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Dunmari Frontier - Session 106

Journey to the Mysterious Island: in which the party battles corruption and sails a storm

Featuring: Seeker, Delwath, Kenzo, Wellby
In Taelgar: May 16, 1749 DR to May 18, 1749 DR
On Earth: Thursday Sep 12, 2024
The Awakened Jungle and a mysterious island

The Dunmar Fellowship battles corruption at the Eldest tree and navigates a tumultuous storm to reach a mysterious island.

Session Info

Summary

  • The party battles and defeats corrupted vines to free the Eldest tree.
  • The Eldest tree thanks the party, sharing visions of chaos and instability.
  • The party learns from the tree about flying lizards linked to missing jade.
  • The party meets coastal monkeys who direct them towards the sea.
  • They encounter a massive storm at sea, opting to rest before exploring it.
  • Underwater exploration fails due to a magical barrier dispelling magic.
  • The party navigates through the storm, arriving at a mysterious island.

Timeline

  • May 16, 1749 DR, evening: Battle with corrupted vines at the Eldest tree.
  • May 16, 1749 DR, night: The Eldest tree awakens and communicates with the party.
  • May 17, 1749 DR, morning: The party speaks to the Eldest tree, learning about the monkeys and the flying lizards. The party meets the coastal monkeys and learns about the jade’s possible location in the Sea of Storms. On Vindristjarna, the party flies into the Sea of Storms.
  • May 17, 1749 DR, evening: The party encounters the massive storm at sea and decides to rest for the night.
  • May 18, 1749 DR morning: The party attempts and fails to explore underwater to bypass the storm; Milo volunteers to sail through the storm with the party in the folding boat. Despite damage to the boat, the party arrives at the Circular Island.

Narrative

On the evening of May 16, 1749 DR, the party confronted the corrupted Eldest tree, a once mighty sentinel of the jungle now ensnared in thorny, writhing vines. The air was eerily silent, with none of the usual sounds of the jungle life Pip the bat had described. As the group approached, the vines suddenly attacked, lashing out at them with surprising speed. Wellby scouted and found a pulsing knot at the vine’s center, which seemed to serve as its core. Kenzo fought fiercely to sever the vines that had entangled Seeker, and Delwath used radiant magic to burn away sections of the corrupted plant. After a prolonged battle, Kenzo managed to destroy the central knot, causing the vines to retreat, leaving behind the scarred but still-standing Eldest tree.

Later that night, the Eldest tree began to recover, speaking slowly and gratefully to the party for freeing it from the corruption. It spoke of chaotic shrapnel that had disturbed its dreams, visions of a giant rock, overgrown forests, and erupting volcanoes. Delwath helped soothe the tree, sharing calming tales of Kenzo’s connection to the forest. The tree expressed its appreciation, though it struggled to fully distinguish between reality and dreams. It mentioned that with time, it would heal, along with its “siblings” in the distance who were also recovering from the corruption. The party discussed the connection between this disturbance and the broader planar instability before resting for the night.

The next morning, the party returned to speak with the Eldest tree, seeking information about the jade and the recent disturbances. The Eldest tree described how the jade had been hidden in the jungle for years before it vanished, seemingly during the recent corruption. The tree mentioned monkeys on the coast and the appearance of flying lizards, who might have seen something related to the jade. The party learned that the lizards matched the description of draconic creatures, and Delwath and Kenzo speculated they might be linked to the jade’s disappearance. The tree used its deep-rooted connection to inform the coastal monkeys of the party’s arrival, setting them on their path to gather more information.

By late morning, the party reached the coastal mangroves and met the howler monkeys. They found the monkeys caring for their sick, still recovering from the corruption. With some cautious conversation, the monkeys revealed that they had seen flying lizards headed in the direction the jade seemed to have gone. They pointed the party towards the sea, giving them a new lead.

The party set out across the sea of storms later that day. They traveled for hours, encountering violent waves and strange weather with little wind. As evening fell, they reached a massive storm—a dome of clouds rising hundreds of feet into the sky. Faldrak, guiding the Vindristjarna, paused as the party debated their options. They chose not to enter the storm in the dark, instead flying up to get a bird’s-eye view, revealing a vast dome covering tens of miles. Finding no clear sign of the last piece of jade, the party decided to rest for the night before a more thorough investigation.

In the early hours of the following morning, the party attempted to explore underwater, hoping to bypass the storm’s surface chaos. Seeker transformed into an orca and dove into the waves, but the spell was abruptly dispelled, leaving him to struggle against the surging currents. Delwath dove in to save him, and they managed to return to the ship. The failed attempt led the party to believe that a magical barrier was dispelling their magic, and they began discussing other methods to explore the storm. Delwath’s dive to the ocean floor revealed nothing unusual, leaving the mystery unsolved.

Later that morning, Milo Thistlefoot proposed a daring plan: to sail through the storm in their folding boat. The party prepared themselves and, with the aid of the halfling crew, braved the massive waves. Milo steered skillfully, and Wellby identified a pattern in the storm’s rhythm, allowing them to find a calmer path through. Despite a broken mast and significant damage to the boat, they emerged from the storm to find themselves before a mysterious island. Black cliffs rose in a perfect circle, surrounding an island covered in strange flora and cascading rivers. The mountain at the center held mysterious structures at its peak. Milo agreed to drop the party on the beach, while he and the crew remained on the ship. The party now stands ready to explore the island and uncover the secrets it holds.

Detailed Summary

Eldest Tree Corruption Battle

(DR 1749-05-16, evening)
The party faces the corrupted Eldest tree, attempting to eliminate the writhing vines that threaten the jungle’s harmony.
- The jungle is strangely silent, with none of the usual lively sounds Pip the bat described.
- The party arrives at a tree called the Eldest, or Canopy, which is surrounded by corrupted, thorny vines.
- Wellby scouts the area and discovers a woody knot at the center of the vine mass, noting how it pulses faintly, as though it has a heartbeat of its own.
- As the party approaches, the vines lash out suddenly, striking with surprising speed. Kenzo narrowly dodges a whip-like tendril, while Delwath deflects another with a swift spell.
- Seeker ventures too close and is grabbed by the vines, their thorny lengths wrapping around his limbs and dragging him towards the center. The vines are relentless, constricting tighter around Seeker, drawing blood.
- Kenzo charges forward, his staff blazing with energy, as he lands a series of powerful blows that sever several vines, freeing Seeker momentarily.
- Delwath channels radiant energy, sending a burst of light that burns away a swathe of vines, the corrupted plant matter hissing as it chars and falls away.
- After a fierce struggle, Kenzo manages to strike a decisive blow against the central woody core, causing the entire mass of vines to convulse violently before shattering and retreating.
- The air slowly begins to clear, and the oppressive silence lifts slightly as the vines crumble, leaving only the scarred but still-standing Eldest tree.

Awakening the Eldest Tree

(DR 1749-05-16, night)
After defeating the corrupted vines, the party witnesses the Eldest tree awakening, grateful for their help.
- As the vines crumble, the tree speaks in a slow, ponderous voice, thanking the party and referring to them as “big monkeys.” The branches sway as if the tree is shaking off a bad dream.
- The party checks on the tree’s condition, with Delwath translating from Elvish, the language the forest seems to speak. The tree is confused but says it will heal in time.
- The tree mentions a chaotic shrapnel that disturbed its dreams, describing visions of a giant rock, overgrown forests, and erupting volcanoes. It struggles to distinguish dreams from reality.
- Delwath attempts to soothe the tree by telling calming stories, sharing tales of Kenzo’s forest soul and the bats they met, slowly helping the tree relax.
- The tree eventually calms, acknowledging the party’s presence and expressing appreciation for their civility. It begins to show signs of recovering from the chaos that disrupted its connection to the jungle.
- The party asks if the tree needs anything to restore the jungle, and the tree mentions that it simply needs time to recover. It also speaks of feeling its “siblings” in the distance, beginning to heal.
- The party discusses the possible connection between the chaotic corruption and planar disturbances, suspecting a link to recent events involving Pandemonium and the weakening of planar boundaries.
- The session ends with the party resting for the night, intending to ask the tree more questions in the morning after it has had more time to regain its strength.

Morning with the Eldest Tree

(DR 1749-05-17, morning)
The party returns to the Eldest tree after a night of rest, seeking answers about the jade and the recent disturbances.
- The party wakes early on Vindristjarna, noticing a renewed energy in the jungle. They hear a distant song, faintly in Elvish, which seems to celebrate the dawn and the return of life.
- Returning to the Eldest tree, they are greeted once more, and the tree thanks them, expressing regret for its confusion the previous day. It now seems more coherent and willing to help.
- Delwath explains their quest for the jade, describing the stone and asking if the tree can reach out to other beings in the jungle for information. The tree agrees, pondering for a moment.
- The tree speaks of the monkeys on the coast, who might have seen something, but they had been strangely quiet during the corruption. It also mentions the arrival of flying lizards from the ocean, which sometimes bother the jungle’s inhabitants.
- The party learns that the jade had been hidden in the jungle for many years before it vanished recently, seemingly during the jungle’s curse. The tree confirms that it did not sense anything taking the jade, but suggests that the monkeys or even the flying lizards might have seen something.
- Delwath and Kenzo discuss the flying lizards with the tree, attempting to determine if they might be dragons or draconic creatures. The tree is unsure, but its description of the lizards’ size and their harsh, strange noises leads Kenzo to suspect they might be speaking Draconic.
- The tree shares a story about its awakening, describing a magical ripple that infused the jungle and granted it awareness. This ripple seemed to connect the largest trees and many jungle creatures, but not all. The tree reminisces about this time, contrasting it with the chaos brought by the recent corruption.
- The party decides to seek out the monkeys on the coast for more information, and asks the Eldest tree to send a message ahead to announce their arrival. The tree agrees, using its deep-rooted connection to the jungle to inform the monkeys of the party’s intentions.

Meeting the Coastal Monkeys

(DR 1749-05-17, late morning)
The party travels to the coast to meet the monkeys and learn more about the jade.
- The Eldest tree, referred to by the other jungle inhabitants as “Canopy,” directs the party to the coastal mangroves, where the howler monkeys live. The journey takes about two hours on Vindristjarna.
- Upon arrival, the party finds the monkeys tending to their sick, feeding them fruit juice from leaf cups. The monkeys greet the party with a mix of curiosity and caution, eventually introducing Roar, a large howler who seems to speak for the group.
- The monkeys reveal that they had been ill during the recent corruption, but they did see flying lizards from the ocean, which match the direction the jade seemed to have gone.

Encounter with the Storm

(DR 1749-05-17, evening)
The party takes to the sea in Vindristjarna, following the direction the monkeys pointed towards the jade.
- The journey across the sea of storms is initially calm, with strange conditions where waves crash violently despite the lack of strong winds. The party travels for about 7-8 hours, covering 80 miles off the coast.
- As evening falls, the party encounters a massive storm—a dome of clouds rising hundreds of feet into the air and merging into a thick cloud bank, with the sea below churning violently.
- Faldrick, captaining Vindristjarna, pauses as the storm comes into view, and the party discusses their options—whether to proceed into the storm or find another way around it.
- They decide against entering the storm in the dark, instead flying up to 10,000 feet to get a clearer view. From above, they see that the storm forms a dome, covering a vast area tens of miles in diameter.
- Unable to detect the jade within the storm, they speculate that it might be hidden somewhere inside or further beyond. The storm’s appearance is unnatural, and its center seems to contain something unknown.
- The party decides to rest and strategize, flying 20 miles past the storm before turning back to find a safer location for the night. They plan to return at first light to attempt a more thorough investigation.
- The storm’s strange behavior, combined with the failure of Seeker’s clairvoyance spell, raises suspicions of planar interference, possibly involving a boundary or portal. The party contemplates using the Rainbow Bridge or other spells to investigate further.

Underwater Exploration Attempt

(DR 1749-05-18, early morning)
The party decides to investigate the storm from below, attempting to bypass the violent surface conditions by exploring underwater.
- The party discusses the idea of exploring the interface between the storm and the water, suspecting that the storm might be a surface phenomenon with less chaotic conditions below.
- Seeker polymorphs into an orca and leaps off the ship to explore underwater, attempting to swim beneath the storm. However, midway through the swim, the spell unexpectedly ends, and Seeker reverts to his dwarf form.
- Caught in the massive waves, Seeker begins to struggle. Delwath quickly dives in, using alter self to swim effectively and reach Seeker before he drowns. Together, they manage to return to Vindristjarna, though Seeker is left exhausted from the ordeal.
- The party suspects that some form of magical barrier is dispelling their magic when they attempt to enter the storm. They discuss other methods of entry, including the possibility of using long ropes to lower themselves below the storm or using spells like teleportation to bypass the interference.
- Delwath dives deeper to investigate the ocean floor, finding that it lies about 300 feet below. The water is dark and murky, with no visible signs of life or anything unusual that could explain the storm’s origins.
- Despite the setbacks, the party remains determined to explore further. They suspect that the storm hides something crucial and continue to brainstorm ways to bypass its defenses, considering options such as summoning creatures or using enhanced spells.

Sailing Through the Storm

(DR 1749-05-18, morning)
The party, led by Milo, decides to sail through the storm using a folding boat, attempting to navigate through the massive waves and violent winds.
- Milo Thistlefoot, with Tilly Brineheart by his side, suggests the party sail through the storm, using their folding boat, and volunteers to captain the mission. The party unfolds the larger version of the folding boat, a 24-foot vessel with a single mast.
- The halfling crew, inspired by Milo’s impassioned speech, volunteers to help row the boat. Everyone ties themselves to the vessel for safety, and they prepare to face the storm.
- Wellby studies the storm, recognizing a pattern in the waves that could provide a brief window of opportunity to navigate through. He signals the crew to move during a calmer moment.
- As they enter the storm, massive waves crash over the boat. Milo steers, while Seeker, despite his exhaustion, uses his knowledge of nature to guide the timing of their movements.
- The boat endures heavy damage, including a broken mast, but with the crew’s efforts and Milo’s skillful navigation, they manage to break through the storm into calm waters.
- Emerging from the storm, the party finds themselves in front of an island surrounded by black cliffs in a perfect circle. The island appears strange, with a central mountain, a forest that grows on its slopes, and cascading rivers that vanish into the forest. High above, at the mountain’s peak, the party spots mysterious structures.
- Milo agrees to drop the party on the beach, but he and the halfling crew will stay on the ship, unwilling to risk further dangers. The session ends as the party prepares to set foot on the island, ready to uncover the mysteries it holds.