Session 2: Let the Games begin!

2,215 XP


 In the grand halls of the Mystic Conclave, seven extraordinary adventurers gathered to face the legendary Adventurer's Decathlon: Adrian Dowelloft, the aasimar gunslinger; Elyndra Paronskaft, the half-elven eldritch rogue; Cut-Cut, the thri-kreen monk; Bao Bao, the mystical panda hengeyokai vitalist; Goop, the amorphous dralasite fighter; Korloth, the imposing maero bloodrager; and Akemi Matsumoto, the enchanting kitsune lotus geisha.

Their first trial brought them face-to-face with an ancient sphinx, whose weather-themed riddles tested each adventurer's wit. One by one, they confronted the mystical creature's challenges. The riddles spoke of clouds drifting in ashen hues, snow weaving its sparkling shroud, fog that turns mighty oaks to steam, thunder speaking in dragon-tongued prophecy, drought devouring the heaven's arch, and mirages born of summer's burning might. Though most emerged triumphant, Elyndra's incorrect answer about the nature of drought led to a startling moment when the sphinx appeared to devour her whole - though this proved to be merely an illusion, if an expensive one in terms of their competition standing. Bao Bao, being last to face the sphinx, received perhaps the most straightforward challenge: identifying what bound all these riddles together.

The History Museum heist began as a seemingly simple mission to retrieve a seed from a green urn, but fate had other plans. As the group toured the museum's exhibits, Elyndra silently slipped away, unnoticed by her companions, to pursue a secret objective involving a cobra statue's emerald eye. The remaining party members located their target in the final chamber they explored, whereupon Korloth attempted to stage what was meant to be a subtle accident. His miscalculated strength instead sent both display case and precious urn hurtling across the room, shattering spectacularly against the far wall and triggering every alarm in the vicinity. What followed could only be described as an elaborate performance of incompetence, as the party members appeared to stumble and crash into each other in increasingly improbable ways while attempting to retrieve a single seed from the debris. The guards, thoroughly distracted by what they assumed was the clumsiest group of visitors in the museum's history, failed to notice Akemi's tail deftly scooping up a seed, or Elyndra's careful theft of the emerald across the museum. The party's eventual ejection from the premises "for the safety of the artifacts" provided the perfect cover for their successful dual heist.

The Treetop Trek challenged our heroes among trees that stretched thousands of feet into the cloud layer itself. Cut-Cut, with the natural agility of a thri-kreen monk, bounded effortlessly between the massive branches, but their companions faced a far more daunting prospect. Terror struck early when Adrian lost his footing and nearly plummeted into the endless void below, saved only by the desperate grasp of his companions, who themselves teetered precariously on the ancient branches. Their slow progress to the first tree was marked by numerous close calls, but disaster truly struck when Korloth dipped too low into the cloud layer. This transgression attracted the attention of a fearsome Peryton, a beast of antlers and feathers that emerged screaming from the mists. However, the creature soon learned the folly of attacking this particular group of travelers when Goop's hammer struck true with devastating force, followed by a barrage of attacks from the rest of the party that sent the beast plummeting back into the clouds from whence it came. Learning from their early struggles, the group fashioned proper harnesses from their rope and proceeded with far greater caution, eventually reaching their destination with nothing worse than a few minor scrapes.

The mysterious Survival Island proved to be a test of both endurance and cooperation, where a single hour in the outside world stretched to twelve within its cursed boundaries. The group divided their efforts efficiently: Bao Bao devoted themselves entirely to protecting their delicate seedling, while Korloth, Goop, and Adrian focused on constructing shelter, and Akemi, Cut-Cut, and Elyndra sought magical ingredients. The island's chaotic weather proved relentless - first came scorching heat and drought that threatened to wither their seedling, followed by violent winds that hurled rocks at their initial shelter site, forcing relocation. Torrential rains followed, then bitter snow, but the greatest challenge came in the hunt for crab eye stalks needed for Akemi's potion. The team spent hours pursuing small crabs with insufficient materials until Korloth, drawing on his tropical island expertise, joined the hunt during the rainstorm. Their persistence finally paid off in the midst of the snowstorm when they encountered a crab the size of a full-grown man. Though formidable, the massive crustacean fell to their combined might, finally providing enough eye goo for the potion. Akemi's completed brew suffused their shelter with a mysterious purple glow and manifested an amethyst gem from the ceiling - a magical protection that proved invaluable when an army of giant crabs later assaulted their position.

The Floor is Lava challenge called for swift movement across an ever-changing landscape of cooling magma, where each safe spot would sink into the molten rock mere moments after bearing weight. The party devised an ingenious solution to minimize their footprints, choosing to move as three units rather than seven individuals. Korloth, demonstrating impressive strength, bore both Goop and Bao Bao (who had taken human form) upon his broad shoulders. Similarly, Elyndra carried the diminutive fox form of Akemi. Though both carriers suffered burns from occasional missteps, their passengers - both skilled healers - quickly tended to their wounds. Adrian, moving independently, crossed the field with surprising grace. Cut-Cut's keen eyes noticed suspicious bubbling beneath the lava's surface and wisely avoided these areas. Their caution proved prescient when, moments after their escape, a massive lava kraken erupted from the molten pool, its tentacles thrashing in futile rage at their already-secured escape.

For the Ghost Stories challenge, the team crafted an elaborate performance that would play to their phantom audience's varied tastes. Akemi's musical talents provided a haunting backdrop while Adrian narrated their tale. Goop and Bao Bao, still in imposing panda form, portrayed the villains, while Korloth and Cut-Cut stepped into the roles of heroes. Elyndra transformed herself into a clown, whose antics included slipping in Goop's "melted" form (achieved through their natural amorphous abilities) and comically attempting to re-inflate them. Cut-Cut incorporated embellished martial arts moves that drew appreciative murmurs from the spectral audience. The performance reached its unexpected climax when a carefully choreographed panda-throwing scene went spectacularly awry - Bao Bao and Korloth's collision drew real blood, a mishap that Adrian's quick wit transformed into the show's highlight with an expertly timed quip that had even the most stoic spirit howling with laughter.

The Conductor of Combat presented a unique musical puzzle, with various crystalline creatures corresponding to specific musical notes. The party quickly deciphered the score etched into the rocks above: C G G A G B C. Each crystal creature's color matched its note - clear crystals sang C, green crystals resonated with G, amber crystals produced A, and blue crystals rang with B. Korloth's opening strike on a clear crystal creature not only began their musical performance with a resounding C note but also shattered the being completely, releasing a brilliant blue sapphire that satisfied his special challenger's role as the Basher. The team then methodically "played" each creature in sequence, their attacks creating a haunting melody that echoed through the chamber.

The Deception and Diplomats scenario thrust our heroes into a delicate negotiation between four unique races: the Khoprii grasshopper folk, whose mandibles twitched with concern over their missing grain ships; the protocol-obsessed Velpine rabbit folk, whose ear twitches betrayed their deceptions; the proud Skarazin iguana folk, who demonstrated truth through elaborate rituals; and the ethereal Nimyr vapor people, whose very forms rippled and shifted with the currents of truth and lies. Akemi led the negotiations with masterful diplomacy, while the team quickly discerned two crucial facts: the Nimyr's vapor patterns made them natural lie detectors, and the Velpine's endless protocols masked deeper deceptions. Through careful respect for each race's customs - sharing meals with the Khoprii, maintaining eye contact with the Skarazin, and observing the Nimyr's atmospheric patterns - they gradually built trust among the non-Velpine delegates. When the Velpine representative finally lost composure, leaping up to shout accusations, Korloth's intimidating presence proved surprisingly diplomatic, forcing them back into their seat. The team then cleverly pivoted, soothing the Velpine's wounded pride with flattery while proposing new protocols that would benefit all races, a strategy that brought even the skeptical rabbit folk into agreement.

The Healing Ward presented Bao Bao with their greatest challenge, as their companions lay stricken with various magical maladies. Korloth's blood literally boiled in his veins, while Adrian's organs were being pulled into extradimensional space. Akemi's unstable magical energy threatened everyone nearby, Elyndra's mind burned with fever, Cut-Cut slowly turned to stone from the feet up, and Goop's very life force grew corrupt. Adding to the complexity, a mysterious crystalline being suffered from harmonic destabilization. Though Bao Bao struggled to recall proper medical protocols, their intuitive approach to healing proved remarkably effective. Through what appeared to be equal parts luck and innate healing instinct, they somehow managed to administer the correct treatments - ice-rime extracts, reality anchors, magic dampening elixirs, and more - saving not only their companions but also the crystal entity, who gratefully bestowed a ruby upon their unlikely healer.

The final challenge presented a deceptively simple puzzle box, which Elyndra solved through the unexpectedly straightforward method of striking its red side. Within lay an intricate brass compass bearing the cryptic instruction to "make the norths meet." Bao Bao's insight revealed the compass needed to be spun, while Korloth discovered the precise sequence of rotations required to separate it into two pieces. This separation revealed a pair of keys, intricately tangled together like metallic serpents. Here, Cut-Cut's dexterous fingers proved invaluable, carefully manipulating the keys until they came free, marking the end of their remarkable journey through the Adventurer's Decathlon.

Throughout their trials, this diverse group demonstrated that true success comes not just from individual skill, but from the unique ways those abilities combine and complement each other in the face of adversity. Their tale shall long be remembered in the halls of the Mystic Conclave, marked by moments of both brilliant strategy and fortunate chaos, proving that sometimes the most entertaining path to victory is not always the most graceful one.

FINAL SCORING!

Note: The following writings are from the character's perspective and are often private to the character. They are not considered "in-game" knowledge to the other characters, and any in-character reference to this information would be considered meta-gaming.

Elyndra's Perspective (by Syd McVay)

Mission log one.
 
This motley crew I'm part of performed admirably in the recent decathlon challenge. Imagine this: two of the challenges required me to change my form. I transformed into a male knight and then into a clown within a span of just a few days. Being in a man’s body always feels strange. However, it didn't stop me from pulling off a heist at a museum where I stole a precious jewel. My bumbling companions made the perfect distraction for my mission, remaining blissfully unaware of my true identity...or what I really am.

The second time I morphed into a clown. Amusingly, my group decided to call themselves "The Feinting GOATS." I had to act like a silly clown, slipping on some slime and then blowing it up into a bubble, which turned out to be our teammate group. This challenge had an audience to win over, and they loved the comedy act from our clumsy troupe.

So far, I remain safe from prying minds. A few in the group might sense something is off, but they can't put their finger on it. I must continue to hide and perform better. I can morph into whoever I need to be, but my hope is not to lose myself while doing so.

Adventure Log 2: The Feinting GOATS (by Stephanie Anderson)

 We competed in the decathlon against seven other teams. A game mage came in at the start gave us vague instructions and we set off. The first challenge was to solve the riddles of a Titanic Sphynx. We did well except for the hiccup of the rogue getting swallowed and us losing some points. Our next challenge ended up being a challenge for her. We were to steal a seed from a green urn and get the entire party out. Except Elyn had a secret challenge. We somehow fumbled through, and I was able to get the seed with my tail. Elyn did what she needed, and we got out. Our next challenge was a tree top trek. We had to get from one platform on the top of the tree to another. I do not believe Adrian will recover from his near falling anytime soon. The fourth challenge was survival island. We were on an island where the conditions were very unpredictable. We had to build and fortify a shelter and keep a plant alive. It was also a magical challenge. My teammates BAHHH, helped me secure the items for the potion and we were able to get it done. We built the shelter, feasted on crabs and defeated a giant one. We used her body as a roof. The fifth challenge was the floor is lava. We had to get across a stone path and get to the other side without dying. The catch was once a stone was used it would sink into the lava. We broke into three groups and did make it. I was in my fox form atop Elyn. It through her balance and she slipped a couple of times.  Our sixth challenge was ghost stories. We had to entertain three ghosts. Each having their own sense of what was entertaining. We managed somehow to come through even though there we an epic fumble. As they say the show must go on and it certainly did. Even with the blood and fall. The conductor of combat was our seventh challenge. We had to fight gem monsters and complete a musical puzzle. I ended up getting a little beat up but was no worse for wear. This was also our basher’s challenge. The eighth challenge was the deception of diplomats. We had to help navigate some peace between four different diplomat species. I was able to use my tea pouring and observations to get the ball rolling and we eventually helped them come to a little bit of understanding for one another.  Our healer’s challenge, the ninth challenge, was medics of mayhem. Bao Bao had to heal us all, including a gem monster. It was very stressful for her, but she was able to pull us through one by one. Our final, and tenth challenge was The Box. We came back into the room and had to open a box to use keys to get out of the room. Through teamwork we were able to unlock the doors and get out. It seems like my team may be trustworthy. I am still going to be on the lookout for anything untoward.