Burning Witch Adventurers Session #78- Enter The Arena

All the tales floating around the Burning Witch of a renaissance in delves into dungeon underworld known around the tavern as 'The Complex' had a trio of members of the Athenium of the Dying Sun plotting a return to the adventuring life. While they had no deeper plan than once again tempting fate in exchange for adventure, their talk of harassing the Eye of Terror and their territory through the use of an elevator accessible through the Great Cavern inspired a four-armed Mutant Formerly (and Currently) Known As Krang to join them. The following party was seen heading north into the ruins of Orm-Of-Old and egress into the Great Cavern:

• Fancy Jean-Yves Beauvollier (Level 5 Bard)
• Peaches (Level 4 Thief retainer)
• Freedom (the sapient cat)
• Souz'awn (Level 1 Fighter hireling)
• Journeyman Crannoc (Level 5 Magic-User)
• Uscha (fey servitor)
• Ferris (Level 1 Living Harness hireling)
• Kiddo (Level 3 Magic-User)
• The Mutant FKA Krang (Fighting Mutant Level 1)

Later in the week, members of the expedition were seen about Orm. Fancy Jean-Yves Bouvollier was seen trying to unsuccessful pawn off a trio of gilded panels off to Duke Clavis of Far Anterra. A pair of peculiar stalls that operate under some sort of automation appeared in the entrance hall of the Athenium. For a gold piece, one dispenses sweet cakes wrapped in a transparent film while the other fizzy drinks in glass bottles.

Here is a write-up on the session from Fancy's player Joshua:

After nearly a year of living, laughing, and loving, Fancy and Peaches decide that its once againtime to head back to the burning witch tavern to muster together a party of hardy adventurers and partyhard, in the complex.

Fancy, Peaches, Crannoc and Oosha, Kiddo, and the newcomer, Krang, employed the services ofSoozahn and a the living armor-thing for a little extra-legal dip into a secret entrance leading to the complex. *note: don’t let the boot lickers know. 

After reaching the great cavern, the party eventually decided to head south, exploring some jungle on the way to a remote inn that Crannoc knows of. But, of course the party never arrived at their destination. Instead, they stumbled upon an ancient arena, complete with crumbling stones and pillars, no longer burdened with the duty of supporting great weights. As the party approached, they overhead voices. In the center of the arena, a trio of leonine servants of the Imperial Momma were centered in the arena. Peaches, silent as a jungle cat, crept towards them to eavesdrop. 

She returned shortly to inform the party the muscle-headed minions were discussing their plans for some sort of “performative fake-fighting” (As she grasps her championship wrestling belt, tugging slightly upwards) and she also relays her findings of some strange “booths” which emit “food-items encased in a transparent sheath” when gold coins are inserted. More importantly, she informs the party of an altar of obsidian in the arena. Above said alter are two statues. One is of the the Imperial Momma, the other, some unidentified male figure. Collectively, the hold a large mace, but the statues are encased in a protective material. Other valuables adorn the altar as well. 

The party hatches a plan to distract the guards by knocking over pillars in the distance, thus

creating a ruckus while Peaches goes to procure the loot at the altar. The many armed Krang oils his chest and proceeds to upend a pillar while working up a moderate sweat. This commotion draws away two of the minions, while the other goes into a door nearby.

Peaches’ grabbing hands, grab all they can and she makes off with a some gilded ornaments and an odd triptych while the rest of the party overturns a pair of magic “booths” and loads them on to Kiddo’s floating disc before they all flee into the jungle. The noisy appropriation of the booths attract the attention the lion-men whom pursue the party as they flee into the jungle. But the party lured them into a trap and the lion-men found themselves entangled in thick vines, animated by Fancy’s magic. With a floating disc full of loot, the part heads back home, discussing the perfect place for the installation of an autonomous vending booth in the Athenaeum...

Treasure

• A triptych of gilded panels displaying the Imperial Mother and another figure performing some ancient rite worth 900gp to the right buyer
• A collection of odd carvings worth 200gp to the right buyer
• two automated stalls:
• One contains a collection of fizzy drinks and 18gp
• The other contains wrapped sweet cakes, 84gp, and an orange gem that glows as bright as a candle

 Experience Points

• 1202 xp from treasure

Player Character Cut

• 19gp, 1sp, and 2cp ea. (8gp and 5sp ea. to Peaches, Souz'awn, and Ferris)
• An additional 206gp, 2sp , and 4cp ea. (91gp, 6sp, and 6cp ea. to Peaches, Souz'awn, and Ferris) if items are sold to the right buyer
• 300xp ea. (150xp ea. to Peaches, Souz'awn, and Ferris)

Write-ups, art. and maps submitted to report upon the session earn PC Level x 100xp. Let me know if anyone wants to take a downtime activity.