Meta Campaign (Campaign)

The **Meta Campaign** refers to the series of events relating to the Journey to Canton and the restoration of the Soulheart. It mainly involves Will, Strike, Kenzie, Charlotte, Seven, and Dai, who were transported accidentally from their home plane of Earth, or Terra, and urged by an archfey called Vilmi to assist her in finding the Soulheart, which the demon lord Orcus was actively searching for. The Terran Adventurers would soon determine that the Soulheart was not an object, but a person called Gwendolyn Ravenshade, and transfer its magic into a new vessel to restore peace.

## Entrance to the Feywild

Formerly meeting up in California, the Terran Adventurers would discover the accidental portal within a shop known as a "7-Eleven." The portal eventually took them to the plane known as the Feywild, in which the canine entity known as Slugger would guide them to a house where they would originally meet Vilmi.

The archfey explained to them that a missing magical artifact had recently made its presence known once again, and she required their help to find it. Its absence had caused a disruption in the natural passage to the afterlife, and resulted in souls returning to their decaying bodies. The Adventurers agreed, and Vilmi provided them with gear and equipment before they were transported to the Material Plane.

The strange nature of the Feywild seemed to have touch each of them deeply. Previously human, some of the Adventurers began to shift into different forms: Strike became a blue tiefling, imbued with druidic magic; Charlotte retained her human form but soon became a paladin of an unknown god, her earthly wheelchair transforming into a magical one; Seven, also a human, became a bard; Will became an eladrin wizard bladesinger; and Dai became a twilight cleric.

## The Kelemvorian Crypt

The group's research and word of mouth led them to Beregost. A small cloister of Kelemvor priests had studied the happenings for some time, and requested their help. Their crypt, located deep underneath the temple, was indicated by their watchman to have been affected by the Soulheart's sudden reappearance. Upon investigation, the Adventurers determined that if the body were killed, the soul would return to its proper place in the afterlife, now left with no place to go.

The Adventurers managed to clear out the crypt, and as a gesture of goodwill the priests indicated their help might be needed elsewhere. The Ravenshade family, a wealthy one within Baldur's Gate, required assistance with transporting one of their own to the south. They agreed, and traveled to Baldur's Gate to accept their quest. On their way, they would meet Kenzie, another human who had stepped through another portal from Earth and transformed into a pink Tabaxi.

## Gwendolyn Joins the Party

It soon emerged that the person in question was a twelve year old girl, Gwendolyn. Her caregiver Dreyis explained that she was traveling to the city of Athkatla to come under the care of the duchess, who Gwendolyn later revealed to be her aunt. However, Will noticed something off about her during their second night in travel.

Casting *detect magic*, Will was able to determine that Gwendolyn possessed an immense magical power. He discussed it with her privately, and Gwendolyn confessed she was indeed a sorceress, and was that she was being moved to receive better instruction in her powers. Now having magic himself, Will gave her advice on what she should do, asking her about her own powers, and explained to her that if she must, she should follow the coast.

Gwendolyn accepted his advice, and soon it was revealed to the party.

On the road to Athkatla, the group encountered Balthazar, a large wolfhound. Strike, the druid, was able to speak with the beast and explained that the dog had lost its owners. From then on, Balthazar became a party member himself, and became especially close to the druid and with Gwendolyn. On their way, they received a mysterious note pleading with the party to kill Gwendolyn. Those who spoke Elvish discussed the letter amongst themselves, ultimately choosing to spare her and continue their quest.

Gwendolyn was then handed over to the Duchess Sabrina, who provided the adventurers with gifts in return for their efforts. She insisted she knew how to properly care for the child, despite Will's retorts. She then had the group escorted out of her manor.

## Ixium Delagrace and Gwendolyn's Flight

On the outskirts of Baldur's Gate, the group became acquainted with Ixium Delagrace, a young wizard who prided himself on his knowledge of demonology. It was he who more clearly explained the Soulheart to them, and its involvement with the gods. He agreed to help them search for the Soulheart by providing what knowledge he could. And if it was needed, the Soulheart's magic could be transferred elsewhere.

Panic struck as news of several people dying within the city began to spread. It became evident it came from the very manor at which they had dropped off Gwendolyn. As they investigated further, a horse had been stolen and was seen traveling north.

Gwendolyn had raced out of fear of a magical outburst, which had ultimately killed her aunt and a handful of servants. The party managed to calm her down out of severe distress, bringing her back to Baldur's Gate to meet with Ixium. He and another priest soon realized Gwendolyn was the Soulheart after all, and that her increasingly potent magic had been causing the situation within the crypts. He promised that he would find a suitable vessel to transfer Gwendolyn's magic into, but that it may be on a different plane and they would have to go fetch it. The ideal candidate would be incredibly magical to begin with.

## Journey to Canton

The new vessel candidate ended up being known as a "football," used in the first "Super Bowl." It was located on the Adventurers' home plane, in a building known as the Pro Football Hall of Fame. Ixium opened a portal for them, and the group (plus Balthazar and Gwendolyn) journeyed to Ohio. Emerging on an asphalt road, they utilized a guild known as "Uber" to reach the museum, but not without a few odd looks.

The Hall of Fame was infested with demonic entities, which the group had to fight off. The center room contained a centaur mummy, and upon its defeat played a celebratory game of Uno.

With the football in their hands, the group once again called up an Uber, returning them to the location of the portal. They entered through it once again in Ixium's chamber, who agreed to initiate the ritual to transfer Gwendolyn's magic safely. However, he explained he could not promise she would retain any magic from the process. The young sorceress agreed to participate, and they returned to the original chamber to where the Soulheart was kept.

## Ritual and Release

The ritual was performed in a circle with chanting. Gwendolyn's magic was removed from her body and implanted in the new vessel, the first Super Bowl ball. While Namru, the priest, argued it belonged in the temple belonging to Kelemvor as it always had, Will insisted it was no longer safe, and they would take it to the Astral Plane to be disposed of safely.

Ixium's portal allowed them to do so, casting it into the new Plane for safekeeping, where it would remain for eternity. On their return, it was time to decide Gwendolyn's fate.

## Gwendolyn's Mentor and the Journey Home

Gwendolyn could no longer be safely returned to her family, as her caregivers were no longer living. They could either take her back to Earth, she could go to Candlekeep to study magic, or she could remain with Ixium. While Will suggested Candlekeep was safe enough, and that Ixium would be a suitable teacher, Strike insisted that Gwendolyn herself should make the choice.

Gwendolyn chose the latter; she wanted to learn magic in a controlled environment with someone she now considered a friend. Ixium officially accepted her as his apprentice, and the Adventurers returned to the Feywild.

Vilmi welcomed them once more, thanking them for their service to her, and granted them safe passage home where they noticed Gwendolyn had each sent them a small gift in their pockets as a token of their friendship.

### Trivia

* An NPC called the party a bunch of nerds while they were in Ohio and Will casted "enlarge object" on his steering wheel
* Kenzie is pink because she asked
* The gods that cursed Gwendolyn are known as Snipperdoodle and Doctor Slug and they still want her dead
* While choosing what to have as my magical object for the players to find, I asked my friend from Ohio what the most magical item in the state might be, if it were brought to a different plane of existence. As a result, the Pro Football Hall of Fame has become an inside joke for obvious reasons.