It's been several months since you rescued four prominent citizens of Neverwinter who were kidnapped by a cult of Vecna operating in the catacombs beneath the city’s sprawling Neverdeath Graveyard. The cult kidnapped these residents for the significant secrets they carried in an attempt to drain their knowledge and their souls in a fell ritual! As a reward, you were given a large house in Neverwinter and 1,500 gold pieces. Lord Neverwinter even offered to restore the houses to your specifications (your bastions!)
Now that your new homes are complete and you have hired the craftsmen, servants, or guards to maintain or protect it, you are able to enjoy a well-deserved rest! What orders do you give to your household staff to get it operating?
Zyl is super excited about having her own fancy home (in her own version of fancy). She gets busy with the following:
Garden: Food, to take the Harvest order and gain 100 days worth of rations
Greenhouse:Harvest order to make 1 Potion of Healing (greater)
Trophy Room: Research order --Trinket Trophy (Rolled a d20: 12! One of her hirelings finds a magic item: rolled 55 in log: Potion of Comprehension)
Theater: Empower order to put on a big musical production about saving Neverwinter (Performance: 19, rolled in log). It's a success and Zyl gains a Theater die (d6).
Magrea has been checking in with her various facilities. Most of which are quite active, presently. There is always work to be done, it seems.
-In her workshop, her helper has been busy at work weaving baskets. A good basket is always good to have around, no matter the circumstance.
-The greenhouse has been flourishing, and from the various herbs Magrea painstakingly cares for, a healing potion (Potion of Healing (Greater)) has been crafted.
-The stables are a new addition, and while they are ready to house animals, it is mostly just being used as shelter for any creature that may wander in or need it for the moment.
-The laboratory in the basement has been busy at work, but they made time for a new component pouch to be crafted as Magrea seemed to have misplaced hers the last time she was out. A more common occurrence than one might think.
Vesta gives the following orders to her staff inside her bastion.
Arcane Study, Craft: Broom of Flying, 10 days, 200 gold. After a long rest, Vesta will also gain the Charm of Heroism and be able to cast Identify without a spell slot or component while she has the Charm.
Training Area: Weapon Expert: Empower - Greatsword Mastery (Graze), 7 days
(OOC - If anyone wishes to join Vanizi with the Weapon Expert training they can get either proficiency with any weapon or if they already have proficiency gain a Mastery. It takes up 8 hours a day for 7 days though!)
In the past few months, you've all experienced visions of a glowing eye or had foreboding dreams about robed cultists worshiping Vecna in a mysterious, crystal-filled cave. You somehow have a metaphysical link to Vecna - and you have to wonder if the lich-god can feel this link, too...
Today, while monitoring the folk working in your bastions and praising them on their accomplishments, you experience a flash of multicolored light and the world winks out of existence. Nothingness envelops your senses, though you feel the thrum of magic rushing like an electric spark through your veins. When you regain focus, you stand in a plush, candlelit parlor. A stately woman in blue robes leans toward you, her brow furrowed in confusion and concern. In the blurry background stand a frowning woman in a flowing, black dress and a man tugging in confusion at his high, crimson collar.
“You can’t be the answer to our Wish,” the woman in the black dress sneers, while the fair lady in blue shushes her and ushers you toward the sanctum’s comfortable lounge furniture. The kinder woman explains where you are and how you arrived, though she doesn’t understand why you were teleported to the sanctum as a result of the Wish spell.
"You are in my private sanctum on the plane of Sigil. I am the Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon. Several months ago, I detected a sinister wave of magic rippling through the multiverse. Using my divining abilities, I eventually traced the magical pulse to Vecna. After a period of investigation, I discovered the sobering truth: using stolen secrets, Vecna and his cults have siphoned incredible amounts of power from individuals throughout the multiverse. Worse, I eventually stoped detecting these activities, leading me to believe that Vecna plans to unleash this power for a heinous purpose. I realized this could unravel the entire multiverse, elevating Vecna and cowing all others to his will!"
"Determined to oppose Vecna but unsure how the lich-god intends to unleash his amassed magic, I contacted my most powerful allies - Mordenkainen and Tasha. Using our combined magic, we wove a Wish spell in hopes of sabotaging Vecna’s accumulated power and defusing his ritual. But then you popped in here instead! Do you, by chance, have any ties to Vecna? Perhaps your fates are somehow interwoven with Vecna’s? Maybe, since the Wish was unable to fulfill its parameters, it instead found beings tied to Vecna and brought you to Sigil..."
Tasha stands near you all, aloof and occasionally interjecting acerbic comments. Mordenkainen remains silent, focusing intensely on everything you say. You also notice that the Wizards Three seem tired and weakened. (If you are proficient in the Medicine skill, you would understand that the wizards are extremely fatigued. If you are proficient in the Arcana skill, you realize that the wizards expended a great deal of arcane energy casting the Wish spell.)
"But this must be overwhelming for you...Please rest a moment and ask your questions," Alustriel says.
Vesta blinks in surprise as she is magically transported to this elegant parlor. It takes her a moment to regain herself. When she does, she sees before her the Wizards Three, and her eyes go wide. Surely, this cannot be happening. Vesta tries pinching herself, but when that doesn't make her wake up, she realizes she is actually standing before some of the most famous wizards in not only just Faerun but across the planes of the multiverse.
"This is...this is such an honor!" Vesta stammers. "I've read so much about you, of course, all three of you. But to actually meet you in person. Well, that is something I never could have expected." The young sorceress is starstruck by all three of the powerful figures, even Tasha who seems to think very little of them at the moment.
Willing herself not to babble, Vesta regains her composure. "We do have a connection to Vecna, although we don't know as much as we would like about this connection. We have been fighting his cultists in the city of Neverwinter, countering them whenever we can at the behest of Lord Neverember."
Vesta hesitates for a moment. "I believe we were somehow touched by the magic of Vecna himself, given certain gifts. I know not how this could be of help, but perhaps your Wish spell did not go awry. Perhaps there is a way to use this strange connection we have to stop Vecna before he can unleash the devastation he has planned."
"No no no! The eggs go there the flour--oh!"Zyl blinked a bit as she took in the new surroundings and the lady began to talk to them. She crossed her arms at Tasha's comments, "Yeah well you weren't exactly on my wishlist either lady. And what connection? You mean that somehow I keep ending up in stinky catacombs with mean cultists, yucky undead things and gross eyeballs and stuff. But you talk about a lot of magicky things. I don't know much about that but if you need something smashed I can do that!"
Katarina was in the middle of a cat-nap when she was quite rudely summoned... She blinks a few times, not sure what just happened.
"Lander... where is Katarina?"she asks sleepily, not realizing immediately that her husband who was sleeping next to her a few seconds ago is still back at the mansion.
She shakes her head and finally looks at the three wizards.
"Oh... hello. Katarina has heard of Vecna, and he doesn't sound very nice to her. Wait... the wizard-people wished for Katarina to be here? Is Katarina the Chosen One destined to destroy Vecna and save the world?"
Katarina doesn't sound like she's being arrogant by asking that question, just like she's not very bright and genuinely isn't sure what's going on.
Rollback Post to RevisionRollBack
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Vanizi was just stepping into the barracks of her bastion when she was whisked away to this elaborate parlor. She had been going to introduce herself to some of the new defenders that had been hired. Now it was taking herself a moment to adjust to these three prominent mages standing before her. She nods at what Vesta had said. "Yes, we do seem to have some sort of link. Though I don't know what it means. Or how it even happened." She grins at Zyl's comment. "We have had a couple occasions to go into crypts chasing down cultists in Neverwinter. That could definitely be related."
Davis was lost in thought, watching the hired acoltye crafting the Holy Symbol for his goddess.
"I should go check on the herbs in the Greenhouse" he thinks, that last batch semed a bit, wilted.
As he walks, inspecting the new wand that was crafted for him, he notices... nothing... blackeness... then a rush of magic.
With a jolt, he finds himself in a plush parlor. He smiles as he notices the others around him, Katarina, Vesta, Zyl, Vanizi and Magrea, a new acquaintance. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his lucky coin, gives it a toss and catches it. Without looking at it, he puts it back in his pocket, thinking, "it doesn't matter, I'm where my lady needs me."
He looks at the three wizards, their power obvious, and wonders what they would think of his brand new wand, and has to stifle a laugh.
"My name is Davis, It is my duty to protect the innocent and, ... well you can guess the rest. I am here because my fate, nay, our fates" he says, looking at the others around him, "appear to be tied to Vecna. So as Vesta has mentioned, perhaps we are exactly what you 'wished' for."
Alustriel, looking more and more concerned, expresses that the wizards plan to stop Vecna seem to have failed. Mordenkainen says, “I have an alternative plan.” He strides over to a cabinet full of magic items and picks up a silver chime. He then approaches your party, displays the chime, and says, “I worried that perhaps our Wish wouldn’t stop one as powerful as Vecna. Alustriel, please forgive me, but I did plan a contingency." He nods at Alustriel, only a little apologetic...
“Vecna is too powerful to stop directly at this point. However, no power is absolute. I suspect Vecna will be vulnerable while he weaves his ritual. If you confront and weaken him, this Chime of Exile can banish him to Oerth. He would no longer be able to affect multiple realms at once. His plan to remake the multiverse would fail.”
Mordenkainen's eyes gleam with excitement as he continues. “There is an artifact that is, I believe, the only way to weaken Vecna so the chime can be used against him. It’s called the Rod of Seven Parts. Unfortunately, its component pieces are scattered across existence.
“While my esteemed colleagues researched the magic needed to cast a Wish spell powerful enough to stop Vecna, I looked into finding the rod’s pieces should we need them. The first piece is deep in the Underdark, somewhere inside a hidden safe house for worshipers of the demon-god Lolth. Web’s Edge, it’s called.
“Find that first piece of the rod, my friends. The portal on the dais will take you to it. Once you locate the first piece, the magic inherent in the artifact will point you to the second piece, and then to the third, and so on. This sanctum’s portal reacts to powerful magic such as this artifact, so as you find each piece, this portal will lead to the next. No need to use another key; the most recent piece of the rod will suffice.
“There’s no time to waste. Once you’ve reassembled the rod, we can all confront Vecna and stop his heinous plan. You’ll be the heroes of the multiverse! How does that sound?”
"Okay baldy, but but I didn't hear the part about when I need to smash something. What is so magicky special about a rod anyway? I can smash with it? Does it make better brownies? MY BROWNIES!!!"
Vesta listens to the plan outlined by Mordenkainen with growing excitement. "Assemble the Rod of Seven Parts. Weaken Vecna. Banish him with the Chime of Exile," Vesta repeats. "I do have one question though. What happens to the inhabitants of Oerth? Won't Vecna be free to harm them if he is banished there?"
The sorceress's eyes flicker around the parlor. Her intense curiosity is evident, and she is bursting with questions to ask the Wizards Three.
Magrea shakes her head a bit, only now just realizing she is no longer in her greenhouse. She is still sat cross legged on the floor, but looks up.
"Wow, nice place. Okay, so I heard something about a rod and a chime, and something about being a hero? And this Vecna guy sounds pretty nasty. Is there a way to stop him? 'Cuz if there is, I'd be happy to help. I'm Magrea, by the way."
Vanizi isn't quite sure she liked the tone from the fair-skinned lady, no matter how fancy her attire. 'Is she insinuating that our arrival makes their little plan a failure?' Then the man speaks about finding pieces of some rod. He at least sounded like he wanted everyone's help. Though something seemed odd. "Wait. You and the others cast a Wish expecting to thwart this Vecna. But we unexpectedly show up, and you have a ready-made plan for us? Sounds like you didn't just have a contingency. You had to know exactly how your failure would go!"
She then shrugs, "But if it's as urgent as you say, then I will certainly help. Can you describe what it is we are looking for?"
Although taken aback at how much work Mordenkainen has done on this contingency, Alustriel and Tasha admit that the plan Mordenkainen has laid out is the best hope to stop Vecna. Alustriel compliments Mordenkainen on his foresight. The wizards show various reactions to your comments and questions. Alustriel shows genuine concern for your well-being and apologizes for bringing you here. It was certainly not their intent to summon you all here - but they do not discuss the original terms of their Wish spell. Not unsurprising, as powerful wizards rarely discuss their spells with others...
Tasha, of course, is all snark and sass. She takes a special interest in the mouthy little fairy, though...asking Mordenkainen if he thought Zyl would make a good familiar - or pet.
Mordenkainen takes it all in stride as he returns to chime to a curio cabinet filled with magical wonders. He responds to Vanizi's comment about ready-made plans. "Oh, we weren't expecting you, but I always have a back-up plan. And I never waste an opportunity. Thus, you showing up in response to our spell may be the perfect way to collect the parts of the rod, while the three of us devise a new plan to take Vecna down once and for all! As for the rod, each part is crafted from adamantium and platinum, with magical crystals throughout. Here's a drawing of the completed staff for a reference."
(More background to follow on Sigil and how to teleport to and from Alustriel's sanctum...gotta get to work!!)
"A PET!? WHY I OUTTA ...OOOOOOOOOO NOW LOOK HERE POINTY HAT LADY! I'm not the one who bungled the fancy spell!"Zyl flew over right into Tasha's face and stared at her eye to eye for a moment, makes a mean fairy face and then rummages in her pocket for a moment, still staring at Tasha, and fishes out a small brownie. "Have a brownie. But NO pet or familiar, got it lady!?" She shoves the brownie at Tasha and then flies back to the others, taking a look at the staff. "So...we gonna hit the bad man with that stick? I can do that." Zyl smashes a fist into the palm of the other hand and grins.
It's been several months since you rescued four prominent citizens of Neverwinter who were kidnapped by a cult of Vecna operating in the catacombs beneath the city’s sprawling Neverdeath Graveyard. The cult kidnapped these residents for the significant secrets they carried in an attempt to drain their knowledge and their souls in a fell ritual! As a reward, you were given a large house in Neverwinter and 1,500 gold pieces. Lord Neverwinter even offered to restore the houses to your specifications (your bastions!)
Now that your new homes are complete and you have hired the craftsmen, servants, or guards to maintain or protect it, you are able to enjoy a well-deserved rest! What orders do you give to your household staff to get it operating?
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Zyl is super excited about having her own fancy home (in her own version of fancy). She gets busy with the following:
Garden: Food, to take the Harvest order and gain 100 days worth of rations
Greenhouse: Harvest order to make 1 Potion of Healing (greater)
Trophy Room: Research order --Trinket Trophy (Rolled a d20: 12! One of her hirelings finds a magic item: rolled 55 in log: Potion of Comprehension)
Theater: Empower order to put on a big musical production about saving Neverwinter (Performance: 19, rolled in log). It's a success and Zyl gains a Theater die (d6).
Magrea has been checking in with her various facilities. Most of which are quite active, presently. There is always work to be done, it seems.
-In her workshop, her helper has been busy at work weaving baskets. A good basket is always good to have around, no matter the circumstance.
-The greenhouse has been flourishing, and from the various herbs Magrea painstakingly cares for, a healing potion (Potion of Healing (Greater)) has been crafted.
-The stables are a new addition, and while they are ready to house animals, it is mostly just being used as shelter for any creature that may wander in or need it for the moment.
-The laboratory in the basement has been busy at work, but they made time for a new component pouch to be crafted as Magrea seemed to have misplaced hers the last time she was out. A more common occurrence than one might think.
Davis will give the following orders!
- Greenhouse, Harvest: Potion of Healing (Greater), 7 days.
- Smithy, Craft: Sentinel Shield, 10 days, 200 gp.
- Sactuary, Craft: Holy Symbol of Tymora, 7 days.
- Sarcristy, Craft: Wand of Magic Detection, 10 days, 200 gp.
If Davis is gone for more then 10 days, he will leave instructions on other items to craft, such as... (TBD)
Vesta gives the following orders to her staff inside her bastion.
Arcane Study, Craft: Broom of Flying, 10 days, 200 gold. After a long rest, Vesta will also gain the Charm of Heroism and be able to cast Identify without a spell slot or component while she has the Charm.
Library, Research: Information on Vecna
Storehouse, Trade: Hireling procures non-magical goods worth 500 gold.
Stable, Trade: Maintain the riding horse and two ponies that live there.
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf - Lvl. 4 Halfling Rogue (The Shattered Obelisk) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan - Lvl. 10 Half-Elf Sorcerer (Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick - Lvl. 4 Aasimar Paladin (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Selene Albion - Lvl. 12 Human Ranger (In-Person Homebrew Campaign) ♦ Phaerdra Tor'viir - Lvl. 3 Drow Wizard (Exandria Sandbox Campaign)
Vanizi's orders for her bastion staff:
Barrack: Recruit - 4 Bastion Defenders (for a total of 4)
Storeroom: Trade - Buy 2,000 gp of Trade Goods (not sure if I need to specify - I'm thinking a mix of expensive spices and precious metals)
Smithy: Craft: Magic Item - Gauntlets of Ogre Power, 5 days (2 hirelings), 200 gold
Training Area: Weapon Expert: Empower - Greatsword Mastery (Graze), 7 days
(OOC - If anyone wishes to join Vanizi with the Weapon Expert training they can get either proficiency with any weapon or if they already have proficiency gain a Mastery. It takes up 8 hours a day for 7 days though!)
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue
In the past few months, you've all experienced visions of a glowing eye or had foreboding dreams about robed cultists worshiping Vecna in a mysterious, crystal-filled cave. You somehow have a metaphysical link to Vecna - and you have to wonder if the lich-god can feel this link, too...
Today, while monitoring the folk working in your bastions and praising them on their accomplishments, you experience a flash of multicolored light and the world winks out of existence. Nothingness envelops your senses, though you feel the thrum of magic rushing like an electric spark through your veins. When you regain focus, you stand in a plush, candlelit parlor. A stately woman in blue robes leans toward you, her brow furrowed in confusion and concern. In the blurry background stand a frowning woman in a flowing, black dress and a man tugging in confusion at his high, crimson collar.
“You can’t be the answer to our Wish,” the woman in the black dress sneers, while the fair lady in blue shushes her and ushers you toward the sanctum’s comfortable lounge furniture. The kinder woman explains where you are and how you arrived, though she doesn’t understand why you were teleported to the sanctum as a result of the Wish spell.
"You are in my private sanctum on the plane of Sigil. I am the Lady Alustriel of Silverymoon. Several months ago, I detected a sinister wave of magic rippling through the multiverse. Using my divining abilities, I eventually traced the magical pulse to Vecna. After a period of investigation, I discovered the sobering truth: using stolen secrets, Vecna and his cults have siphoned incredible amounts of power from individuals throughout the multiverse. Worse, I eventually stoped detecting these activities, leading me to believe that Vecna plans to unleash this power for a heinous purpose. I realized this could unravel the entire multiverse, elevating Vecna and cowing all others to his will!"
"Determined to oppose Vecna but unsure how the lich-god intends to unleash his amassed magic, I contacted my most powerful allies - Mordenkainen and Tasha. Using our combined magic, we wove a Wish spell in hopes of sabotaging Vecna’s accumulated power and defusing his ritual. But then you popped in here instead! Do you, by chance, have any ties to Vecna? Perhaps your fates are somehow interwoven with Vecna’s? Maybe, since the Wish was unable to fulfill its parameters, it instead found beings tied to Vecna and brought you to Sigil..."
Tasha stands near you all, aloof and occasionally interjecting acerbic comments. Mordenkainen remains silent, focusing intensely on everything you say. You also notice that the Wizards Three seem tired and weakened. (If you are proficient in the Medicine skill, you would understand that the wizards are extremely fatigued. If you are proficient in the Arcana skill, you realize that the wizards expended a great deal of arcane energy casting the Wish spell.)
"But this must be overwhelming for you...Please rest a moment and ask your questions," Alustriel says.
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
Vesta blinks in surprise as she is magically transported to this elegant parlor. It takes her a moment to regain herself. When she does, she sees before her the Wizards Three, and her eyes go wide. Surely, this cannot be happening. Vesta tries pinching herself, but when that doesn't make her wake up, she realizes she is actually standing before some of the most famous wizards in not only just Faerun but across the planes of the multiverse.
"This is...this is such an honor!" Vesta stammers. "I've read so much about you, of course, all three of you. But to actually meet you in person. Well, that is something I never could have expected." The young sorceress is starstruck by all three of the powerful figures, even Tasha who seems to think very little of them at the moment.
Willing herself not to babble, Vesta regains her composure. "We do have a connection to Vecna, although we don't know as much as we would like about this connection. We have been fighting his cultists in the city of Neverwinter, countering them whenever we can at the behest of Lord Neverember."
Vesta hesitates for a moment. "I believe we were somehow touched by the magic of Vecna himself, given certain gifts. I know not how this could be of help, but perhaps your Wish spell did not go awry. Perhaps there is a way to use this strange connection we have to stop Vecna before he can unleash the devastation he has planned."
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf - Lvl. 4 Halfling Rogue (The Shattered Obelisk) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan - Lvl. 10 Half-Elf Sorcerer (Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick - Lvl. 4 Aasimar Paladin (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Selene Albion - Lvl. 12 Human Ranger (In-Person Homebrew Campaign) ♦ Phaerdra Tor'viir - Lvl. 3 Drow Wizard (Exandria Sandbox Campaign)
"No no no! The eggs go there the flour--oh!" Zyl blinked a bit as she took in the new surroundings and the lady began to talk to them. She crossed her arms at Tasha's comments, "Yeah well you weren't exactly on my wishlist either lady. And what connection? You mean that somehow I keep ending up in stinky catacombs with mean cultists, yucky undead things and gross eyeballs and stuff. But you talk about a lot of magicky things. I don't know much about that but if you need something smashed I can do that!"
Katarina was in the middle of a cat-nap when she was quite rudely summoned... She blinks a few times, not sure what just happened.
"Lander... where is Katarina?" she asks sleepily, not realizing immediately that her husband who was sleeping next to her a few seconds ago is still back at the mansion.
She shakes her head and finally looks at the three wizards.
"Oh... hello. Katarina has heard of Vecna, and he doesn't sound very nice to her. Wait... the wizard-people wished for Katarina to be here? Is Katarina the Chosen One destined to destroy Vecna and save the world?"
Katarina doesn't sound like she's being arrogant by asking that question, just like she's not very bright and genuinely isn't sure what's going on.
Unhappy that the market got rid of individual purchases for one-off subclasses, magic items, and monsters?
Provide feedback!
Vanizi was just stepping into the barracks of her bastion when she was whisked away to this elaborate parlor. She had been going to introduce herself to some of the new defenders that had been hired. Now it was taking herself a moment to adjust to these three prominent mages standing before her. She nods at what Vesta had said. "Yes, we do seem to have some sort of link. Though I don't know what it means. Or how it even happened." She grins at Zyl's comment. "We have had a couple occasions to go into crypts chasing down cultists in Neverwinter. That could definitely be related."
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue
Davis was lost in thought, watching the hired acoltye crafting the Holy Symbol for his goddess.
"I should go check on the herbs in the Greenhouse" he thinks, that last batch semed a bit, wilted.
As he walks, inspecting the new wand that was crafted for him, he notices... nothing... blackeness... then a rush of magic.
With a jolt, he finds himself in a plush parlor. He smiles as he notices the others around him, Katarina, Vesta, Zyl, Vanizi and Magrea, a new acquaintance. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out his lucky coin, gives it a toss and catches it. Without looking at it, he puts it back in his pocket, thinking, "it doesn't matter, I'm where my lady needs me."
He looks at the three wizards, their power obvious, and wonders what they would think of his brand new wand, and has to stifle a laugh.
"My name is Davis, It is my duty to protect the innocent and, ... well you can guess the rest. I am here because my fate, nay, our fates" he says, looking at the others around him, "appear to be tied to Vecna. So as Vesta has mentioned, perhaps we are exactly what you 'wished' for."
With that he bows, and smiles.
Alustriel, looking more and more concerned, expresses that the wizards plan to stop Vecna seem to have failed. Mordenkainen says, “I have an alternative plan.” He strides over to a cabinet full of magic items and picks up a silver chime. He then approaches your party, displays the chime, and says, “I worried that perhaps our Wish wouldn’t stop one as powerful as Vecna. Alustriel, please forgive me, but I did plan a contingency." He nods at Alustriel, only a little apologetic...
“Vecna is too powerful to stop directly at this point. However, no power is absolute. I suspect Vecna will be vulnerable while he weaves his ritual. If you confront and weaken him, this Chime of Exile can banish him to Oerth. He would no longer be able to affect multiple realms at once. His plan to remake the multiverse would fail.”
Mordenkainen's eyes gleam with excitement as he continues. “There is an artifact that is, I believe, the only way to weaken Vecna so the chime can be used against him. It’s called the Rod of Seven Parts. Unfortunately, its component pieces are scattered across existence.
“While my esteemed colleagues researched the magic needed to cast a Wish spell powerful enough to stop Vecna, I looked into finding the rod’s pieces should we need them. The first piece is deep in the Underdark, somewhere inside a hidden safe house for worshipers of the demon-god Lolth. Web’s Edge, it’s called.
“Find that first piece of the rod, my friends. The portal on the dais will take you to it. Once you locate the first piece, the magic inherent in the artifact will point you to the second piece, and then to the third, and so on. This sanctum’s portal reacts to powerful magic such as this artifact, so as you find each piece, this portal will lead to the next. No need to use another key; the most recent piece of the rod will suffice.
“There’s no time to waste. Once you’ve reassembled the rod, we can all confront Vecna and stop his heinous plan. You’ll be the heroes of the multiverse! How does that sound?”
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
"Okay baldy, but but I didn't hear the part about when I need to smash something. What is so magicky special about a rod anyway? I can smash with it? Does it make better brownies? MY BROWNIES!!!"
Vesta listens to the plan outlined by Mordenkainen with growing excitement. "Assemble the Rod of Seven Parts. Weaken Vecna. Banish him with the Chime of Exile," Vesta repeats. "I do have one question though. What happens to the inhabitants of Oerth? Won't Vecna be free to harm them if he is banished there?"
The sorceress's eyes flicker around the parlor. Her intense curiosity is evident, and she is bursting with questions to ask the Wizards Three.
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf - Lvl. 4 Halfling Rogue (The Shattered Obelisk) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan - Lvl. 10 Half-Elf Sorcerer (Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick - Lvl. 4 Aasimar Paladin (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Selene Albion - Lvl. 12 Human Ranger (In-Person Homebrew Campaign) ♦ Phaerdra Tor'viir - Lvl. 3 Drow Wizard (Exandria Sandbox Campaign)
Magrea shakes her head a bit, only now just realizing she is no longer in her greenhouse. She is still sat cross legged on the floor, but looks up.
"Wow, nice place. Okay, so I heard something about a rod and a chime, and something about being a hero? And this Vecna guy sounds pretty nasty. Is there a way to stop him? 'Cuz if there is, I'd be happy to help. I'm Magrea, by the way."
Vanizi isn't quite sure she liked the tone from the fair-skinned lady, no matter how fancy her attire. 'Is she insinuating that our arrival makes their little plan a failure?' Then the man speaks about finding pieces of some rod. He at least sounded like he wanted everyone's help. Though something seemed odd. "Wait. You and the others cast a Wish expecting to thwart this Vecna. But we unexpectedly show up, and you have a ready-made plan for us? Sounds like you didn't just have a contingency. You had to know exactly how your failure would go!"
She then shrugs, "But if it's as urgent as you say, then I will certainly help. Can you describe what it is we are looking for?"
Rabbit Sebrica, Sorcerer || Skarai, Monk || Lokilia Vaelphin, Druid || Liivi Orav, Barbarian || Vanizi, Warlock || Britari / Halila Talgeta / Jesa Gumovi ||
Neital Rhessil, Wizard || Iromae Quinaea, Cleric || Roxana Raincrest, Rogue
Although taken aback at how much work Mordenkainen has done on this contingency, Alustriel and Tasha admit that the plan Mordenkainen has laid out is the best hope to stop Vecna. Alustriel compliments Mordenkainen on his foresight. The wizards show various reactions to your comments and questions. Alustriel shows genuine concern for your well-being and apologizes for bringing you here. It was certainly not their intent to summon you all here - but they do not discuss the original terms of their Wish spell. Not unsurprising, as powerful wizards rarely discuss their spells with others...
Tasha, of course, is all snark and sass. She takes a special interest in the mouthy little fairy, though...asking Mordenkainen if he thought Zyl would make a good familiar - or pet.
Mordenkainen takes it all in stride as he returns to chime to a curio cabinet filled with magical wonders. He responds to Vanizi's comment about ready-made plans. "Oh, we weren't expecting you, but I always have a back-up plan. And I never waste an opportunity. Thus, you showing up in response to our spell may be the perfect way to collect the parts of the rod, while the three of us devise a new plan to take Vecna down once and for all! As for the rod, each part is crafted from adamantium and platinum, with magical crystals throughout. Here's a drawing of the completed staff for a reference."
(More background to follow on Sigil and how to teleport to and from Alustriel's sanctum...gotta get to work!!)
Love God. Love Others. Any Questions?
"A PET!? WHY I OUTTA ...OOOOOOOOOO NOW LOOK HERE POINTY HAT LADY! I'm not the one who bungled the fancy spell!" Zyl flew over right into Tasha's face and stared at her eye to eye for a moment, makes a mean fairy face and then rummages in her pocket for a moment, still staring at Tasha, and fishes out a small brownie. "Have a brownie. But NO pet or familiar, got it lady!?" She shoves the brownie at Tasha and then flies back to the others, taking a look at the staff. "So...we gonna hit the bad man with that stick? I can do that." Zyl smashes a fist into the palm of the other hand and grins.
Vesta stifles a smile at Zyl's reaction to Tasha's taunt. "Careful, Zyl," she says. "Tasha could turn you into a toad."
Shaking her head, the sorceress regards Tasha. "Zyl wouldn't make a good pet. She's too independent as you can see."
Finally, Vesta turns back to Mordenkainen. "You didn't answer my question about the banishment. Is Vecna also imprisoned after we use the Chime?"
Extended Signature
Characters: Bryony Alderleaf - Lvl. 4 Halfling Rogue (The Shattered Obelisk) ♦ Vesta Trevelyan - Lvl. 10 Half-Elf Sorcerer (Eve of Ruin) ♦ Ada Kendrick - Lvl. 4 Aasimar Paladin (Curse of Strahd) ♦ Selene Albion - Lvl. 12 Human Ranger (In-Person Homebrew Campaign) ♦ Phaerdra Tor'viir - Lvl. 3 Drow Wizard (Exandria Sandbox Campaign)