đ Session 7 â "Engines of Limbo"
Musicđś
| "Dirty Boots" - |
| |
đŞ Campaign Arc
Campaign: Spelljammer â Homebrew Hybrid
Session Title: Engines of Limbo
Dungeon Master: James/Jamie (Sicareus)
Setting: Aboard the Nautalis, corridors and engine chamber
đ§ Overview
The party fled a collapsing cavern to board the Illithid Spelljammer Nautalis, fought two Mind Flayers and three quaggoths in tight corridors, and deciphered an arcane journal revealing the shipâs locus worldâLimboâpowered by the magic-drained captives. They now stand before the central engine chamber, where three Mind Flayers forcibly siphon a bound wizardâs power.
đ§âđ¤âđ§ Party Members
Character | Player | Class / Subclass | Race | Notable Actions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Garrick âRiggâ Dalhart | Ben / Elemunk | Rogue (Swashbuckler) | Human | Charged first Mind Flayer, landed sneak-attack wrench strikes, finished off quaggoths. |
Laydrick Gefinhal | Jared / Galindis | Cleric (Life) | Dwarf | Used Lay on Hands & Healing Word to save allies, countered grapple damage. |
High Jinks | Kate / Keitachan | Warlock (GOO) | Tabaxi | Opened fights with Eldritch Blast, cast Cloud of Daggers after Fireball. |
Dino Roar (Dynoth Rokos) | Robb / Baconbuff | Artificer/Fighter (Battle Smith) | Githyanki | Engaged front-line, noted trap lever, harvested illithid glands. |
Valen Pyre | Justin / Slitzer | Wizard (Evoker) | Human | Cast Fireball on quaggoths, Sleep on Mind Flayer, deciphered journal. |
đ Key Locations
- Collapsing Tunnel: Rock-hewn cave from Session 6 where first Mind Flayer ambush occurred.
- Crossbow Chamber: Nautalis room lined with ballistae; hidden lever opens bulkhead.
- Corridor of Doom: Tight hallway where second Flayer & three quaggoths attacked.
- Round Table Room: Chamber strewn with Mind Flayer & adventurer corpses.
- Engine Chamber Threshold: Vaulted heart of the ship, site of magic-draining ritual.
đ Session Highlights
- First Ambush: Riggâs leap + High Jinksâ Eldritch Blast downed Mind Flayer #1.
- Boarding Action: Portal transition into Nautalis & discovery of crossbow lever.
- Fireball & Cloud of Daggers: Valenâs Fireball wiped 3 quaggoths; Jinksâ Daggers finished them.
- Mind Flayer Grapple: Flayer grappled Valen for â20 hp; Leydrickâs Healing Word kept him alive.
- Sleep & Sneak Attack: Valenâs Sleep spell knocked Flayer out; Rigg scored free headshot.
- Journal Deciphered: Journal revealed locus world âLimboâ & engineâs magic source.
đ¸ Key Scenes
đĽ Hallway Fireball
A crimson-coated human wizard presses his skull-trimmed hat low and unleashes a blazing Fireball down the hall, tentacles thrashing as a Mind Flayer recoils and the wreckage of Quaggoths smolders behind.
đ¤ Sleep and Strike
In a dim corridor, the wizard casts Sleep on a lone Mind Flayer, which slumps unconscious. A lurking rogue with a massive wrench raises for a decisive sneak attack.
đž Sphinx Assault
A flickering violet-lit corridor pulses as a spectral feline familiar lunges at a snarling Quaggoth. Nearby, a young tabaxi warlock stands with cloak billowing, directing her magical beast.
đ§ Psychic Clash
A stern Githyanki artificer swings a Moon-Touched Longsword, sparks and arcane runes flickering, as a Mind Flayerâs tentacles lash out. In the background, the partyâs mechanical defender lies downed.
đ Illithid Journal Discovery
In a torch-lit side chamber, the wizard pores over a glowing purple-leather tome on a carved lectern. Psionic runes drift off the pages as High Jinks leans in,
đ Ongoing Threads & Plot Hooks
- Engine Sabotage: Can the party disrupt the magic-draining apparatus?
- Bound Wizard: Rescue and debrief the captiveâwhat secrets does he hold?
- Limbo Intel: Further study of the journal to navigate or escape Limbo.
đ Loot & Discoveries
Item / Detail | Found / By | Description |
|---|---|---|
Arcane Journal (from session 6) | Valen / High Jinks | Purple-leather tome explaining the shipâs engines & locus world. |
Illithid Glands Ă2 | Dino | Harvested from first Flayer; potent psionic reagent. |
Hidden Lever Mechanism | Valen | Switch to open bulkheads |
đ¨ Cliff-hanger â Bridge to the Helm
- The party stands at the vaulted entrance to the Nautalisâs core engine chamber.
- Three Mind Flayers chant around a glowing Spelljammer drive, siphoning power from a bound wizard.
- Weapons drawn and spells readied⌠session ends on a tense standoff.
The party stands at the ruined helm chamberâs threshold. A gaunt, unconscious wizard slumps on a throne-like control chair, with 3 Mind Flayers looming protectively behind. Ambient starlight filters through fractured portholes as two adventurers hesitate in the doorway.
Musicđś
"The Puppets Flame and Sepents Fang" - | "Dirty Boots" - |
| |
đĽ Fireball in Trollskull Alley
While business picked up at Trollskull Tavern, a massive explosion shattered the calmâa fireball detonated just outside, killing Dalakhar, a gnome spy, and several citizens. Remarkably, the tavern and party were unharmed, though the street was left scorched and chaotic.
đ¤ A cloaked figure was seen looting Dalakharâs body and fleeing toward the Bent Nail.
đ§ A child claimed a metal puppet had thrown something into a barrelâit was revealed to be a Necklace of Fireballs with two remaining beads.
đ§ Silas identified the explosion as magical; Dren confirmed the necklaceâs nature.
Eyeless assisted folk and asked questions
đ¨ City Watch & Renaer's Secrets
Silias in the library with a candlestick
The City Watch, led by:
- đ§ââď¸ Barnabus Blastwind
- đŽââď¸ Sergeant Cromley
...arrived and began their investigation. Captain John Mercer calmly persuaded them the party was innocent. They revealed: - Dalakhar had been fleeing armed pursuers.
- Trollskull was declared a crime scene.
Later, Renaer Neverember arrived and revealed:
- Dalakhar had spied on him for two months.
- He was likely seeking the party to deliver the Stone of Golorr to Renaerâs father in Neverwinter.
- The artifact is powerful and valuable, drawing interest from the Zhentarim and Xanathar Guild.
- Renaer offered đ°1,000 gold if the party retrieved it.
âď¸ Temple of Gond â The Lonely Automaton
Following the automatonâs trail to the Temple of Gond, the party met:
- đ Valetta, bronze dragonborn priestess
- đ¤ Nim, a sentient automaton
Nim confessed to secretly creating a second nimblewright that had escaped. He feared the construct was responsible for the explosion. The temple had locked Nim away.
đ Rewards Offered:
- 500 gold for destroying the rogue Nimblewright
- OR a mechanical invention (e.g., barking box or adjustable stilts)
- Nim begged for the nimblewright to be spared and returned, promising a unique invention
đ The party received a Nimblewright Detector â spins and clicks when within 500 ft
đłď¸ Sewer Hunt â The Yuan-ti Ritual
With no detection from the device, the party scouted the Waterdeep sewers and stumbled upon a yuan-ti ritual involving a drowning victim, red and green malisons, and a purple abomination.
The cult attacked, declaring: âWitnesses must be slain!â
âď¸ Combat Highlights:
Character | Action |
|---|---|
Eyeless | Smote a serpent, used Guiding Bolt , downed by cold & poison, revived by Slim Jim |
Slim Jim | Revived Eyeless, later downed and revived himself |
Captain John | Landed a 39-damage Sneak Attack , rolled nat 20 death save , finished red malison |
Dren | Frontlined with maul and spells, survived with 3 HP |
Silas | Cast two Fireballs (from necklace), Fear and psychic spells; remained untouched, but boots muddied |
đ Loot & Rewards
đ Magical Scrolls (unassigned):
- Fireball â AoE damage
- Animate Dead â Raise undead (ethical concerns)
- Flaming Sphere â Area control
- Fear â AoE frighten
đĄď¸ Weapons:
- +1 Longbow
- +1 Scimitars
đ° Gold:
- 216 gold pieces total
đĄď¸ Faction Gain:
- +1 Renown with the Grey Hands / Force Grey for defeating the cult
đ§âđ¤âđ§ Party Status (Post-Battle)
đ Character | Player | âď¸ Class/Level | đ§Ź Race | đ Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Eyeless Shadowstep | Justin / Slitzer | Paladin (3) | Aasimar | Downed, revived, cleared exhaustion |
Captain John Mercer | Kenneth / Artemis | Rogue (3) | Human | 1 HP, MVP Sneak Attack |
Dren | MichaelKong / Mike | Fighter (3) | Dwarf | 3 HP, maul frontline |
Slim Jim (Tiberius Aun Argent) | Baconbuff / Rob | Rogue 2 / Artificer 1 | Human | Healer & downed, revived |
Silas âSilver Tongueâ Rushtyn | Sicareus / James | Sorcerer (3) | Yuan-ti | Dealt massive damage, pristine except muddy boots |
All exhaustion effects have been cleared post-session.
đ Unresolved Threads
- The rogue Nimblewright remains at large.
- The purpose of the yuan-ti ritual is unclearâpossible necromantic ties?
- Debate brews: destroy or spare the Nimblewright?
- Some scrolls, like Animate Dead and Fear, raise moral dilemmas within the party.
Musicđś
"The Puppets Flame and Sepents Fang" - | "Dirty Boots" - |
| |
đĽ Fireball in Trollskull Alley
While business picked up at Trollskull Tavern, a massive explosion shattered the calmâa fireball detonated just outside, killing Dalakhar, a gnome spy, and several citizens. Remarkably, the tavern and party were unharmed, though the street was left scorched and chaotic.
đ¤ A cloaked figure was seen looting Dalakharâs body and fleeing toward the Bent Nail.
đ§ A child claimed a metal puppet had thrown something into a barrelâit was revealed to be a Necklace of Fireballs with two remaining beads.
đ§ Silas identified the explosion as magical; Dren confirmed the necklaceâs nature.
Eyeless assisted folk and asked questions
đ¨ City Watch & Renaer's Secrets
Silias in the library with a candlestick
The City Watch, led by:
- đ§ââď¸ Barnabus Blastwind
- đŽââď¸ Sergeant Cromley
...arrived and began their investigation. Captain John Mercer calmly persuaded them the party was innocent. They revealed: - Dalakhar had been fleeing armed pursuers.
- Trollskull was declared a crime scene.
Later, Renaer Neverember arrived and revealed:
- Dalakhar had spied on him for two months.
- He was likely seeking the party to deliver the Stone of Golorr to Renaerâs father in Neverwinter.
- The artifact is powerful and valuable, drawing interest from the Zhentarim and Xanathar Guild.
- Renaer offered đ°1,000 gold if the party retrieved it.
âď¸ Temple of Gond â The Lonely Automaton
Following the automatonâs trail to the Temple of Gond, the party met:
- đ Valetta, bronze dragonborn priestess
- đ¤ Nim, a sentient automaton
Nim confessed to secretly creating a second nimblewright that had escaped. He feared the construct was responsible for the explosion. The temple had locked Nim away.
đ Rewards Offered:
- 500 gold for destroying the rogue Nimblewright
- OR a mechanical invention (e.g., barking box or adjustable stilts)
- Nim begged for the nimblewright to be spared and returned, promising a unique invention
đ The party received a Nimblewright Detector â spins and clicks when within 500 ft
đłď¸ Sewer Hunt â The Yuan-ti Ritual
With no detection from the device, the party scouted the Waterdeep sewers and stumbled upon a yuan-ti ritual involving a drowning victim, red and green malisons, and a purple abomination.
The cult attacked, declaring: âWitnesses must be slain!â
âď¸ Combat Highlights:
Character | Action |
|---|---|
Eyeless | Smote a serpent, used Guiding Bolt , downed by cold & poison, revived by Slim Jim |
Slim Jim | Revived Eyeless, later downed and revived himself |
Captain John | Landed a 39-damage Sneak Attack , rolled nat 20 death save , finished red malison |
Dren | Frontlined with maul and spells, survived with 3 HP |
Silas | Cast two Fireballs (from necklace), Fear and psychic spells; remained untouched, but boots muddied |
đ Loot & Rewards
đ Magical Scrolls (unassigned):
- Fireball â AoE damage
- Animate Dead â Raise undead (ethical concerns)
- Flaming Sphere â Area control
- Fear â AoE frighten
đĄď¸ Weapons:
- +1 Longbow
- +1 Scimitars
đ° Gold:
- 216 gold pieces total
đĄď¸ Faction Gain:
- +1 Renown with the Grey Hands / Force Grey for defeating the cult
đ§âđ¤âđ§ Party Status (Post-Battle)
đ Character | Player | âď¸ Class/Level | đ§Ź Race | đ Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Eyeless Shadowstep | Justin / Slitzer | Paladin (3) | Aasimar | Downed, revived, cleared exhaustion |
Captain John Mercer | Kenneth / Artemis | Rogue (3) | Human | 1 HP, MVP Sneak Attack |
Dren | MichaelKong / Mike | Fighter (3) | Dwarf | 3 HP, maul frontline |
Slim Jim (Tiberius Aun Argent) | Baconbuff / Rob | Rogue 2 / Artificer 1 | Human | Healer & downed, revived |
Silas âSilver Tongueâ Rushtyn | Sicareus / James | Sorcerer (3) | Yuan-ti | Dealt massive damage, pristine except muddy boots |
All exhaustion effects have been cleared post-session.
đ Unresolved Threads
- The rogue Nimblewright remains at large.
- The purpose of the yuan-ti ritual is unclearâpossible necromantic ties?
- Debate brews: destroy or spare the Nimblewright?
- Some scrolls, like Animate Dead and Fear, raise moral dilemmas within the party.















