Short

Eight and a half years after the absolute crisis, the party ventured into the sewers beneath Baldur's Gate to recover the Nathlum, a book of arcane lore on rare poisons and their cures, from a hidden library created by the orc arcanist Lethchauntos. Hired by Saresha Imravel, they raced against her rival Maelra Szandru, who had already sent mercenaries to loot the library. Upon entering the circular rotunda, the party discovered looters destroying books under orders to take what they could and burn the rest. A fierce battle erupted as Velessa, Seris, Vagnfríður, Shane, and Séantal fought off the cultists, with Vagnfríður making a devastating entrance by leaping from the balcony and splitting a cultist in half with her greataxe. The party emerged victorious, driving off the cultist leader and eliminating the rest.

As they explored deeper into the library, the party freed Quillbit, a small imp who had been imprisoned in a glowing sphere and became Velessa's familiar after Séantal reviewed the contract terms. They narrowly survived a poison gas trap, negotiated with a ghoul by offering it cultist corpses, and discovered the library connected to the Underdark's Shrieking Abyss. After finding valuable treasures including healing potions and magical dust, and summoning a spectral wolf using a gilded acorn and magic circle, the party finally located the Nathlum on a shelf aligned with a fresco depicting Lethchauntos writing the very book. However, standing before it was a tall, cloaked figure who revealed herself to be Maelra Szandru, a Red Wizard of Thay, her bald head marked with elaborate branching tattoos. The true battle for the Nathlum had just begun.

Classic

Last we left off, our intrepid party had descended into the fetid depths beneath Baldur's Gate, navigating forty-five minutes of noxious sewer tunnels in pursuit of the Nathlum—a tome of arcane lore detailing rare poisons and their cures. Hired by Saresha Imravel to recover this precious book from the hidden library of the long-dead orc arcanist Lethchauntos, they found themselves in a race against time. Their rival, Maelra Szandru—Saresha's former partner and a name spoken with equal parts bitterness and longing—had already discovered the library's location and sent her own mercenaries to loot and burn what they couldn't carry.

After breaching the ancient stone door marked with orcish runes, the party discovered a breathtaking circular rotunda lined floor to ceiling with books, only to find Maelra's hired thugs tearing the place apart. What followed was a chaotic battle as Velessa's misstep alerted their enemies, sending the party into a desperate fight. Seris spread celestial wings and descended among the cultists, Vagnfríður leaped from the balcony to split a foe in half with her greataxe, and Shane's arrows found their marks as the party cut down the mercenaries one by one. In the aftermath, they freed Quillbit, a cunning imp imprisoned in a glowing sphere, negotiated with a ghoul feasting on corpses, and discovered a summoning circle that brought forth a spectral wolf companion. They avoided confrontation with three gambling mercenaries, uncovered hidden treasures of jade and gold dust, and finally located the Nathlum itself—perfectly aligned with a fresco depicting its creation.

But as Shane's arrow struck the first blow, the tall, cloaked figure studying the shelf turned to face them. Maelra Szandru let her cloak fall away, revealing the elaborate branching tattoos across her bald scalp and the rich red robes that marked her as a Red Wizard of Thay. "There," she said with chilling satisfaction. "Now you understand what you're dealing with." The true battle for the Nathlum had begun, and our heroes found themselves face to face with one of the most dangerous arcanists in all the realms...

"That bitch wizard is coming!"
— Goblin

The tied-up goblin shrieks a warning as Velessa trips over a loose cobble, alerting Maelra's forces to the party's presence

Velessa frees Quillbit, a sassy imp, from a glass sphere and signs a contract making the imp her familiar

After telepathic negotiation and contract review by Séantal, Velessa gains a new infernal companion

Séantal heroically dashes through poisonous gas and stuffs a pillow into the wolf statue's mouth, stopping the deadly trap

After the party triggers a poison gas trap, Séantal takes damage but saves the party by deactivating the mechanism

"Now you understand what you're dealing with."
— Maelra Szandru

Maelra dramatically reveals her identity as a Red Wizard of Thay, removing her cloak to show her tattoos and red robes

Entering the Rotunda

The party reaches a large stone door and discovers a vast circular library where Maelra Szandru's mercenaries are ransacking books.

• Shane listens at the door, hearing shuffling and quiet talking inside.
• Shane quietly opens the door to reveal a breathtaking rotunda, a circular library with floor-to-ceiling shelves and a balcony.
• A group of people are tearing the library apart, throwing books into a pile in the center.
• A figure holding a tinderbox commands the group to take what they can and burn the rest, stating 'Maelra doesn't pay for sentiment'.
• Shane signals the party to move forward, drawing his bow and aiming at the person with the tinderbox.

Combat in the Library Rotunda

Combat erupts in the grand library as Velessa trips, alerting the mercenaries, leading to a chaotic engagement with party members leaping from the balcony.

• Velessa trips over a loose cobble, causing the tied-up goblin to shriek, 'That bitch wizard is coming!'
• Initiative is rolled, starting combat.
• Velessa fires her crossbow from the balcony, hitting and bloodying the figure with the tinderbox.
• Seris jumps off the 12-foot balcony, using Celestial Revelation to sprout wings and flutter safely to the floor below.
• A cultist attacks Seris with a sickle, dealing slashing and necrotic damage.
• The figure with the tinderbox targets Velessa on the balcony with a hand crossbow, but the arrow gets stuck in books behind her.
• Vagnfríður leaps from the balcony with her axe, taking falling damage but gaining advantage on her attack, splitting a cultist in half.
• Shane shoots the figure with the tinderbox with his bow, hitting and causing them to recoil.
• Cultists attack Seris and Vagnfríður, with mixed results.
• Séantal moves into the room and attempts to blast the figure with Eldritch Blast, but misses.
• Seris attempts to attack but misses.
• Velessa activates Blade Song, then gracefully vaults over the railing, leaping towards the figure and hitting them with a solid strike.
• A cultist critically hits Seris with a sickle.
• The figure turns their attention to Velessa, swings a short sword, but Velessa uses a cutting action to disengage and the figure runs towards an exit.
• Vagnfríður uses her rage to give Seris temporary hit points, then smashes a cultist with her greataxe, cleaving through to another cultist and taking them both down.
• Shane shoots the fleeing figure again, bloodying them further, then draws his short sword.
• Cultists continue to attack Vagnfríður and Seris with mixed results.
• Seris throws a dagger at a cultist, bloodying them.
• Velessa attacks a cultist with her shadow blade, taking them down.
• Shane uses his cutting action to dash, and the last cultist falls, ending the combat.

Looting and Goblin Interrogation

After the battle, the party loots the defeated cultists and Velessa returns to interrogate the tied-up goblin, silencing it with a sock.

• Shane discovers a spell scroll for Speak with Animals in a hidden box.
• The party loots 8 gold pieces from the cultist leader and 27 gold pieces from the minions, splitting it evenly.
• Velessa confronts the tied-up goblin, accusing it of betrayal.
• Velessa stuffs a sock into the goblin's mouth and ties it off, effectively silencing it and tossing it onto a bed.

Exploring the Library's Chambers

The party explores further into the library, finding a comfortable chamber and then a curated room filled with trinkets and a mysterious glowing sphere.

• The party decides to explore the current floor before descending further.
• Séantal casts Longstrider on themselves.
• Velessa finds and pockets 'The Adventures of Boo, Miniature Giant Space Hamster' book.
• The party enters a room with comfortable beds and furniture, noting its potential as a secure resting place.
• The party proceeds to a curated chamber with display shelves, knickknacks, and a central table with a glowing glass sphere.
• An iron wolf statue stands in the southeast corner of the room.

Quillbit's Release and Contract

Velessa interacts telepathically with a trapped imp named Quillbit inside a glass sphere, eventually releasing it and negotiating a contract for its service as a familiar.

• Velessa grabs the glowing glass sphere and hears a telepathic voice introducing itself as Quillbit, asking to be freed.
• Quillbit explains it was imprisoned by Lethchauntos for experimentation and left behind after his death.
• Velessa decides to free Quillbit, warning it against betrayal.
• Velessa smashes the glass sphere, which dissolves into sand, releasing a 10-inch tall imp with red leathery wings and a scorpion-like tail.
• Quillbit offers Velessa a contract to become her familiar, presenting a large scroll.
• Séantal, using their knowledge as a scribe, helps review the contract, ensuring it doesn't involve Velessa's soul and modifying a non-assignment clause.
• Velessa signs the contract, making Quillbit her familiar.

Poison Gas Trap and Resolution

The party triggers a poison gas trap from an iron wolf statue, leading to a chaotic escape and Séantal heroically stopping the gas flow.

• Upon touching items on a table, a cloud of poison gas issues from an iron wolf statue, filling the room.
• The party takes poison damage and struggles with the gas.
• Velessa uses elementalism to push the gas into a corner, but the statue continues to spew it.
• Party members begin to leave the room to escape the gas.
• Séantal, after dashing through the gas and taking damage, shoves a pillow into the wolf statue's mouth, activating a mechanism that stops the gas flow.
• The party quickly exits the room, escaping further poison damage.

Ghoul Encounter and Discovery

The party encounters a ghoul feasting on a goblin in a natural cavern, then trades it corpses for safe passage and discovers a mysterious amulet in a stream.

• The party enters a wide natural cavern where they find a ghoul feasting on the goblin that fled the earlier fight.
• The ghoul offers to let the party pass if they bring it a meal.
• Velessa and Seris drag cultist corpses from the previous room to the ghoul, satisfying its hunger.
• The ghoul drags the corpses into its cave, leaving the main chamber.
• Seris discovers a clockwork amulet with delicate gears and a tiny winding key wedged among bones in a stream.

Underdark Connection and Goblin's Fate

The party discovers a connection to the Underdark and decides the fate of the tied-up goblin, now under Quillbit's watchful eye.

• Velessa sends Quillbit to scout a large hole, discovering it leads to the Underdark, specifically the 'Shrieking Abyss'.
• The party realizes the ghoul's cave connects to the first room where they fought goblins.
• The tied-up goblin attempts to dislodge its gag.
• Quillbit reveals itself to the goblin, threatening it with its venomous tail if it disobeys, and mentions the ghoul.
• The party decides to release the goblin, as they see no point in keeping it.

Magic Circle and Summoning

The party finds a magic circle and uses a gilded acorn to summon a spectral wolf, preparing for potential threats.

• The party enters a chamber with a silver magic circle inscribed on the floor and a curtain depicting a map.
• Velessa identifies the circle as capable of casting a summon spell using the gilded acorn.
• Despite initial hesitation, Velessa uses the gilded acorn to activate the circle, summoning a spectral wolf.
• Seris takes control of the summoned wolf spirit.

Gamblers and Hidden Room

Shane quietly opens a door to find three human males gambling, who reveal they are also looking for the book, and the party then discovers a hidden room with valuable dusts and healing potions.

• Shane listens at a door and hears voices, laughter, and dice, indicating gamblers.
• Shane quietly opens the door to find three men (Todd, Bradley, Zach) gambling.
• The gamblers reveal they are mercenaries hired by Maelra and haven't found the book.
• Shane closes the door, deciding not to disturb them further.
• The party pulls aside a curtain to reveal a long, quiet chamber with a reed mat and a small cloth bag.
• Shane discovers a cleverly concealed door in the stonework.
• The party opens the hidden door to a small, round chamber with a table full of bottles and jars.
• The party finds 50 gold pieces worth of jade, gold, and ruby dust, two potions of healing, and an assortment of coins.
• The party finds a cloth bag containing smooth runestones etched with orc letters, which appear ritualistic but not magical.

Confrontation with Maelra Szandru

The party encounters Maelra Szandru, a Red Wizard of Thay, in a gallery adorned with frescoes, leading to a tense confrontation and the start of a new combat.

• The party enters a wide gallery with frescoes depicting an orc arcanist forging an axe, stalking a library, and scribing a book.
• They spot a tall, thin human in a voluminous cloak studying a shelf with a book, accompanied by an armed woman and several looters.
• Shane takes advantage of their unawareness to attack a cultist.
• The cloaked figure turns, revealing a bald scalp with elaborate branching tattoos and rich red robes beneath the cloak.
• The figure smiles, stating, 'Now you understand what you're dealing with.'
• Séantal and Seris recognize the figure as Maelra Szandru, a Red Wizard of Thay.
• Combat begins with Quillbit dropping caltrops and Velessa insulting Maelra.
• Shane fires an arrow at Maelra, hitting her.
• Séantal attacks cultists, quickly taking down two.
• Seris moves in to attack a cultist and uses Genius Loci to gain resistance and immunity to various conditions.
• A vapor spawn's sickening vapors incapacitate Shane.
• The spirit wolf attacks a cultist, eventually taking it down.
• Maelra casts Hold Person on Seris, but it fails due to Seris's immunity.
• A cultist attacks Velessa, landing a critical hit.
• Maelra casts Blur on herself, making her body vibrate.
• The session ends mid-combat due to technical difficulties with one player.

Maelra Szandru

A Red Wizard of Thay, revealed by her elaborate branching tattoos on her bald scalp and rich red robes. She leads a group of mercenaries in ransacking the Hidden Library for the Nathlum. She is cunning and pragmatic, commanding her forces to burn what they can't take. She is a formidable magic-user, capable of casting spells like Hold Person and Blur, and is the primary target of the party's mission.

Goblin

A goblin captured by the party earlier and tied up. It shrieks a warning when Velessa trips, alerting the mercenaries to the party's presence. Later, Velessa silences it with a sock, and the party eventually decides to release it under Quillbit's threat.

Cultists

Mercenaries hired by Maelra Szandru, found tearing apart the library and engaging the party in combat, wielding sickles and crossbows.

Quillbit

A small, 10-inch tall imp with red leathery wings, a red body, and a scorpion-like tail. She was trapped in a glass sphere by Lethchauntos for experimentation and left behind after his death. Velessa freed her and entered into a contract for Quillbit to become her familiar, offering expertise on the Hells and minor assistance. Quillbit is opinionated, has thumbs, and is immune to poison. She can turn invisible and assists the party by scouting and deploying caltrops in combat.

Ghoul

A fleshy, nearly skeletal creature with pale gray eyes found crouching by a stream in a natural cavern, feasting on a goblin. It is practical and hungry, offering the party safe passage in exchange for more corpses, which the party provided.

Todd

One of three human males found gambling in a side room. He is a mercenary hired by Maelra Szandru, currently searching for the Nathlum.

Bradley

One of three human males found gambling in a side room. He is a mercenary hired by Maelra Szandru, currently searching for the Nathlum.

Zach

One of three human males found gambling in a side room. He is a mercenary hired by Maelra Szandru, currently searching for the Nathlum.

Vapor Spawn

A creature encountered during the combat in the gallery, capable of incapacitating foes with sickening vapors and attacking with its claws.

Armed Woman

A woman standing beside Maelra Szandru in the gallery, described as 'still as a drawn blade,' indicating her readiness for combat.

Looters

A handful of individuals near the columns in the gallery, accompanying Maelra Szandru, who appear bored but are part of her group.

Hidden Library of Lethchauntos

A secret library beneath the city, carved out by an orc arcanist named Lethchauntos. The party explores various chambers within it, including a rotunda, barracks, curated chamber, natural cavern, and gallery.

Rotunda

A breathtaking circular library lined floor to ceiling with shelves of books, featuring a balcony level and a wide staircase descending to the floor below. It was the site of a chaotic battle against cultists who were ransacking the library.

Barracks/Sleeping Quarters

A chamber containing comfortable beds and somewhat nice, if old, furniture, suggesting it could be easily secured for rest.

Curated Chamber

A broad chamber that feels almost curated, with display shelves lining the walls, crowded with keepsakes, trinkets, and personal relics. A central table is piled with knickknacks, and a glass sphere glows with faint orange light. An iron wolf statue stands in the southeast corner, which later spews poisonous gas when items on the table are disturbed.

Natural Cavern

A wide natural cavern where city brickwork gives way to earth, with a narrow stream, a low hole to the south, and a smaller side cave to the north. A ghoul was found here feasting on a goblin. The cavern connects to the Underdark through a large hole leading to the Shrieking Abyss.

Shrieking Abyss

A giant chasm in the Underdark, discovered by Quillbit scouting a hole in the natural cavern, confirming a connection to the deep subterranean realm.

Magic Circle Chamber

A square chamber with a silver circle inscribed on the floor, decorated with magical runes. Voices can be heard through a door on the west wall, and a thick curtain depicting a map hangs in the northeast corner. Velessa used this circle to summon a spectral wolf.

Gamblers' Room

A small, comfortable sitting room where three human males (Todd, Bradley, Zach) were gambling with coins. It has a door leading to sleeping quarters or a privy.

Meditation Chamber

A long, quiet chamber where the air feels still, with a reed mat neatly centered on the floor and a worn pillow. A small cloth bag rests near the mat. A cleverly concealed door is found in the southeast corner.

Hidden Room

A small, round chamber with stonework that feels tighter and more deliberate, containing a single table crowded with bottles and jars sealed with wax and careful labels. The party found jade, gold, and ruby dust, two potions of healing, and an assortment of coins here.

Gallery

A wide gallery supported by six stone columns, with frescoes depicting an orc in black robes forging a double-bladed axe, stalking a grand library, and scribing a book. An actual book is set face out on a shelf, perfectly aligned with a painted image. It is where Maelra Szandru and her forces are encountered.

Tinderbox

Held by a figure in the rotunda, used as a threat to burn the books in the library if demands are not met.

Sickle

Used by the cultists in combat against the party.

Hand Crossbow

Used by a figure in the rotunda to attack Velessa from a distance.

Axe

Vagnfríður's weapon, used with rage-fueled strikes to defeat cultists.

Bow

Shane's weapon, used for precise archery to target enemies.

Crossbow

Velessa's weapon, used to attack enemies from the balcony.

Short Sword

A weapon used by a figure in the rotunda to attack Velessa after she disengages.

Greataxe

Vagnfríður's weapon, used to cleave through multiple cultists with powerful strikes.

Dagger

Seris's thrown weapon, used to bloody a cultist.

Shadow Blade

Velessa's weapon, used to inflict psychological torment and defeat a cultist. It does psychic damage and leaves no visible wounds.

Spell Scroll for Speak with Animals

A magical scroll found by Shane in a hidden box within the rotunda. It contains the Speak with Animals spell.

The Adventures of Boo, Miniature Giant Space Hamster

A book found by Velessa among piles of books in the library, which she pockets for later reading.

Glass Sphere (Quillbit's Prison)

A glass sphere glowing with a faint orange light, found on a central table in a curated chamber. It contained the imp Quillbit, who was released when Velessa smashed it, causing it to dissolve into sand.

Iron Wolf Statue

A heavy and intimidating iron statue of a wolf in the southeast corner of a chamber, with its mouth open. It spewed poisonous gas when items on a nearby table were disturbed, but Séantal stopped it by stuffing a pillow into its mouth, activating a mechanism.

Pillow

A soft item found on a bed in an adjacent room, used by Séantal to plug the mouth of the iron wolf statue and stop the poisonous gas.

Clockwork Amulet

A copper amulet with tiny interlocking gears and a tiny winding key, found by Seris wedged among bones in a stream. It allows the wearer to forego an attack roll once per day to get a 10 on the die.

Gilded Acorn

An item used by Velessa to activate a magic circle and ritual cast a summon spell, resulting in the appearance of a spectral wolf. It was consumed in the process.

Jade Dust

50 gold pieces worth of jade dust, found in bottles and jars in a hidden room.

Gold Dust

Gold dust found in bottles and jars in a hidden room.

Ruby Dust

Ruby dust found in bottles and jars in a hidden room.

Potion of Healing

Two potions of healing found in bottles and jars in a hidden room.

Runestones

Smooth runestones etched with orc letters, worn by handling, found in a small cloth bag in a meditation chamber. They appear ritualistic but not magical.

Wand of the War Mage

A magical wand that gives a +1 bonus to spell attack rolls, transferred to Séantal after being found earlier.

Contract (Quillbit's Familiar Pact)

A scroll that appeared when Quillbit offered to become Velessa's familiar. It detailed the terms of Quillbit signing herself over as a familiar, with a non-assignment clause that was modified to prevent transfer to any 'being' without Velessa's consent. Velessa signed it.

Caltrops

Small, spiked objects used by Quillbit to hinder enemy movement during combat.

The Nathlum

A book of arcane lore detailing rare poisons and their cures, which Maelra Szandru is also seeking. A painted image of it is seen in the Grand Gallery, with the actual book displayed on a shelf.

Celestial Revelation

Seris uses this ability to manifest wings, allowing her to flutter safely to the ground after jumping from a 12-foot balcony.

Blade Song

Velessa activates this magical ability, which enhances her speed and agility, allowing her to move gracefully and effectively in combat.

Eldritch Blast

Séantal attempts to cast this powerful cantrip at enemies, though it misses on the first attempt.

Longstrider

A spell cast by Séantal to increase their movement speed.

Elementalism (Wind Aspect)

Velessa used this to push the poisonous gas into a corner, lessening its concentration in the room.

Light

A cantrip cast by Velessa to illuminate dark areas for the party.

Summon Beast

A spell cast by Velessa using a magic circle and a gilded acorn, which summoned a spectral wolf to aid the party. The summoned beast is a spirit that lasts for an hour and is under the caster's control.

Shield of Faith

A protective spell cast by Seris on Shane, providing him with a magical defense during combat.

Genius Loci

A paladin ability used by Seris, granting her resistance to bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, and immunity to grappled, prone, and restrained conditions.

Hold Person

A spell cast by Maelra Szandru on Seris, attempting to paralyze her, but it fails due to Seris's immunity to paralysis.

Blur

A spell cast by Maelra Szandru on herself, causing her body to vibrate and making her harder to hit in combat.