons bundled into recesses in the walls. As they examine them, the skeletons come to life, with one large pile of bones forming itself into a minotaur-like creature.

The skeletons prove not terribly threatening, but the bone minotaur gets some significant hits on Magpie in particular, who is knocked unconscious at one point, though she is quickly revived by Stone. Finally, Yoolna grapples the minotaur and Father Buckitt lands a hammer hit, enhanced with Divine Smite, shattering the minotaur into bone dust. Dugluss finishes off the final skeleton and chooses a bone to take back as a present for Pebble. Father Buckitt takes a pouch of bone dust as a souvenir.

Yoolna investigates the cavities in the walls but finds only bones. Stone and Dugluss lead the way into the next corridor. They find a sconce with a candlestick and melted wax, but a conspicuously missing candle. Yoolna adds a fresh candle and lights it, but no effect is apparent. They continue through another gate into a high-ceilinged chamber with a set of stairs in the middle leading up to a parapet, and on one side of the room, a set of iron bars in front of an area full of wooden spikes with bones scattered among them. On the stairs are four lines written in Celestial:

>
> Every being who deigns to conquer, falls
>
> Other than the gods themselves
>
> Step onward, ever reaching for the dawn
>
> Break not yourself in striving
>
>
>
>
>

Zander investigates the room and finds a rope bridge at the top of the stairs stretching over a vast chasm into darkness. Father Buckitt checks the stairs for traps and finds them safe, then begins tentatively crossing the bridge; the second plank gives way and leaves him dangling by his shield. Magpie catches his hand and helps pull him to safety. Magpie, being lighter, gingerly attempts to cross the bridge; two successive planks give way and she manages to catch herself on the ropes, but decides that’s not a viable option. After discussing several other possibilities, Zander casts Spider Climb on Yoolna, intending to have her carry the other party members across the ceiling; however, the distance proves too much; in the one hour the spell lasts, she only manages one trip across with Zander and brings him back because she won’t have time to bring the rest.

After a critical failure on a religion check, Stone thinks maybe the words on the stairs mean they should just take a step of faith and not worry about the bridge. Zander takes his lighted penny and steps confidently onto the bridge. He makes it just past the second plank that broke under Magpie and the next plank fails on him. He catches himself on the ropes and manages to make it to the other side of the bridge. At one end of the platform at the far side of the bridge, Zander notices a basket of arrows next to a wooden structure, and nearby, a shadowy creature holding a bow.

## **Featured Characters**

### **Player Characters**

* Dugluss Deep-Forge
* Father Buckitt
* Magpie
* Stone
* Yoolna
* Zander Brushspark