RECAP: War of the Burning Sky, 6-21-26

The session opens with a conversation about punctuality and alignment in role-playing games, specifically whether being late impacts a character’s lawful good status. It is concluded that tardiness does not directly affect alignment, though it might be indicative of chaotic tendencies.

The game resumes with the party having just finished “liberating” a group of kobolds who now regard them with admiration, notably Titus being called the Dragon Lord. The freed kobolds have adopted the name Bateem Tribe after the party’s nominal designation, showing their new allegiance and loyalty.

Titus and Wraith had previously performed an aerial reconnaissance, spotting a massive castle approximately 10-15 miles east, set within a circular crater about 30-40 feet deep with sheer, sloped walls. The castle emits light but shows no signs of life or activity, including an eerie absence of animals or birds. Earlier weather disturbances, such as a thunderstorm near the castle, have passed.

The Bateem tribe kobolds offer the party food and travel sustenance, though the party declines food due to its suspicious provenance. Concerns about the safety and preparedness of the tribe prompt questions about future orders. The kobolds pledge continued loyalty, patrol duties, and hope for further commands. The party discusses the disease resistance of the monk character, who at level 5 has Purity of Body, rendering him immune to all diseases, including supernatural and magical ones, thereby safe to consume potentially contaminated kobold food. The party debates on whether to send the army of about 40 kobolds against the mysterious castle, but ultimately the the decision is to assign the kobolds to guard and patrol the jungle area, not engage the castle directly. This satisfies the need to give them purpose without high risk.

The party begins moving eastward through the jungle canopy towards the castle, about a morning’s travel away. Ono, a character laden with provisions, is encumbered carrying all the kobold supplies. Paths and winding roads through the jungle show signs of recent use or maintenance. Titus conducts a more detailed aerial survey closer to the castle, once again confirming the absence of movement or inhabitants. The castle remains lit but empty, with light emanating mysteriously throughout, no torches or visible light sources. There is no sign of life or typical castle activity, further emphasizing its unnatural stillness.

The party, now nearly within sight of the castle, encounters seven monks hanging one-handed from vines in the trees. These monks display subtle but distinct air elemental auras, such as swirling winds around their feet and robes fluttering unnaturally, implying supernatural or magical abilities. This suggests they belong to the Monastery of the Two Winds and are connected to air elemental traditions. The monks are identified as likely members of the Monastery of the Two Winds, composed of factions following two brothers: Pilus (aggressive, proactive) and Longinus (defensive, protective). Both brothers and some monks, including a priestess Caela, have been missing, with a sense of unease about their disappearance.

The party debates on diplomatic interaction, with one member opting to approach and converse with the monks “monk to monk” while others stand back cautiously, preparing for possible combat. The monks hang in silence initially, then move down to engage, signaling the start of hostilities. Combat begins with the monks dropping from vines and advancing. The party prepares with various buffs. Titus, previously on aerial reconnaissance, needs several rounds to return and join the fight. The party decides to let the monks come to them to avoid splitting. Combat progresses with monks employing spring attack and grappling maneuvers. One monk attempts to grapple Arendar but fails due to high Combat Maneuver Defense (CMD). Another monk uses dirty trick attacks, throwing dirt to blind and disrupt the party members.

Po activates Bramble Armor, dealing damage to attackers who strike him, and uses Enlarge Person to increase size and combat reach, enabling full attacks with greater effectiveness. Arendar delivers a strong full attack, with two hits out of three, dealing significant damage. Combat style includes an aggressive approach, not waiting for the enemy. Titus finally returns and spots a large, unusual creature about 15 feet long resembling a lion with a non-feline head, scaly wings, and a stegosaurus-like spiked tail nearby. The creature is currently pacing and not attacking, but is clearly a threat.

Wraith performs a successful critical hit on one of the monks dealing debilitating damage. The rear monk leader calls forth the creature of the jungle for aid, which turns out to be the winged lion-like beast. This signals the escalation of the battle as the creature joins the fray.

Multiple fireballs are cast by Titus and Vondrum, dealing heavy area-of-effect damage to the monks and the creature. Monks’ evasion provides some protection but not immunity. A monk trying to stun Ono accidentally knocks himself unconscious due to critical failure on a stunning fist, reflecting the perilous nature of combat. Vondrum casts Volcanic Storm, an area spell causing both fire and bludgeoning damage, imposing difficult terrain, and imposing penalties on enemy perception. Titus uses a giant spider-web spell to entangle the creature high in the canopy, keeping it immobilized but aware and angry. The question arises whether the canopy can bear the creature’s weight, concluding it can largely support it albeit with some sagging and further entanglement. The large creature attempts to gain a strategic position but is hindered by the battlefield environment. It uses a storm of green acid breath to corrode and dismantle the webs trapping it, preparing to free itself.

Ono lands a non-lethal critical hit, knocking a monk unconscious. The battle wears on with continued attacks, spells, and movement tactics. The tangled creature uses its breath weapon to start dissolving the web they are caught in, signaling imminent release. But Ono attempts a dramatic jumping attack on the creature to strike its head with a stunning fist, marking a cinematic moment in the battle.

Post-battle, the party captures a wounded monk. He is heavily injured with slurred speech, a bloodied eye, and a possible stroke due to a recent heavy blow. Upon interrogation, he reveals the leaders of the Monastery of Two Winds are absent. He also reveals their orders were from Sister Caela, the priestess who gave the command to attack, targeting the party specifically.

The mysterious castle presents as a facade with empty, illuminated rooms lacking furnishings or inhabitants. The light appears diffuse, with no visible sources such as torches. Wraith, invisible and flying under spells, scouts deeper, discovering that the castle is an illusion masking a smaller, segmented glass-roofed structure embedded within the crater. This complex has six translucent glass sections and a larger observatory-like dome at the rear, surrounded by stone constructions. This complex is referred to as the philosophical laboratory the party seeks, distinct from the castle illusion. A detailed description reveals the compound as two rows of three glass sections each, rectangular and quartz-like. The complex is relatively low profile and appears partially buried in the ground, unlike the large castle facade observed by others.

Wraith reports the presence of three mutated humanoid figures standing within the structure, appearing alive but altered. They are not undead but visibly altered and unhappy. One female among them stands by the door of the laboratory. Wraith remains invisible, maintaining surveillance and relaying information via messaging spells to the party, who only see the illusory castle from outside.

Key Points and Highlights

• Bateem Tribe: The party’s former adversaries, now loyal kobolds, tasked with jungle defense rather than castle assault.
• Mysterious Castle: An illuminated, but empty, fortress-like structure on the surface enclosing a deep circular crater with no signs of inhabitants.
• Philosophical Laboratory: Hidden within the crater, a glass-roofed complex beneath the illusion of the castle, housing mutated occupants and likely the session’s main target.
• Air Elemental Monks: Members of the Monastery of the Two Winds defend the path; aggressive, skilled combatants employing hit-and-run tactics.
• Combat Highlights: Use of tactical maneuvers, spells (Bless, Haste, Volcanic Storm, Web), and the arrival of a large winged lion-like magical beast significantly raised the stakes.
• Sister Caela: A key adversarial figure responsible for ordering attacks on the party, not the missing monastery leaders.
• Investigation and Stealth: Wraith’s invisibility and reconnaissance reveal the hidden truth behind the castle facade and the laboratory below, setting the stage for the party’s next move.