Our second campaign, running from March to May 2019. DM'd by my friend RT, who wrote the following summaries. Note that for our first campaign, the journal was an afterthought. This is when we started taking it semi-seriously.

Players:

• Buzuk (P), a dwarf warlock played by me
• Buzuk (G), a dwarf paladin—no relation to Buzuk (P)
• Delia Vendictia, a human cleric
• Vespin, a tiefling sorcerer
• Mr. Moo, our furry companion (a minotaur if I remember correctly)

1

A few months later, the village of Sun's End, which lies far in the west of Velbergen, has called for heroes to take care of a problem. Alot of adventurers, alongside the party, met up in the local pub. Sir Daniel of Sun's End, the mayor of the village, explained the situation: Kobolds from a near cave are seemingly randomly attacking the village, neither raiding nor pillaging. As it was clear that the mayor called for heroes to take care of Kobolds, a very muscular woman screamed about her disappointment of the quest and left the village, alongside with most of the adventureres who gathered. Only the party stayed.

After a few drinks and some stories about Buzuk, the town was attacked by Kobolds. While they were no match for the party, they weirdly enough brought the dead bodies of some people with them - people not from the village of Sun's End. With that in mind, the party has travelled to the north, through a forest, where they encountered a weird, black, tar-ish fluid. While following the trail of the liquid, they encountered a stray Kobold from which an unknown shadow emerged. Following the shadow, they reached the Kobold Cave.

2

The party has entered the Kobold cave and fought against the inhabitants. Not only did they encounter very little resistance, but they also freed (?) a helpless (?) wyrmling from the Kobolds. They also encountered a room filled with the weird, black sludge. With a new magical ring in their pocket, they travelled a dangerous, trapped road towards an unknown goal...

3

As they travel deeper into the cavern, they met some very anxious Kobolds who cry for help. It turned out that everything was a misunderstanding - the kobold leader actually got a weird, black sludgey creature inside of them that is controlling them. After some fighting, they actually managed to defeat the black sludge without killing the leader. For that, they got a kobold flute to call them in the time of need (if they are up to for it.)

Sadly it turned out that the black sludge also was in the bodies that the kobolds dragged to Sun's End. After another fight where Delia almost died, Sir Daniel made them an offer (that absolutely was not made under pressure): Travel towards Lordton, a big city in the area, and meet with David, a friend of his. He will know more about the sludge (and also pay them, he swears).

The group took a rest in Sun's End and made themselves ready for the next day...

4

As the group is getting prepared for the journey, Sir Daniel actually pulls Delia closer to tell her some bad news: the City of Lordton is fairly opposed towards non-human races, and because of how the party is made up, it could lead to problems. With that in mind, they travelled towards the big magical city of Lordton. The White Doves, a group of elite knights, forbid all travellers to enter the city. Only with the help of David, a small mage with an excentric style of clothing, was it possible to get past them (despite the outcries of the people still standing outside of the city.)

The town itself was both a magical place and a hellhole: while the magical blitzshields are impressive, the walking slaves that are simply known as experiments are a horrible sight to behold.

The group handled some errands, talked with Reynolds about the chaos in Velbergen and met Laura, the loud, muscular woman of Pub in Sun's End. She was rather angered by them being there, but after seeing that they were allowed to stay, she carried on.

After finishing their task, they were invited by David to stay the night in their guest quarters (with not enough beds for all of them) as he experiments with the Black Sludge...

5

The next day, the party was greeted by David. In his laboratory, he told them what he found out: the Black Sludge (now being named Evil Cream) is a weird amalgamation of fiendish, otherwordly and underwordly stuff alongside being a great source of magic. He created a magical choker that allowed Mr. Moo to talk (who decided to not wear it however) alongside magical food crystals. With the task to get more of the stuff, they returned to Reynolds...

The store was actually inspected by the white doves. Reynolds first suspected that the party told the guards about him, but it turned out that it was actually Laura who called for a routine inspection.

As the guards were about to leave, an Evil Cream in Form of a Kobold emerged from the backstage, alongside other Evil Creams forming into other creatures. The party fought against the threat and brought the black stuff to David for a hefty amount of gold.

To find out where the stuff comes from, Reynolds reluctantly gave them a hint: they should check out the Tavern "Alestain" to get in contact with the guys who sell the stuff to him.

At the tavern, they met a young drow, and after some awkward talking, the topic shifted to the Evil Cream and what the group wants with it...

6

The young drow, who named herself Xelia, brought the party to her hideout - which was overtaken by the evil cream. Nothing was in there outside of pure blackness. With that in mind, Xelia explained that it all started when the nobles and mages wanted her to bring some of the black stuff from the Underdark to Lordton. It was new to her as well, but it kept growing in numbers until it became what it is today. As she started burning down the den, the party left and followed a trail of black goop.

Getting thrown out of the city by a very angry, pissed off guard and having a small talk with another Buzuk, the party followed the trail - until Mr. Moo caught a familiar smell. Leading the group to a cabin in the woods, Mr. Moo finds his friend, a young woman named Julie. After a lovingly hug, she gave him a powerful potion as they resumed the hunt for the Evil Cream.

Hours later, they arrived at Sun's End and took a quick rest. As the Trail started to disappear, they hastely ran into the Endless Plains. More hours passed until they met a familiar Face: Laura from Lordton. The proud warrior halted them to turn around or to face her wraith. And with that, the battle begun...

7

The fight with Laura was fierce, but just as it looked like she would succumb to the relentless assault of the party, she and her fellow White Doves teleported away. Just an encrypted letter was left behind, which Vespin started to decrypt... (edited)

8 Reliable Allies

The group decrypted the message left by Laura. It actually was ordering her to find out about the escaped experiment as well as warning her of, what they assumed, was them. The message also talked about a Connector Cave, which they assumed was they hole they found in the Endless Plains. It also said something about an Illithid Brain.

After returning to the hole, it gave in after Vespin and Warlock Buzuk shot the Evil Cream with their magic. With the Problem being dealt (?), they returned to Lordton. The White doves actually have doubled their efforts to find the party: they were looking around the people that tried to enter Lordton. After talking with some lovely half-orcs about elvish bosoms, they met back with Xelia who told them that the way inside is through a magical wall.

Sadly, the wall lead to the living quarters, where only humans were around. Disguising themselves as religious followers, they snuck past some guards (despite the fact that Delia almost had a heart attack).

Returning to Alestain, they met Xelia. She actually lied to them the last time: it was her who brought the illithid brain to the nobility. She does not know what it was needed for, but the nobles and mages really wanted that brain for some experiments.

She also has been ordered to the Noble Tower of Magical Majesty. Fearing for her life, she asked if the party could escort her to the tower - something they wanted to do either way because they wanted to find out who is ordering around Laura...

9

As the party escorts Xelia to the Noble Tower of Magical Majesty, they do a quick stop for Mr. Moo to get a magical Greataxe called a Burst Greataxe. Armed with this new power, they continue towards the Tower.

Weirdly enough, the guards actually do not stop the party at all. Along with Xelia, they enter the Tower and go through a blue Mist.

Leaving the blue mist, it turned out that Xelia is gone. The party was ordered to stay in the waiting room until they are called for.

While they where waiting, an apprentice of David appeared and looked at Vespin with great interest. He reminded him of an Experiment with draconian magic that has been done once, but normally, Experiments lose their powers when not wearing their collars. Warning him that other people might have interest in him, he leaves again, only for the party to be ordered to enter the blue Mist again.

Somehow, they entered a room with Buzuk from the Entrance of Lordton. Now powered up with the Evil Cream, he calls out Buzuk the Warlock for being a traitor and an Outcast. Now calling himself Buzuk the Allmighty, he challenges the party to a duel to the death.

But even after the Evil Cream took over his entire body, his power wasn't enough to stop the Party. Only a tiny rest escaped through a grate on the ground. And now, lost in the Tower of Magical Majesty, the party sneaks around the area to find out who is behind this all...

10 The Filler Dungeon-Crawl Episode

As the group climbs higher in the Noble Tower of Magical Majesty, they save Xelia from the Black Goop. She explains that magical crystals are used to move from one floor to the next. After messing with some guards, finding an Idol of Boi, activating traps and escaping more guards, they find both the orders for the white doves, the final crystal and Laura's diary. It seems that the very angry lady isn't as happy in this city, despite her rank...

11

The group has finally reached the top floor of the Noble Tower of Magical Majesty and stood to face with the guy who is in charge: The Count. David and two other mages were also there, as they tried to talk the Count out of something.

After the count ordered the group to leave, with even Laura appearing to bring them away, the earth shakes: a giant sinkhole opened up in the middle of Lordton, with the black goo appearing out of it, grabbing people, stabbing people and absorbing them.

The count, now not anymore able to be in total denial, explained the history of the black goo: It was actually an experiment of their with black goo. As Ilithids hunger for knowledge, the council's idea was to use it in an experiment to stop other experiments. As it would seek out the knowledge on their own, there would be less work to do and more knowledge to be aquired.

But because of one of the connector caves that has been destroyed, the sludge now swilled over. The Count ordered Laura to stop the sludge in the city, while she suggested to go to the root and destroy the ilithid brain itself. She was shut down and the group was ordered to leave.

Out of options, David suggested to evacuate the city. Laura however turned to the party and asked them if they would follow her, down to the deepest parts of the tower, and destroy the ilithid brain with her. The party agreed.

After a drawn-out battle where the party fought off wave after wave of Evil Creams, Laura used her holy magic to open a hallway that was closed up by the black slime - all the way down towards the ilithid brain...

12

Finally, the group has met the source of all the problems: the ilithid brain. It has grown to gigantic size while oozing more and more of the black sludge. With their combined power, the party took the brain down. As it deflated, the cave started to collapse... The group found themselves in a hospital, with David and Laura congratulating them. After a small chat, Laura has a final request for them: To find her brother, Logan Ironsoul.

Aftermath

The group split up:

• Vespin: David apologized for the situation before and agrees with his student that Vespin is, in fact, very close to one of the Experiments he has known. As he has differences (like actually missing a Choker to activate his powers), David agreed with Vespin that they should research him more. They work together to find more about his powers, while Vespin actively tries to increase his influence in Lordton and other places, therefore using his connections to find Logan. He also tries to keep in contact with his former party members.
• Buzuk the Warlock: After hearing about the Followers of Buzuk the Hero coming to town, Buzuk the Warlock met up with them in a Shrine of Buzuk (which is actually just a Pub). After some hearty talks about Buzuk the Hero, Buzuk the Warlock just leaves. There are some rumors that he works with some people, but nobody sticks around with him.
• Mr. Moo: After the Events conspired and he finally learned how to talk, he went back to the Cabin in the Woods with Julie to live with her. He lost his Potion of Healing along the way, but that's not important: For whenever someone needs help in the area, Mr. Moo is always ready to help out.
• Delia: While the followers of Llirra tried to ask her to bring Mr. Moo to the new chapel in Lordton, she actually cannot bring him to it. He is too shy. While also keeping in connection with everyone else, she starts working at the Chapel in Lordton, until another assignment caused her to travel the world again.
• Buzuk the Paladin: While also looking for Logan, he randomly starts establishing chapels of Boi, the holy frog deity that came to his aid in the final moments of the ilithid brain. Now with a bolstered virtue and deepened devotion to Boi, he not only starts creating a foundation for the god, but also feels like the holy spirit of the amphibious deity is standing next to him... looking out for him and fighting with him as he travels the lands.