Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for April 15, 2025, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Callum Spellhardt (Human Sorcerer played by Parker Harmon), Finch Bloodrain (Half-Hobgoblin Slayer played by Peyton Harmon), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Preston Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Hwrulf (Human Unchained Barbarian played by Paul Potter), Notch Bowman (Human Fighter played by Andrew Renfrow), and Snagyndar Blackthorn (Huldran War Master played by Casey Scruggs). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

🛬 Arrival at Oerth and Docking in Greyhawk

The party arrived at Oerth aboard The Shooting Star, careful to conceal its spelljamming nature. Following common custom, the crew landed in water under cover of night and then sailed up the Selintan River to dock in the Free City of Greyhawk.

Upon arrival, they were greeted by an official from the city’s port authority. The group:

• Declared the vessel, paid docking fees (5 gp/day) and a “free sword tax” (3 gp per non-citizen under arms).
• Paid for 2 days of docking (totaling 46 gp).
• Learned that weapons such as swords, bows, and axes require licensing, while daggers, darts, slings, staves, clubs, and knives are permitted without a license.
• Were informed spellcasting is allowed for beneficial or incapacitating effects, but damaging magic is treated the same as physical assault.

The party opted to leave most major weapons aboard the ship or hidden via magical means. They decided to have Vinnie Getz attempt to obtain licenses from the Citadel on their behalf—what could possibly go wrong?

🔍 Splitting the Party in the City

With dock business handled, the group split into two partial unarmed teams—what could possibly go wrong?

Team Tavern – Green Dragon Inn

• Several party members visited Ricard’s Green Dragon Inn in the River Quarter.
• Described as rough but lively, the inn was full of mercenaries, gamblers, and minstrels.
• The bartender issued clear rules: no drawing weapons, no cheating at cards, no asking too many questions.
• Over drinks, the party listened for rumors and picked up interesting intel:
  • The Embalmers and Gravediggers’ Guildmaster, Selczek Gobayuik, is hiring extra muscle due to corpses rising with green worms—possibly related to the Kyuss threat.
  • The Circle of Eight (notable archmages including Mordenkainen, Bigby, and Drawmij) is allegedly hunting a cabal of dragon sorcerers gaining power in the city.
  • A secret group is polymorphing people into exotic creatures, then killing them and selling the exotic parts.
  • Allegedly, Zarak the assassin has returned from a stint in Granite Mountain Prison, and war is coming to the local thieves’ guilds!

Team Candle – Investigating Professor Tormak

• Meanwhile, Snagy, Helg, and Hekera visited a contact: Mirre Soot-Eyes, a raspy-voiced coughing candle maker with a side business in smuggling and information.
• Mirre greeted Snagy with sarcastic affection (she remembered his name being Snatchy) and agreed to help—after a gold coin was discreetly slid across the table.
• She seemed particularly taken with Helg and his nearly glowing radiance. 
• She’d never heard of Professor Arlen Tormak directly, but speculated he might reside in the High Quarter, Garden Quarter, or Cleric Quarter, depending on his lifestyle and affiliations.
• She recommended they speak to Ambrose, a guard at the Garden Quarter gate, who might be able to help identify Tormak’s location.

🏘️ Tormak’s House, a Vanishing Slayer, and a Visit to the Citadel

Following up on their lead from Mirre Soot-Eyes, the crew traveled to the Garden Quarter Gate where they met Ambrose, a guard with a lax demeanor and a reasonable price for “looking the other way.” After some friendly coaxing and coin, Ambrose confirmed that Professor Arlen Tormak did in fact live nearby—just a few blocks into the Garden Quarter.

The party made their way to the professor’s townhouse, a small but well-kept manor nestled near a small temple of Boccob. But the scene was anything but peaceful. Through one of the ground floor windows, the team spotted overturned furniture and a bloody smear on a support pillar just inside. The house wasn’t just abandoned—it was clearly the site of a recent and violent attack.

Recognizing the danger and not wanting to escalate things with Greyhawk authorities, Helg voluntarily returned to the Garden Gate (about a five minute walk) and reported the signs of foul play to Ambrose, who responded quickly. The Greyhawk watchman gathered a team of guards and, for Helg’s safety, escorted him out of the Garden Quarter, back toward the River Quarter while they investigated.

Meanwhile, the rest of the party remained near the house, as Finch consumed a potion of pass without trace and slipped into the manor to investigate alone—what could possibly go wrong?  They watched him look around the crime scene and then creep further into the house. He never returned—no shouts, just gone.

When Ambrose and his guard detail arrived at the house, they entered through the front and found a grim scene inside: signs of a struggle, blood throughout the floor, and a trail leading to the back door. Outside, standing with the rest of the party, the guards quickly realized: the person they had just let through the gate—Finch—was no longer with the group. Now both Finch and Helg were absent.

Deeming it a matter of public security, the guards detained the group and escorted them to the Citadel for questioning.

And as fate would have it, who should be exiting the Citadel at that exact moment?

Vinnie Getz, arms full of permits and paperwork, looking proud of himself and mildly disheveled from wrestling with bureaucracy.  “Hey! There ya are—I got everything! Got your weapon licenses, spellcasting declarations, three different inspection seals—oh… hey. Where’s Glowstick and Scythe Guy?”

He was told Helg was escorted back to the River Quarter and they were unsure where Finch had gone.  They demanded Vinnie go and find a barrister, and he freaked out a bit but told them he knew a guy.  He said he’d get help and to not go anywhere… 

🎒 Session Highlights

• Vinnie Getz: Sent off to get weapons licensed. Unsupervised. Again.
• Weapon Policy: Strict but manageable; damage-dealing spells count as violence.
• Callum: Not eaten by anything at any point.
• Finch:Gone.  Just gone. 
• Hekera: Turned in his weapons, but with his teeth, he was far from unarmed. 
• Helg: Earned compliments on his glow… from Mirre.
• Hwrulf:Overheard several interesting rumors. 
• Notch: In the moment of need revealed he is not a very practiced barrister. 
• Snagy: Reconnected with his candle smuggler friend.
• Rumors: Undead rising with worms, dragon sorcerers infiltrating the city, and designer polymorphed cadaver trade.