DDAL Jasper DMs Keys to the Golden Vault

Key From the Golden Vault Session 7

Axe from the Grave

Day 250 to Day 251

PC Killed 1 Monsters Killed 25 Villains Captured 3 Villains Escaped 8 PC Captured 7

Start Time 630 End Time 8:38

Take 60 GP. 10 down time days. A level.

Magic Item A rare magic item subject to my approval. 6 +2 crossbow bolts, Banjo the Instrument of the Bards Canaith Mandolin.

I had an average group of five. Buildrick Artillerist Artificer 7 Human. Bronwyn Zealot Barbarian 7 human. Rhodes the Cannibal warlock 6 Tiefling. Leon Oath of Vengeance Paladin 6 tiefling. Clunk Light Cleric 6 Half orc.

The Key Master Rhodes is not happy. A mission in the bayou to recover a dead bard’s banjo. With twenty-two hours to go before the Locks arrive, Billy Bob their pole man is late. Billy Bob is a gator hunter who got distracted by Big Bertha but finally arrive to pole the group to Toadhop the swamp village. Things do go well for Buildrick when Mayor Jenna Bean head butts him in the nads.

Huberta Hadley, “Ya is them city folk gold fleece fellows? Pay not attention to the mayor, she just being friendly and checking your pockets for crawfish.”

Rhodes, “Yes mama. We are the Golden Keys. We are here about the bard Froderic Dartwild.”

Huberta, “Only his ma called him Froderic. We and his fans called him Frody. He was the best swamp grass singer every. Boy done rose from his there grave due to fact someone done did violate it. He return to home Grassland. Much to the concern of Cambelts. They were cousins of Frody and with Ma Frody pass on about ten or so ears ago, they had claim to the land and house. Frody done spooked them away. But it kind strange like a zombie ain’t eating brains. And.”

Rhodes, “Can you tell us where Grassland and Frody is. How far is from here?”

Huberta, “You silly city folk, y’all try walking to Grassland you is going to get ate by the gators. I heard Big Bertha was seen here about. Billy Bob pole these good people to over there to Frody and mind your manners. No celling them grease lightning like you did with that Revenue girl from last month.”

It takes a short while to get to Grassland. A half pink brick and wood house rest on a hill with a pier extending out into the swamp. A Rhinestone and Blue Glass sign announces the name Grassland. As they get off the pier, they surprise three kids who are taking bets on if Frody going to eat their brains.

Frody, “Get you kids. I tell you ma on you. Making such a rack it to rest the dead. Shoe. Y’all must be the golden kid fellows, I asked my agent to git. Two Fish boys Mackerel and Trout done dug me up a ten day ago and stole Betty. Betty my Banjo. Them Fish boys live a few miles away and.”

Clunk, “Dear Sir while you are a newly risen zombie with get conservational skills. Why are you not eating brains. Like the brains of those kids?”

Frody, “Brains. I had brains before with that Indy Jones fellow a decade ago. Them monkey brains taste nasty. But. Brains. BRRRAINS”

Bronwyn, “Frody do you know why the Fish boys would steal your banjo. Not to change the subject.”

Frody, “You will have to axe them. Bille Bob pole these city slickers over to Fish house. And not stopping to hunt gators.”

The Fish brothers are happy Frody is not here to eat their brains. So, they confess that Sythian Skalderang paid them 10 GP to steal the banjo. Sythian is kind of hard up. About six month ago his olive orchard start dying and even with him talking in music students he is kind of hard up. And he is hard up for his boyfriend Joster.

Trout Fish, “Billy Bob while don’t you pole these people over to conservatory. And mind you Sythian is deadly afraid of frogs due to fact he was nearly ate by a giant frog while he was a little devil.”

The plan. Frog Team A with Leon, Bronwyn, and Buildrick will capture some frogs. Climb up to roof. Break the skylight and dump most of the frogs into the third floor. They will keep two in reserve. Buildrick will cast enlarge on the frogs as need. The Talkers will knock politely and ask for the banjo back.

Making landing at the olive orchard Clunk discovers demon ichor is kill the olive trees. Frog Team A starts their ascent while Rhodes knocks.

The knocking interrupts lunch Dolly Part In answer it and invites the strangers to lunch. Introductions are going around and Rhodes starts to ask for the banjo back.

Complication. A droning mosquitoe decides to sup on the Frog Team. While killing it, they break the skylight which even one hears. Joster and Sythian attack.

Jumping down to third floor Frog Team splits. Leon is going to raid the third floor. While the other two with frogs in their left hands are going to run down to help the talkers. Some light combat happens on the ground floor until both the barbarian and Artificer leap onto the dining room table and throw frogs at the owner.

Flying Giant Frogs scare the owner who tries to flee. Meanwhile Joster reveals to the group he is an incubus. Joster is killed and Sythian captured. Some question happens. With the banjo return the group leaves Toadhop.

Control, “But we did hear that the mayor went missing later that day. Do you know anything about it?”

Key Master Rhodes, “Nope. Bacon sandwich?”

End of Session 522

Keys From the Golden Vault Session 8

Vidorant’s Vault

Day 280 to Day 282

PC Killed 2 Monsters Killed 25 Villains Captured 3 Villains Escaped 9 PC Captured 9

Start Time 630 End Time 10:18

Magic Item Ring of Evasion for the living. Gloves of Thievery for the Dead

Take a level. And 10 downtime days.

No gold.

I had a very weak group. Rhodes Wizard Tiefling 7. Buildrick Artificer artillerist 8. Krowe Arcana Fighter Archer4 Thief Wood Elf 3.

The Silver Fingers society head Goldenbeard has an offer for the keys. Steal a crown back from his former partner Vidorant. He will pay 1,000 GP. Help Fence whatever else they steal from her vault. And they will become members of the Silver Fingers Society. Since the Silver Fingers are an international thieves guild, this could be important.

Vidorant’s Vault is in Chisholm a mixed industry part of town. Vidorant is currently living in Wynn Lakes but visits her vault daily at random times. The group only gets a laid out of the first floor due to the security.

Security is done by the Pinkertons. But once a week a crew is fired. Vidorant has fired six of her guards this week. The guards hang out in three pubs or taverns.

Key Master Krowe decides to take overwatch and scouting of the vault. Rhodes and Buildrick will to take the bars. 48 hours to go.

Pub G is the first bar where Breelen and Kavton hang out. Breelen wins a couple of the arm-wrestling matches and after a few beers sketches out the top floor plan. Which is very rough. One they can only access the balcony by the rope ladder. Two, in the stairwell room, they can never cross the bridge and mine the pit. Kavton is slightly buzzed when Buildrick approaches. He invites them to a date and more but Buildrick turns him down. But they do get invited to a frat party. On the way to the frat party, Rhodes does charm person and they get secret two.

DM Note. Try to avoid some spoilers. And I suggest DMS write down the secrets to track them.

The Silver Bar is Rent a Cop bar. Ballidyr gets involved in a friendly debate with the duo. Is Canadian Pineapple real pineapple and does it belong on New York Style pizza. Secret three discovered. Pelten gets drawn to what is the best scabbard for indoor work and how long a Billy Club show be. Secret four found. And good look at security uniforms for the ware house.

The team briefly thinks just stealing a uniform but wiser heads nix the idea. Uniforms unlocked.

The Vulgar Unicorn is an upscale wine bar. Turolga is a cat lady and is meeting with her Cat Rescue group. While Rhodes engage them in conversion, Buildrick goes out to hunt for a stray Ginger Tuxedo stray. Secret Five scratch off the list. It is also ball room dancing night but neither have dress correct. They return to the safe house.

42 Hours to Go.

A short meeting and quick change have Krowe ball room dancing. He lifts Jeniana’s necklace and then discovers it on the floor. Some nice champagne and secret six slips into their grasp.

Meanwhile the duo has a slight problem. It will be three hours for a fitting and 10 GP for each uniform.

38 Hours to Go.

The second information meet has more information. The inside crew runs a security check every ten minutes. The few windows are at ten feet and only are gnome or smaller size. The Arcane symbol is unknown. They think a lot.

36 Hours to Go.

Krowe starts his fitting and will go visit Verdant. The Dynamic Duo will sneak into the Pinkerton offices and forge their names on to new crew which is starting tomorrow. Complication. They are nearly discovered and only Krowe gets on the list.

Verdant is hosting a meeting with her new crew and Krowe is uneasy about them. After they leave, he bluffs his way into a meeting with her. She knows the Golden Keys are in the town. And so is Goldenbeard. She will pay Krowe 500 GP to assassinate Goldenbeard. His location will be at drop box in twelve hours.

Complication Verdant new crew is the Silver Locks. With Tosh having slightly red skin from being resurrected after someone dumped his body in lava.

The plan. Krowe is now an inside crew guard. When he reports to work, he will hold the door open for the two invisible members.

26 Hours to go.

No one trips on entering the building. Krowe being a new Pink is not on outside duty.

59 minutes to go.

Krowe declines the poker game and is now on walking rotation. But those are done by the whim of the shift leaders. The invisible duo artfully dodges the guards walking around the break room.

With thirty minutes to go, Krowe is given the walk around. And told not to touch things. Yell if there is trouble. He slowly opens the gem room until touched on the should by Rhodes. He closes the door.

Krowe, “I will leave all doors open. Catch up with us.” Rhodes loots one chest for a thousand. He passes on the potions and cracking the safes at this time. The art room has a secret and then catches up with the other two in the zoo. The zoo has two displacer beasts but they don’t stop for names. The library has some expensive collections but they move on.

5 minutes left on his rounds. Entering the stairwell room he falls for the trap. He gets out of the trap and sends the other two ahead. He will fall back.

4 Minutes 28 seconds left on rounds. The duo splits. Buildrick enters Vidorant’s rooms, and Rhodes makes for the vaults.

3 Minutes 28 seconds left on the rounds. Buildrick final opens the desk and shoves all the notes into his bag holding. Meanwhile Rhodes has discovered on trap. Mostly stopped it and looted on file cabinet of a thousand gold. He has also fried himself on the trap on vault A.

3 Minutes 22 seconds left on the rounds. Rhodes casts dispel magic on the display case which holds the crown.

3 Minutes 20 seconds left. BUSTED. The alarms go off as Rhodes did not make his arcana check.

Rhodes, “Three ones in a row. I am looting everything!” Buildrick discovers the balcony door is locked and Verdant bamfs in. Verdant sees her files have been stolen and rushes to the vault. Krowe decides to release a displacer beast as a distraction and the indoor guards are moving through the first floor.

Rhodes dumps the skull and book into the bag of holding and the alarms go silent. Verdant, “You naughty little keys. Come out come out where every you are. I just locked us in. Surrender and we will cut a deal.”

Rhodes, “ELDRITCH BLAST.” Verdant bounces off the door and charges Rhodes. She does not hear Buildrick trying to pick the lock. The Displacer is trying to eat Krowe who is holding himself between the cage door and cage, when Bob opens the door and is attacked by the beast. The rest of guards slam the door shut and lock it. So, Bob, kitty, and Krowe are also in combat.

Upstairs Buildrick has bounced off the door twice before breaking it down. Verdant, “You naughty little keys. Come out come out where every you are. Busted my door down. Surrender and we will cut a deal.” Buildrick sees Rhodes tied up and Verdant is shaking out loot over his living body. Buildrick tries to put the bag on her but misses.

Verdant shaking out the second bag of holding, “My of my you been naughty. Those are my documents. I don’t share.”

Buildrick, “STABBY STABBY.”

Verdant, “Stab. Okay that two down. Where are the other four?”

Meanwhile downstairs Buildrick decides not to open the second cage and pulls the cage door shut on himself while Bob and Kitty go at it. A few seconds later.

Verdant, “Garfield SIT! Take Bob to the potion room and lock the door be me. You naughty little keys. Come out come out where every you are. I just locked us in. Surrender and we will cut a deal.”

Krowe, “ARROW OF BANISHMENT.”

Verdant, “Dude you are going to piss me off. Surrender. I will just open the latch. I going to pop out for a potion of healing. Garfield Lasagna.”

One hour later a potion of healing is given to the two living keys. Verdant knows about them but to tick off Goldenbeard she will cut them a deal. Take her Ring of Evasion and say the job was too tough. She will dump Krowe’s body into an alley. Or they become pasta dinner for Neramal and Garfield. They take the deal.

End of session 523.

Keys From the Golden Vault Session 9

Shards of the Accursed

Day 330 to Day 333

PC Killed 2 Monsters Killed 39 Villains Captured 3 Villains Escaped 9 PC Captured 9

Start Time 653 End Time 9:45

Magic Item Rare Magic Item or elven Chain

Take a level. And 10 downtime days. 2,000 gp

I had a very strong group of seven. Buildrick Artillerist 7 Human. Krow Fighter 4 Rogue 3 wood elf. Jonathan Battle master Grumpy Goblin 8. Rhodes Warlock 8 Tiefling. Bolt Artificer 7 Winged tiefling. Birra Order Cleric 1 Necromancer 9 doppelganger custom lineage. Light twilight cleric 4. Conquest paladin 4 human.

Key Master Light has been given a rock. The rock goes to a rock giant who fell in love with the town of Oztocan. The giant Xeluan swore they would protect the town even after death. He died last century. The heart shard came into the Keys control three weeks ago. Two weeks ago, Oztocan began experiencing huge earthquakes. Return the heart shard to the giant’s grave.

Arriving in Oztocan, the group is amazed the town is still standing. Also not in the brief is the town build a temple to the giant but it now buried under lots of rocks. A workforce is seen trying to dig it out.

Contact Leandro, “The towns people were order to dig up the temple so Aminta Solana gang of Onyx Scar can loot it. Her brother Tavio disagreed and has been hiding out at the mayor house since. I have maps pulled from the old blueprints and talking with some of the workers. I can get you in as extra workers but that will take me two days. The Silver Locks will be here in 24 hours. Have fun.”

Krowe, “Don’t trust him he is part of the Scar. Maybe we can get the mayor on our side for more information.”

Book, “Hey I didn’t say the contact was a criminal.”

Birra, “I send my imp around the work sight and down the west shaft.”

Book, “HEY NO SCOUTING. DM the player is CHEATING.”

Krowe, and Grumpy Goblin go to talk with Aminta. Complication. She is not in and the guard pours out Jonathan’s Mad Goblin Thirty Thirty. Krowe stops the fight and pulls back to Goldie’s Inn to wait on the party.

Key Master Light and others gets an audience with the mayor. Mayor Tavio, “I am sick of these earthquakes. I am sick of my sister bullying me. I am sick of the Onyx Scar. I deputize you all. Kill all the Scars on sight except by sister.”

Book, “DID YOU JUST TELL YOUR GROUP TO MURDER HOBO. YOU just told your group to murder hobo. That is not in the book.”

Mayor Tavio, “HEY none my lines said anything about making my own deputies. WTF DM!”

DM, “AM UM. I will allow it.”

The group takes a quarter of hour to murder hobo. They murder hobo the ten no nine guards on top of the mound. They repel down the east shaft and go toward the killer mushroom room.

Entering the killer mushroom room it full of hay fever spores. A blast of fresh air arises from the fountain as they go to ascent the stair way. The Killer Mushrooms tell the group to halt but Light flashes the heart rock.

Book, “I didn’t write that. WRITER THE DM IS STOMPING ON YOUR STORY.”

DM, “AHEM”

Going up the stairs, Light, Krowe, and Buildrick are escorted by Sam Shambling Mound, “Me don’t trust you. You don’t get trap door open in thirty seconds. Me squeeze head like a teen pimple. Oops. Buildrick me squeeze you head to make you go faster. Light, me squeeze you like Charmin. Darn. Krowe makes with ten seconds to you be lemons and I need lemonade.”

Arriving in the living quarters, they find a secret door which has a ten-foot hallway. Lining up single file they decide to walk down the five-foot line. Jonathan opens a door to see a nice lady.

Jonathan, “Meep, Beep, Meep.”

Aminta, “Who are you?”

Jonathan, “Meep, Beep, Meep.”

Aminta, “Why are you here?”

Jonathan, “Meep, Beep, Meep.”

Aminta, “Did my brother send you?”

Jonathan, “Meep, Beep, Meep.”

Aminta, “Fireball them.”

Jonathan, “MEEP!”

The group rushes into the conference room. Spells go off left and right. Spells are counter spelled. A wall of force surrounds the sister. And a general surrenders. With the top level clear, the sister starts talking. They have nearly clear out the top level but are waiting for a cleric from the silver locks to get around the ghost protecting the Hero’s Rest.

After a short rest, and a quick chat with the ghost a plan is hatched. The Ghost of Xeluan and his companions yeet everyone one out of the temple with mostly kindness. Xeluan lets his snackage fund be raided by the group. He then calls down one last earthquake sinking the temple further. And levels out the above group for a nice playground.

The End

DM, “I Don’t any know why this chapter went off in such strange ways.”

End of session 524

Again this is night where the DM dice favored group. I quit counting the nat 1 at five. Across this one dungeon where your direction decisions really made a difference.

Keys From the Golden Vault Session 10

Heart of Ashes or

Operation Dumbo

Day 340

PC Killed 2 Monsters Killed 48 Villains Captured 4 Villains Escaped 16 PC Captured 9

Start Time 6:42 End Time 8:46

Magic Item Rare Magic Item Naevys flame tongue longsword, necklace of fireballs 4 balls, dragon scale mail. +1 Battleaxe, Potion of Clairvoyance, +1 shield, +1 arrows (8), oil of sharpness (2). All of these.

Choose one choice. Potion of Superior Healing (2) or 3rd level spell scroll (2).

Landed title from Jhaeros.

Take a level. And 10 downtime days. 2,000 gp

I had a strong group of five. Buildrick Artillerist 9 Human. Bronwyn Barbarian 8 Human. Jonathan Battle master Grumpy Goblin 8. Bolt Artificer 7 Winged tiefling. Birra Order Cleric 1 Necromancer 9 doppelganger custom lineage. Fault Oath of Devotion Paladin 6 Cavalier 3 Eladrin.

DM Note. With Healing Potions going to bonus action in PHB 2024, I went ahead and started that rule.

Key Master Birria, “Okay, how are we going to get to Gasoline?”

Scotty, “Okay. Okay. Next group to Ghalasine. Who heck authorizes this? Why isn’t that horse wearing a diaper? Do you know how hard it to get cow patties off sterling silver inlay? Get into the circle. Now. Get into circle. Ready. Steady. Teleport!”

However, Scotty teleports Buildrick into a wheelbarrow, he stops drops and roll. Naevys, “You guys are late. Your advance team of Silver Locks left a half hour ago. All them brought horses, unlike you. The Golden Key is going to get a tarnish rep. It is an hour walk to the king’s villa. Here is rough map. (Thanks, Birria for drawing out the map.) I will give my personal loot. You have less than five hours before the city is consumed by the void. Non natives can enter the city. But residents turn to ash and are sucked up into the void. Worse some are turn to ash, but still live. A jealous mage has used to king’s heart to summon the void. Ellie Minister and Gander Dalf, my two last mages say if you can bring us the king body, and heart to that ritual circle we can stop the void. Kill the mage and rescue who you can.”

Key Master Birria draws a teleport circle near the ritual circle. He then pulls out his pocket marble elephant. Buildrick and Fault team up for some horse play.

Fault, “Hey that is not what happen. I gave Buildrick a ride. We divide up the group so we could spend less travel time. And I love the floating out house and bakery.”

Various parts of the city are floating and slowly drifting into the void. Three parts of the villa are detached and floating. The mage tower, the armory, and king’s bedroom. The party had not seen the Silver Locks yet. The party splits. Team Horse Fly of Buildrick and Fault fly up to the tower. Team Elephant opens the front door. Bolt flies high cover.

Team Horsefly surprise Charmayne and she is nova smote for most of her life. Her mostly fire magic missiles take down Buildrick but Bolt flies in to save the day. As the Ash Witch tries to escape, she is tackled by the paladin and both fall to ground with the paladin putting his back out.

Team Elephant has Bronwyn dancing on the ceiling in her spider slippers and Birria checking out the front room all goes well until Birria tries to open the hallway door. This actives the helmed horrors guarding the room. Three rounds later the party is back together.

There is a Bronwyn side hole in the ceiling where the flying helmed horrors punch her face into the ceiling. The elephant opened a huge opening in the front room. A quick breath and some healing potions, the group is good to go.

Fault opens the door to the hallway. “HALT in name of ME. I am the great FAULT. It will be no fault of your own if you surrender now. Hmm Not working. WE ARE HERE TO RESCUE YOUR KING!”

DM, “Persuasion”.

Buildrick, “Guidance.”

Bolt, “flash of Genuis.”

DM Note. Unless I missed something all the guard types are automatically hostile and not diplomacy checks are given. So, I put those in.

The Guards kind of believe the group. Moe, “You may pass through. You may not enter any room guarded. You may.”

Bolt, “Excuse me. Where is the bathroom?”

Shemp, “Down the hall by the armory.”

Bolt, “Thanks, follow me.” He bypasses the privy and notices the armory is floating above. He flies up with a grappling hook and ties off to the floor. The rest of the group climbs the rope or flies up also. Four flying swords attack Birria causing him to lose focus on his fly spell. This drops some of them to armory floor. Five minutes later they have looted the place. Birria whistles for his elephant, which gallops around the villa to be under the armory.

Bolt volunteers to repeat the grappling hook idea but needs more rope to get to the king’s bedroom. Or they could slide down to the second floor.

Birria, “Where we going, we need no rope. Fly on the elephant and the horse.”

DM BLINKS. Chatter of adding rocket to elephant are discussed. The Players play their minis. DM walks away.

Group, “Where you are you going?”

DM walks away.

Group, “Come back DM. Come Back.” Lassie music is heard in the background.

SIGH.

Team Dumbo flies up to second floor. The four guards look at a flying elephant with tiger shark face paint. Riding the elephant. A Barbarian with an axe. An Artificer with a Robot Dog. And a Naughty Necromance in a nightie.

Moe, “Shem, Larry, Curly. Coffee break. Coffee break now.” The ash guards enter a bedroom. The sounds of bedding and other furniture are heard blocking the door.

Team Horsefly fly into the bedroom and spy the hidden room. Buildrick opens the door. “Hello King Jhaeros. Your girlfriend sent us. We are here to rescue you and put your heart back in your chest. So have a heart and come along nicely.”

The king rips open the floor boards and hands him his heart.

The End.

DM Notes. I gave the group five hours in game to finish the mission. Actual in game time not including travel time to win condition 17 minutes. Since they had transportation one hour total back and forth. One hour to loot after win condition. If I was going to run it again, I would choose four or three hours to complete the mission.

End of Session 525

Keys From the Golden Vault Session 11

Affair of the Concordant Express

Day 360

PC Killed 2 Monsters Killed 84 Villains Captured 4 Villains Escaped 18 PC Captured 9

Start Time 6:38 End Time 9:12

Take a Level, 10 down time days. 2,000 GP

Magic Item Rare magic item, A Magnifying Glass worth 1,000 GP, Wand of Magic Missiles, +2 rod of the pact keeper, Arrow of Demon Slaying.

I had a strong group of five. Buildrick Artillerist 10 Human. Bronwyn Barbarian 9 Human. Bolt Artificer Battlesmith 10 Winged tiefling. Birra Order Cleric 1 Necromancer 9 doppelganger custom lineage. Leon Oath of Vengeance Paladin 10 Tiefling.

Key Master Buildrick, “Okay we have the map created by TSR 1980 using blue ink. These maps must not be copied. We board the train from the caboose, move forward one car to the jail car. Talk to the Stranger. Get the names and get out. Any questions?”

Bronwyn, “Do I need hammer and nails?”

Group, “What?”

Bronwyn, “She said board. Is train made out of wood? Two by fours, 2 sheets of plywood.”

Group, “What?”

DM, “Wood puns are boring. Would you knock it off muse.”

The train stops right outside the briefing room and Glitch gives them a brass ticket and brass pin each. He then leaps from the train. Entering the caboose the wind noise goes away. The conductor punches their ticket and they move forward.

Complication. The next train is not the jail car but a huge calculator of living monodrones making math. A formula on a chalk board mentions 289 years. Just staring at gives everyone school flashbacks and some a headache. They move one.

Ener the planetarium car, the train plane shifts to Cania. Icicles start growing off the windows.

Leon, “What no free tour?” The group feeds money into the coin slots until the hologram speaks. Most of the train information is not available at this booth. But when questions about a plane gets ask, the star map shifts to that plane and information are down loaded into person’s brain.

The next room is not a dining the barbarian wanted but a murder car. Um no a passenger car which had an active murder investigation going on. Two spells have the victim fingering the butler but after checking out his programming the real murder is revealed. The combat is swift but hard since the hallway is only five foot wide and cabins are only ten by fifteen wide. The murder is killed. The body is taken into custody by Inspection Milo Clouseau.

During combat the train shifts to Acheron with complications.

The next room has a board over the window. “Yearly Golden Key Staff reviews. Please wait for your appointment. Knock on the appointed time.” Buildrick is first to be interviewed followed by others in order of when they applied for the Keys.

DM Note. I set a timer of 45 minutes of each plane shift. The game was going by quick so the players told be to add more cars.

Just as Buildrick knocks and enters. A man in gray suit seats behind a huge desk.

Gray, “I am from Syndicate of Terror, Extortion, Assassination, and Larceny. We at STEAL want you to join us. IS you is or is you ain’t Buildrick who tosses bodies into lava?”

Buildrick, “It was only once. And he was dead.”

Gray, “Well he alive now and sends warm greetings. FIREBALL!” The interview door window explodes and the party trips over itself due to the crowded hallway.

DM, “YEA restricted movement. PUT those dice down. No throwing dice at the dm. Hey nor the dry erasers.”

A second fireball takes the party by surprise. As the paladin, and barbarian nova strike the grey man, he flees and tosses himself off the train. Potions of healing are pulled out and they finally enter the jail car.

DM “NOW THE MAP MAKES SENSE.” The I part on second floor is open air. The cells are two feet wide! Nope. Nope. With the large size guards the map does not make sense.

A deva is the guard on duty and will allow the stranger to be interviewed.

Deva, “Okay beat me at 3D 2D checkers. The best three out five.” Buildrick wins his game. Bolt loses his game. Birra wins his game. Leon loses his game even when he cheats. And Bronwyn wins her game.

The Artificers and Mage talk to the stranger while the paladin and barbarian engage the deva into a game of jacks. The Stranger will not talk unless they break him out. Buildrick pops the lock to the cell unnoticed. But as soon as the leg irons fall off the Deva attacks.

Stranger, “Follow me.” Grabs Buildrick brass ticket and pen and writes a name on it. He tosses on the floor and runs of the stairs. The mage wall of forces the skylight. And the artificers are confused. They cast some spells at the deva before heading down the stairs. Four Pentadrones jump on the skylight and bounce off the wall of force. Bronwyn goes down by is healed by Buildrick who chases the Stranger down. Everyone heads of the first floor of the car.

Stranger, “Catch me if you can. Or your second name.” He tosses Bolt ticket to the middle of the car. Birria goes to do something before being frozen by a Pentadrone. Two of the guards enter the car fighting off the fighters to the front and artificers to the rear. I will not mention the groin stomp on the mage.

Strange, “Sucks to fail doesn’t it.” He lifts to his feet Birria.

The train shifts to Valhalla.

Strange, “My you are stuck.” He steals the ticket and writes a name on it. He shoves into his hat band. Placing the hat on Birria’s head, the Stranger leaps from the train.

Killing the Pentadrone in front of her, Bronwyn runs into the engine car to halt the train. She slides to stop when she see treasure being shoved into the fire by two monodrones.

Bronwyn, “Guys, There treasure here. Gold. Hey they just tossed rubies into the fire. The two handed silver sword here.” Two more guards fall. The paladin runs into the engine car.

Paladin, “A silver of Valhalla, and.”

Engine Car, “And lots of loot to make me scoot. I think I can take you on. I think I can. I think I can. I.”

Bolt, “THE TRAIN IS ALIVE. IT is going to eat us.”

Key Master Buildrick, “AS KEY MASTER. Leave the engine car. Close the door. We are getting off on the next stop. THE KEY MASTER SAYS NO LOOTING OF ENGINE CAR.”

The fighters retreat to the jail car. Buildrick, “But I didn’t say we can’t loot the jail car.”

End of session 526.

The jail car map had everyone confused. I printed the maps off in Flickr so the boxes would be one inch squares. The cells are too small for some of descriptions. they would be squeezing everyone in a cell. The nycaloth would not fit.

Keys From the Golden Vault Session 12

Day 360

PC Killed 2 Monsters Killed 55 Villains Captured 4 Villains Escaped 18 PC Captured 9

Start Time 6:55 End Time 9:15

Take a Level, 10 down time days. 2,000 GP

Magic Item Eliphas Rust color Bag of Tricks, Serpentine Owl Figurine of Wondrous Power,

Gauntlets of Ogre Power OR Quiver of Ehlonna. Rare Magic item. Spellbook.

I had an average group of six. Jay Fighter 5 Human. Tim Fighter 5 Human. Buildrick Artillerist 10 Human. Bronwyn Barbarian 9 Human. Bolt Artificer Battlesmith 10 Winged tiefling. Birra Order Cleric 1 Necromancer 9 doppelganger custom lineage.

Welcome Jay and Tim to the game and their first RPG game.

Key Master Birra has been given the assignment to steal a diamond necklace at fey party. With permission from a fey lord. It seems the Fey Lady has been acting weird all week since her final fitting.

Arriving at Lock Ness. Um Arriving at Wynnis the group is greeted by the Satyr Fifel, who is a little bit scatter brain. He gives them their invitations and mentions they should tailor up. But they could arrive at the ball how they are dressed. No pressure.

Bronwyn goes for a new outfit. Bolt has his cloak redesign. Buildrick get rhinestones put on. All by the fey tailor bugbear Khorr. He is happy with his designs. But they know fey magic have been casted on them

Arriving at the dock and about to go into the sunset, they see two winter wolves would appear to be chewing on a nerd. A gnome nerd. Birra stops it and askes questions. It appears Eggsy was trying to crash the party with a false invite. The wolves are the gate keepers and are not having it. Some arcane checks reveal the invites also have true invisible ink.

The walk into the sunset. The End. Nope.

Walking into the sunset transport them to the fey lands. A midwinter party is going on in rich person’s house. Three or more carriages have dropped off their people while the group is walking up to the fountain. Even though it still freezing the fountain works. A bunch of pixies are tubing down the streams. One of them is badly sunburned.

Enter the Foyer the Hat Check gnome Oren asks them for any items. Bolt thinks one of the ice sculptures is watching him. Oren does talk to the key master to update him. The lord is having a bit of lie down due to upset tummy. The lady of house is currently in the banquet hall. Two musicians are playing in the house. From the banquet hall comes jazz, from the art galley comes rock and roll. The party splits.

Jay and Tiny Tim enter the art gallery. A human name ELF Fish is playing rock and roll on a combine keyboard and guitar. Lots and lots of artwork are displayed from velvet cats playing poker, statues of the three bears, and other small items.

Jay, “can I loot the room?”

Group, “He do well.”

Tim, “That may not be smart. Some of those nobles maybe guards in disguise.”

Jay, “Yea the DM kind looks too interested. We join up with the party dm.”

Arriving at the dining room, the Lady Zorhanna is eating. Other people are eating anything from a three-course meal, finger sandwiches, to Lay’s potato chips. The necklace clasp is not fully engaged and as Birra and Buildrick confer.

Bolt, “I pull out my banjo and start playing it.”

Jazz player, “How rude. This is my set. You are stepping on my time.” He swings on Bolt and fight starts. The nobles bull rush to the exits taking Jay and Tim with them.

While trying to subdual the Lady it is reveal that she is a duplicate. And explodes into a snow storm as she goes down. The lord of the house is called. For an hour (Short Rest) he calms the rest of the party goers. The necklace would be in the wife’s vault. He doesn’t have a key. It is a 3 dial 3 letters password. With each dial having 26 letters.

Birra, “No one brought a knock spell?”

Eliphas, “Well I could always cast a spell directly from my wife’s spell book, but she going to be ticked. KNOCK.”

The vault door opens and Buildrick picks the necklace. The diamond cracks! The group is transported back into the dining room. Two problems. One it is a mirrored opposite one. Second the lady of house is here. But not all here. Three. They have been randomly teleported to different sections of the room.

Zorhanna, “Quit talking to me. You are all just illusions. You are not nobles.”

Bolt, “I am noble and so is Birra.”

Zorhanna, “Illusions can’t be nobles. And I will fireball the lot of you again. I just finished a long rest.” The group tries to calm her. But Birra notices the house is watching the drama. He thinks hard at the house which zaps him and does a random teleport. Bronwyn tries to level the room but is randomly teleported. Staying out fireball formation, they finally calm the lady down. With her being calm, a small opening happens in the rift. She teleports the group out.

She drops her necklace into a bag of holding, “Key Master see that the Vault destroys the necklace. And enjoy the party. It is me and my husbands bed time. Good night.”

End of Session 527.