Previously On

Last time, the Pupils of Susan descended into peril to rescue Ivorge from dangers lurking below. Against considerable odds, and despite the usual mixture of courage, improvisation, and poor decision-making that has become the party’s trademark, they emerged victorious.

What should have been a triumphant return, however, proved to be something far more troubling.

The world above had been changing while the heroes were away.

A Wooden Wonder Returns

The journey back to civilization began with an unexpected sight: Candor arriving in a prototype Apparatus of Kwalish constructed largely from wood. Whether this represented visionary engineering or catastrophic overconfidence remained a matter of debate, but it floated, moved, and most importantly carried passengers.

For the Pupils of Susan, that was good enough.

The strange vessel bore them back toward the capital, providing an opportunity to rest, recover, and reflect on their latest victory.

Unfortunately, the capital itself offered little comfort.

A Kingdom Preparing For War

The city the adventurers remembered had become noticeably militarized.

Soldiers patrolled the streets.

Tensions ran high.

Rumors spread faster than facts.

Every conversation seemed to circle back to conflict, preparation, and resistance. Whatever plans the forces of Thay were pursuing, powerful people now believed open confrontation was drawing near.

The heroes quickly realized that merely surviving adventures would no longer be enough. Larger events were beginning to move around them.

Whether they wanted to become part of history or not, history seemed determined to involve them.

Image Recommendation #1

Placement: After “A Kingdom Preparing For War”

Description: The capital city under military occupation. Soldiers patrol crowded streets while banners flutter above stone towers. The Pupils of Susan stand in the foreground observing the changes, with Candor’s wooden Apparatus of Kwalish docked behind them.

Fantasy Costco Strikes Again

No revolution is complete without shopping.

The party made an important pilgrimage to Fantasy Costco, proving once again that adventuring is approximately twenty percent heroism and eighty percent equipment upgrades.

Among the notable acquisitions were a set of Bracers of Archery, ensuring that at least one member of the group would be significantly more dangerous from a distance.

Business opportunities also arose. Through a series of arrangements that were undoubtedly wise and completely legitimate, the heroes exchanged the prototype Apparatus of Kwalish for land suitable for growing pot.

Whether this investment portfolio will prove profitable remains to be seen, but the Pupils of Susan have once again demonstrated a willingness to diversify beyond traditional monster slaying.

Joining the Resistance

After securing supplies and investments, the party made contact with leaders of the growing resistance.

These organizers spoke openly about operations, intelligence, and plans that appeared increasingly focused on Thay itself.

Though much remained secret, the direction was obvious. The resistance was preparing to move from survival toward action.

Before any grand assault could take place, however, one of their allies needed help.

Osmik had been captured.

The resistance needed capable operatives willing to undertake a rescue mission.

The Pupils of Susan eagerly volunteered, a decision that surely had nothing to do with the promise of adventure.

The Mountain of Hill Beans

The rescue mission led to an unusual destination.

Osmik was being held atop a massive hill-bean farming mountain, a location that combined agricultural productivity with significant tactical advantages.

The ascent was dangerous from the start.

Enemy patrols watched the mountain approaches.

Spellguards enforced security.

And hostile magic constantly threatened to send the heroes tumbling back down the slopes.

Progress came only through determination and more than a little violence.

Battle Among the Clouds

The true challenge awaited near the summit.

There the party confronted Grazzal, a powerful aarakocra aeromancer who had established his dominance over the heights through mastery of wind and storm.

The battle transformed the mountain peak into a chaotic battlefield.

Magic surged through the air.

Deadly attacks swept across exposed ledges.

Every gust of wind threatened disaster.

Grazzal fought with the confidence of a foe who believed the mountain itself was on his side.

For a time, he appeared correct.

Then the Pupils of Susan did what they do best.

They ruined everything.

Strategic attacks, relentless pressure, and a refusal to remain dead eventually shifted the momentum of the battle.

The aeromancer fell.

His control collapsed.

And a prisoner long denied freedom finally received a second chance.

Freedom for Osmik

With Grazzal defeated, the heroes located and rescued Osmik.

The mission’s primary objective had been achieved.

Yet another revelation remained.

An Air Elemental held against its will was also freed during the operation.

The release of such a primordial force altered the very mood of the battlefield. Winds shifted. The atmosphere changed. The mountain itself seemed to breathe easier.

Whether the elemental will remember this act of kindness remains unknown.

In fantasy stories, however, freeing ancient elemental beings rarely turns out to be insignificant.

Character Updates

The Pupils of Susan

This session emphasized the group’s evolution from wandering adventurers into important agents within a larger conflict.

Major Accomplishments

Successfully escorted Ivorge to safety.
Established ties with resistance leadership.
Acquired new equipment and resources.
Obtained agricultural land through negotiation.
Climbed and assaulted a heavily defended mountain stronghold.
Defeated Grazzal the aeromancer.
Rescued Osmik.
Freed an imprisoned Air Elemental.

Character Growth

The heroes are no longer simply reacting to events.

For the first time, they are actively participating in a movement that could reshape the future of the region.

Secrets and Revelations

Several important truths emerged during the session:

The capital is preparing for larger conflicts.
Organized resistance movements are becoming more active.
Attention is increasingly turning toward Thay.
Powerful enemies are securing strategic positions.
Forces connected to elemental magic may have a larger role in future events than previously suspected.

Memorable Moments

Candor arriving in a wooden Apparatus of Kwalish.
Trading a revolutionary transportation device for farmland.
Fantasy Costco once again influencing history through retail.
The climb up the hill-bean mountain.
The showdown with Grazzal amid storms and howling winds.
The liberation of the Air Elemental.
Osmik’s rescue at the summit.

Image Recommendation #3

Placement: Before the Cliffhanger

Description: The heroes stand victorious atop the mountain with Osmik beside them as a colossal Air Elemental rises into the sky. Far in the distance, storm clouds gather above lands controlled by Thay.

Looking Ahead

The rescue of Osmik represents more than a successful mission.

It is proof that the resistance can strike back.

Small victories have a way of becoming larger movements, and larger movements have a way of becoming wars.

The question is no longer whether the conflict will spread.

The question is whether the Pupils of Susan are prepared for what comes next.

Cliffhanger

As the party descended from the mountain, victorious and exhausted, attention turned toward the resistance’s greater ambitions.

Osmik was free.

Grazzal was defeated.

The Air Elemental had vanished into the sky.

But across the horizon lay Thay… and leaders within the resistance were already discussing their next move.

A rescue mission had become a rebellion.

And the Pupils of Susan were about to find themselves at the center of it.

Characters

Bryan – Malefort – Neutral Evil – Human – Warlock – Vestige – member of the Bejewelled Conclave – nobleman – foppish
David – Ms Susan – Neutral – Human – Rouge / Sorcerer / Fighter – Custom Sage – Grand daughter of Death
Henry – Calder – Lawful Good – Aasimar – Paladin – Nobel – raised in a Thay warrior house – horse is named Lantern
Ivan – Whisper – Chaotic Good – Drow (Disguise Self as High Elf) – Ranger – Gloom Stalker – Settlers & Family killed by Alyis

Not in session

Brett –Elias Runebow – Neutral Good – Human – Fighter – Arcane Archer – Archivist – Hunted artefacts for Thay – worked for Alyis
Brian – Ploeim – Human – Cleric – Criminal – Oghma – Mule named Quixote

RIP

Cody – Maldur – Lawful Good – Cleric of Kelemvor – collect the Crown of Thorns from Szass Tam
Cody – Maldurson –

NPC

Zorri – Leader of community Immultar
Ezzik – Maker of powerful magic items, captured by Red Wizards
Ivorge – Maker of powerful magic items (ring), captured by Red Wizards