Session 14: Kill the Piano!

Date: Apr 23rd, 2025

Summary

The tale began at the Black Ivory Inn, a peculiar establishment thriving in the dead city of Drakkenheim with around 40 patrons. Syndle arrived to find his companions Yazzy and Oiroa embroiled in a confrontation on stage with a paladin woman. The commotion quickly escalated into violence, with combat breaking out both on the stage and in the basement. In the basement, the party engaged with twin bandits Hall and Oats. Hall was quickly knocked prone and defeated, which enraged his brother Oats. The fighting intensified with spells and attacks being exchanged, while upstairs the piano player Miss Charlotte continued her performance unperturbed, accompanied by Annika who was magically compelled to sing through a suggestion spell. Yazzy, seeking to understand the piano's significance, challenged Miss Charlotte to a musical duel - her lute against her piano. With assistance from Oiroa and an impressive performance roll of 28, Yazzy emerged victorious. Miss Charlotte reluctantly surrendered her piano, though she seemed oddly detached from the loss. The party discovered a secret door in the basement leading to a smugglers' meeting room where Captain Wicket and his crew were planning to traffic rare artwork. Ned unleashed a devastating fireball that instantly killed twelve regular bandits. The remaining bandit captains, including the hook-handed Left Hand Leila, the muscular gnome Mr. Big, and the demonic-looking tiefling Wind, fought fiercely but were ultimately defeated. Using the magical sword Twilight, Tark uncovered Miss Charlotte's tragic past. She had made a wish to become the greatest pianist, but it was twisted by magic, granting her immortality instead of skill. When she was killed by a delirium crystal during Drakkenheim's destruction, her wish created a time loop in the tavern. The truth of her fate was revealed in a hidden chamber where they found a horrific flesh creature - Charlotte's transformed corpse merged with her piano, its multiple eyes and mouths moaning as it blocked access to the smugglers' tunnels. The party realized they were trapped in a time loop, with Miss Charlotte being the only one aware of the repetition. They discovered that destroying the piano wasn't enough to break the cycle, as it would always reappear. The revelation of the abomination in the basement suggested a darker solution would be needed to free the tavern from its temporal prison. The adventure paused as the party stood before the grotesque fusion of pianist and piano, preparing to face this horrific manifestation of a wish gone wrong.

Scenes

Tavern Entrance

Syndle arrives at the Black Ivory Inn where a commotion is happening on stage

Basement Combat

The party engages in combat with Hall, Oats and others in the tavern basement

Stage Confrontation

Upstairs combat breaks out on the tavern stage while piano music plays

Piano Challenge

Yazzy challenges Miss Charlotte to a musical duel, with instruments as the stakes

Basement Battle

The party discovers and fights Captain Wicket's crew in a secret meeting room

Discovery of Charlotte's Past

The party learns the truth about Miss Charlotte through magical means

Final Discovery

The party finds the horrific truth in the basement

Npcs

Miss Charlotte

The pianist at the Black Ivory Inn who made a wish to be the greatest pianist. When killed during Drakkenheim's destruction, her wish was twisted by the haze, binding her to the piano and creating a time loop. She appears aware of the loop and eventually transforms into an abomination.

Annika

A knight who is under a suggestion spell to keep singing with Yazzy

Hall and Oats

Twin bandit enemies encountered in the basement. Hall is defeated early while Oats becomes enraged at his brother's defeat.

Captain Wicket

Leader of a group of smugglers operating from the Black Ivory Inn's basement, involved in trafficking rare artwork.

Left Hand Leila

A female bandit with a hook for her right hand, part of Captain Wicket's crew.

Mr. Big

A gnome bandit captain in Wicket's crew, known for his muscular appearance and prominent pectoral muscles.

Wind

A tiefling with demonic appearance who attempts to use dimension door during combat and tries to surrender before being executed.

Reggie Grimes

The chef at the Black Ivory Inn who appears when the party destroys a skeleton in the kitchen.

Grint Terron

A 15-year-old aspiring member of the Hooded Lanterns who sits by the fireplace in the Black Ivory Inn.

Locations

Black Ivory Inn

A fully populated tavern in the middle of dead Drakkenheim city, featuring a stage with piano, main floor, and extensive basement level with secret rooms and smugglers' tunnels. Despite being in a dead city, the tavern is caught in a time loop and remains surprisingly lively with about 40 guests.

Smugglers' Meeting Room

A secret basement room sparsely decorated with round tables and stools, containing cards, booze, and a detailed map of Drakkenheim's underground passages and sewer systems.

Abomination Chamber

A hidden room in the basement containing a horrific flesh creature that appears to be a transformed version of Miss Charlotte merged with her piano, blocking access to smugglers' tunnels.

Spells

Sanctuary

Protective spell cast before engaging with smugglers.

Suggestion

Used on Annika to make her continue singing, only breaks if she or her companions are damaged by the caster or their companions

Fireball

Powerful area effect fire spell used by Ned to devastating effect, particularly in killing twelve bandits instantly in the smugglers' room.

Slow

Cast by Oiroa to hinder enemies with penalties to AC, Dex saves, movement speed, and limiting them to single attacks.

Shatter

Thunder damage spell used both in combat and attempts to destroy the piano, particularly effective against inanimate objects.

Toll the Dead

Necromantic damage spell used against both enemies and the piano.

Shield

Defensive reaction spell used to protect against incoming attacks.

Dimension Door

Teleportation spell attempted by Wind but delayed due to Slow effect.

Magic Missile

Force damage spell used by Ned against specific targets.

Items

Grand Piano

A magical piano bound to Miss Charlotte through her wish, has AC and hit points, can only be damaged by magical attacks. Eventually becomes embedded in her abomination form after being destroyed multiple times during the time loop.

Twilight

A magical sword that reveals visions of past sins when it strikes a target.

Carns Painting

An oil painting depicting the burial grounds of Drakkenheim nobility, being smuggled by Captain Wicket's crew.

Underground Passages Map

A detailed map showing underground passages, smuggler tunnels and sewer systems of Drakkenheim found in the basement meeting room.