Charles Plemons' Blog

Game summary for May 6, 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.

The party slipped into Drenk’s and let their eyes slowly adjust to the gloom.  The smell was not as terrible as the party had imagined.  The floor and walls were stained from years of gruesome work.  Ropes and pulleys ran through the building, and an extensive network of sharp meat hooks dangled from the ceiling, posing a serious threat to anything taller than a man.  Heavy hammers rested in a rack, their handles well worn by hands long accustomed to swinging and crushing the skulls of livestock.

The smell of death was intermingled with another odor—the acrid scent of brimstone.  Something rattled in the darkness.  An enormous shape pushed through the meat hooks, completely unfazed by their presence.  The monstrosity was humanoid in shape but nearly twice the height of a man.  Grotesque red skin covered its muscular frame, and great horns swept out from either side of its head.  A bloodstained apron covered its torso.  In one beefy hand, it clutched the largest cleaver the adventurers had ever seen.  Trailing along in the other hand was a whip of chains and barbed hooks.  A deep, otherworldly voice gleefully exclaimed, “Fresh meat!”

From the shadows emerged more demonic creatures.  A great featured vulture-like demon, a vrock, stalked out of a corner.  Deep mooing sounds echoed through the chamber as Abyssal bullfiends, bipedal demon cows, armed with halberds approached across the blood-slicked floor.  One of the bullfiends unleashed a cattle call, frightening several of the party.  The butcher, a flayreaver demon, whipped its barbed chain in arc to entangle Notch!  It dragged the terrified man to its side and hacked him to pieces with its cleaver!  His contingent raise dead brought him back to life just long enough to experience the exquisite fatal mortification of his flesh at the gentle blade of the butcher twice.  The demon hung his dismembered parts from the meat hooks!

Hekera engaged the vrock and was infested with spores before it teleported to engage Helg and Snagy.  Callum terrified by the bullfiends cast dimension door and had his scorching ray fail against the demons’ spell resistance.  Helg tried to cast flame strike but lost his spell after taking a brutal hit.  Finch darted out, nimbly sliding across the blood, after two of the bullfiends.  He tripped one to the ground and brutalized it before its companion sundered his scythe!  The demon then sundered his armor leaving him unarmed and defenseless!  Hwrulf entered a rage and tore into the demons with glee.  The mighty sword of Wayland was not particularly effective against the demon flesh, but Hwrulf hit them with it relentlessly, causing massive damage through sheer stubborn determination.

Snagy and Stingy were forced to stay near the floor and creeping along to avoid the meat hooks.  Snagy landed blow after blow with his lance, but the demonic flesh proved too resilient for several of the attacks to deal significant harm.  Even still, he managed to slip the lance through the defenses of one bullfiend and slaughter it on the killing floor.

Hekera, sprouting demonic vines growing through his flesh, attacked the flayreaver demon and delt a solid blow.  The two fought for a moment, but Hekera proved too deadly and killed the powerful fiend.  Meanwhile, Hwrulf repositioned and killed both an Abyssal bullfiend and a vrock.  Callum blasted away with a cold-augmented lightning bolt and Helg narrowly avoided setting the building on fire with a flame strike!  Finch bashed away with his flail before being critically injured and left dying on the floor.  Hekera killed the other bullfiend, and Helg channeled positive energy just in time to save Finch’s life.

The group looked at what remained of Notch and decided they could do nothing for him.  Hwrulf distributed some potions to Finch while Helg quickly cast a number of mending spells to repair Snagy’s damaged and Finch’s destroyed equipment.  Finch was soon outfitted with armor and scythe again, although their magical enchantment was lost. 

The group nursed a few wounds and realized they needed to spell up before heading downstairs to see if they can rescue Adeline.  Maybe no one heard the crack of thunder from the lighting bolt, the fanatical mooing, the crash of the flaming strike, the gleeful roaring of Hwrulf, or the butcher’s rattling chains.  Yeah, I bet the enemies are about to suffer a surprise round…

Game summary for April 29, 2025, Chronoshift: Spelljammer campaign, Pathfinder Roleplaying Game, for Phoenix Gaming Club. Session included: Callum Spellhardt (Human Sorcerer played by Preston Harmon), Finch Bloodrain (Half-Hobgoblin Slayer played by Peyton Harmon), Hekera Nephera Mawhesk Vyk’sebekenka (Sebek-ka Fighter played by Parker Harmon), Helg Ingvar (Aasimar Cleric played by Chris Harmon), Hwrulf (Human Unchained Barbarian played by Paul Potter), and Notch Bowman (Human Fighter played by Andrew Renfrow). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

🕵️ Return to the Scene: Thugs in the Garden District

With no immediate way to crack the cipher, the group returned to the Garden District, hoping to follow the trail of Finch’s previous attackers. Their gamble paid off—the thugs had returned, presumably searching for the journal they failed to recover.

Just as the team began their investigation, a squad of hostile agents moved in—some wielding morningstars, others trained in martial strikes, and at least one coordinating their tactics with shouted commands.

⚔️ Combat Highlights

• Callum: Ambushed while flat-footed, he endured a vicious vital strike and negative energy smite. Later, he returned fire with Dalamar’s lightning lance despite having an enemy up close.
• Finch: Studied multiple foes and tried to trip one of the more agile attackers, who mocked his attempt. After being stunned by a brutal counterstrike, Helg healed him with heal, restoring him to fighting shape.
• Hekera: Engaged a leader figure directly and delivered a brutal series of sword strikes, including a massive 60-point critical hit—though the foe somehow soaked part of it with unknown resilience.
• Helg: Performed a clutch heal spell to save Finch, removing the stun and healing over 100 hp in a single casting.
• Hwrulf: Entered a barbarian rage and charged into melee, dropping multiple enemies across the battlefield in a single round.
• Notch: Fired a deadly barrage of arrows, dropping several foes in succession and proving that a licensed bow in Greyhawk is still a deadly weapon.

🪦 Notable Moments

• One thug taunted Finch as an “amateur” after dodging his trip attempt—only to be cut down not long after.
• The Sacred Killers (believed to be affiliated with the Scarlet Brotherhood) were brutal but ultimately overwhelmed.
• The coordination of the attackers—issuing commands, flanking, and trying to control the flow of battle—suggests disciplined training, not mere street thuggery.

🏃 Skill Challenge: Escape Through the Catacombs

Realizing the fight had likely drawn too much attention—and fearing reinforcements—the group opted for a hasty retreat. They plunged into the catacombs beneath Greyhawk, triggering a fast-paced skill challenge to evade pursuit.

Tactical Contributions:

• Hwrulf and Finch used debris and improvised barriers to create obstacles and slow the pursuit.
• Helg cast blade barrier to block off one route entirely.
• Notch expertly used Escape Artist and Stealth to scout the safest paths forward.
• Hekera used Knowledge (dungeoneering) to read the tunnels and pick advantageous routes.
• Callum relied on Acrobatics to traverse difficult terrain quickly.

The combined efforts allowed the group to successfully elude pursuit, emerging hours later into back streets near their target destination.

🐷 Infiltrating Drenk’s Slaughterhouse

Emerging from the tunnels beneath Greyhawk, the party surfaced near Drenk’s Slaughterhouse, the place an interrogated thug claimed Adeline was taken. Outside, they spotted two inattentive guards—who were easily avoided.

The party successfully sneaked into the slaughterhouse, ending the session poised for whatever horrors await within.

🧭 Summary Recap

Objectives Achieved:

• Repelled ambush in the Garden District
• Outran pursuers in collapsed catacombs
• Sneaked into slaughterhouse

Open Threads:

• Where is Adeline?
• What is the Scarlet Brotherhood’s ultimate goal?
• What will be revealed once the journal is deciphered?

Game summary for April 22, 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), 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.

🏛️ Legal Wrangling at the Citadel

Following their detention in connection to the violent scene at Professor Tormak’s home, the party remained under scrutiny—until Vinnie Getz arrived with freshly minted barrister Leo Gambini, who delivered a rambling but strangely effective legal defense. With barely a thread of logic (and a lot of yelling), the charges were dropped, and Captain-General Sental Nurev ordered the group released, albeit with a warning.

As the party stepped outside, Finch reappeared—bloody, battered, but alive.

⚰️ Finch‘s Tale: Death, Capture, and Escape

Finch recounted the harrowing events the rest of the party had not witnessed:

• After entering Tormak’s manor alone, he was ambushed and killed in mere seconds.
• His contingent spell triggered breath of life, bringing him back to life.
• The assailants bound him and led him away, arguing over his identity and discussing the “prize”—which they believed the professor could help them find.
• They also mentioned Tormak’s daughter as a backup target.
• The assailants failed to finish searching the house and only retrieved a letter, which Finch was able to tear in half and steal back before escaping.
• Using his earth elemental belt, Finch transformed and earth-glided back to safety.

The enemies are associated with the Scarlet Brotherhood, a known terroristic faction.

📜 The Letter Fragment

The group read the salvaged portion of the professor’s letter. Key revelations included:

• Tormak had once encountered a tablet fragment rumored to be part of a powerful weapon.
• His encrypted journal is hidden in the vaults of the Guild of Wizardry, and only he and his daughter Adeline know how to decode it.
• He feared for his life and asked his friend to locate Adeline should anything happen to him.

🧭 Gathering Clues

Determined to find Adeline and the journal before the Scarlet Brotherhood, the party pursued several leads:

• They returned to Mirre Soot-Eyes, their candle-smuggler contact, who confirmed the Scarlet Brotherhood is active across the southern continents—particularly in Hepmonaland.
• With no immediate trail to follow, they attempted to visit city archives to find records of the Tormak family, hoping to learn Adeline’s whereabouts.

Unfortunately, attempts to diplomatically gain help from archivists went poorly (with three players critically failing their skill checks), until Finch, ironically fresh from resurrection, successfully located birth and tax records:

• Tormak was a native of Greyhawk.
• His daughter, Adeline Tormak, is 22 years old and currently a university student in Clerkberg, the temple and university district of Greyhawk.

📚 The Grey College Search

Following their release from custody and Finch’s dramatic return, the party resumed their mission to track down Adeline Tormak, daughter of the missing professor and the only known person who could decipher his encrypted journal.

Their investigation led them to Grey College in Clerkberg, where they spoke with university staff. Initially, their inquiries were rebuffed due to strict record-keeping laws. However, after some persistent (and much more charming) diplomacy, Snagyndar persuaded a clerk to notify campus security.

Though the staff wouldn’t break protocol, they agreed to have Adeline located and told about the party—only to later confirm the worst: Adeline was also missing.

🏛️ The Guild of Wizardry and the Trade for Knowledge

Determined not to waste time, the group traveled to the Guild of Wizardry, a massive arcane pyramid guarded by dwarven porters and open only to guild members or those with appointments to trade magic.

Using their credentials and silver tongues, the party met with Kondradis Bubka, the “Mage of Exchange.” They negotiated a deal: in exchange for 6,000 gold pieces and the Apostolic Scrolls of Kyuss, Bubka granted them Professor Tormak’s encrypted journal from the vaults.

The group now held the key to unlocking the professor’s knowledge—if they could find Adeline and her cipher.

🔁 Return to the Garden Quarter and Ambush!

Their final move of the evening: return to the Garden District, to the same street where Finch had been ambushed. The party hoped to retrace his steps and potentially pick up the attackers’ trail.

Instead, the trail found them.

As they approached the manor house, the shadows stirred—and armed thugs stepped out to confront them. It became immediately clear that this was no random mugging. These were the same men—or their allies—who had attacked Finch, and the confrontation was inevitable.

The session ended on the brink of combat once again.

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.

Game summary for April 8, 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), and Notch Bowman (Human Fighter played by Andrew Renfrow). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

💥 Part I – Through Rock and Ruin: Astereater Skill Challenge

As The Shooting Star approached the outer reaches of Greyspace, the serene expanse of Wildspace gave way to a floating gauntlet of asteroids. Oddly patterned… unsettlingly still… then one of them blinked.

The party found themselves in a skill challenge navigating a field of dormant astereaters—predatory space-beasts camouflaged as debris. They had three rounds to spot dangers, maneuver the ship, and avoid a sneak attack.

• Callum’s eagle-eyed scan from the crow’s nest (Perception 37) gave everyone +2 on all checks.
• Hekera’s deep-space expertise (Knowledge 35) revealed optimal skill paths and earned another party bonus.
• Notch landed a natural 20 on Escape Artist, earning double success.
• Finch, Helg, and Hwrulf each contributed with Knowledge, Perception, and clever substitutions.

🧮 Final Tally:
✅ 16 Successes | ❌ 10 Failures
📉 Result: Avoided surprise attack but suffered 10 hull damage from flying debris.

⚔️ Part II – Battle with the Astereater

The crew had barely caught their breath when the largest “asteroid” split open, revealing gnarled teeth, slimy tentacles, and an impossibly wide maw.

The astereater attacked.

• Callum was swallowed whole, suffering acid damage until the creature expelled him back onto the deck.
• Finch transformed using his earth elemental belt, unleashing brutal unarmed strikes.
• Helg cast an astounding searing light. 
• Notch lined up the perfect shot and delivered the killing blow, dropping the beast with a thunderous bolt.
• The others pressed hard, cutting the monster down before it could chew its way through the ship.

🎒 Loot: Dissection revealed a 500 gp amethyst intact in the creature’s gullet.

🚢 Part III – Elven Imperial Navy Boarding

Three days later, the Shooting Star dropped out of spelljamming speed near Oerth—only to be intercepted by two man-o-war class vessels:

• Moonfire Sentinel
• Starblade

Aboard were elven officers of the Elven Imperial Navy, who hailed the ship and demanded immediate boarding and inspection. Outnumbered and outgunned, the crew complied.

The inspection was tense. Uniformed elves scoured the deck and quarters, speaking with practiced calm and clear authority.

• The crew’s paperwork was reviewed.
• Cargo manifests checked out.
• Vinnie started fast-talking.
• Suspicious glances were cast at several of the crew (including at Hwrulf as he scrambled to hide the letter).

But ultimately… no contraband was discovered.  The elves asked lots of questions about the party, their route, drow, orcs, and goblins. 

The ship was deemed clean. The elves issued a final warning: several elven man-o-war ships were destroyed in Greyspace recently by something. With that, the elven ships departed, slipping back into the void with unnerving silence.

🧭 Heroic Highlights – Quick Recap

⭐ Skill Challenge

• Callum: Master spotter (+2 party bonus)
• Finch: Escape Artist specialist
• Hekera: Navigational pathfinder
• Helg: Divine domain skill-swapping
• Hwrulf: Intuitive effort, high energy
• Notch: Natural 20 Escape Artist

⚔️ Astereater Combat

• Callum: Swallowed and returned fire
• Finch: Earth elemental fists of fury
• Hekera: Brutal swipe of the passing creature
• Helg: Multiple spells cast
• Hwrulf: Raged and spelled up; secured loot
• Notch: Delivered the final blow

🔮 Next Time on Chronoshift: Spelljammer…

• Will the crew locate Professor Tormak in the Free City of Greyhawk?
• What truths lie buried in Hepmonaland’s lost ruins?
• And has the Shooting Star finally earned a moment of peace—or is the storm just beginning?

Game summary for April 1, 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), and Snagyndar Blackthorn (Huldran War Master played by Casey Scruggs). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

🦑 Killer Calamari and the Battle for The Shooting Star

The stars had barely begun to blur as The Shooting Star cruised toward Oerth when a massive shadow drifted in from the void—a tentacled leviathan, its limbs coiled with wet scuttling crabs and acidic wildspace kelp, slammed into the ship without warning. In seconds, the hull shuddered, the deck erupted into chaos, and the crew was thrown into a desperate struggle to repel the attack.

Behind the assault, two distinct types of scavvers—fanged wildspace predators—circled in close formation. A brown fling-shard scavver flared with shimmering pressure before exploding a burst of skin razors at the crew, while a barnacle-encrusted hammerhead variant launched itself straight at the cleric Helg, intent on swallowing him whole.

⚔️ Chaos on the Deck

Callum was the first to feel the enemy’s strength. A tentacle wrapped around his body, yanking him into the air and nearly crushing the breath from his lungs. He tried to cast dimension door, but the pressure was too much—he lost the spell. It wasn’t until he was safely back on the deck, bloodied but defiant, that he retaliated. From the crow’s nest, he unleashed Dalamar’s lightning lance at one of the giant crabs scuttling across the deck, splintering it with a crackling blast of arcane fury.

Finch, recognizing the danger and needing muscle over finesse, activated his earth elemental belt, transforming into a hulking, rocky figure. He dropped his scythe in the moment of shifting and dove straight into the fray. With no time to retrieve it, he used his elemental fists, delivering blow after pulverizing blow. Later, he and Snagyndar maneuvered to flank a fling-shard scavver, cutting it down with clean teamwork and raw physicality.

Snagyndar, ever the battlefield tactician, opened the fight with a devastating critical shot from his bow, catching one scavver mid-dive and spraying gore into the air bubble. Though he didn’t need to order them, he kept a sharp eye on the giff marines, who moved in unison to man the heavy catapult turret. With calm precision, they launched a boulder that struck a scavver full in the flank, causing it to shriek with pain.

Helg weathered a brutal assault from the hammerhead scavver, whose jagged jaws found seams in his armor—but not deep enough. With stoic resolve, he called down a flame strike upon the void leviathan, incinerating the crabs clinging to its bulk. One charred crab was hurled back at him, slashing deep into his shoulder with surprising precision. Still, Helg stood firm and used a heal spell to cure his injuries.

Hekera, having quaffed his potion of enlarge person, strode into battle with terrifying reach. He waded through kelp and crab alike, his blade cleaving swaths of carnage through the attacking host. Each swing shook the deck. His presence alone forced the pseudo-kraken to reposition—too slow to dodge, too aggressive to retreat.

Hwrulf, already grinning before the first blade was drawn, entered a barbarian rage the moment the hammerhead scavver lunged for Helg. With a howl and a blur of steel, he hacked the creature apart, driving it into the planks with a geyser of ichor. Later, he scrambled across the deck to pry away a patch of acidic wildspace kelp, saving a chunk of the ship’s hull with a belaying pin and brute strength.

🎒 Aftermath & Loot

As the last scavver spiraled away into the darkness, the crew caught their breath, blood steaming in the cold of wildspace. They quickly searched the battlefield—and found something curious: a leather backpack caught in the fins of one of the floating scavver corpses. It was reeled in carefully, still glistening with frost and void residue.

What was inside? Several magic items from a previous victim.

🧭 Heroic Highlights (Quick Recap)

• Callum – Grappled early, later delivered a decisive lightning lance blast.
• Finch – Fought as an earth elemental with powerful unarmed strikes.
• Snagyndar – Scored a critical hit and helped flank/kill a scavver.
• Helg – Landed a flame strike and healed himself after absorbing brutal hits.
• Hekera – Enlarged himself and dominated the melee with sweeping reach.
• Hwrulf – Entered rage, killed the hammerhead scavver, and removed deck hazards.
• Giff Marines – Fired the heavy catapult with precision, smashing a scavver mid-battle.

Game summary for March 25, 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), and Komorebi (Kitsune Bard played by Josh Jenkins). Game Master for this session was Charles Plemons.

Claiming The Falling Star and Setting a New Course

With Boris Steelbeard dead and his ship secured, the party returned to Greela, where they liquidated their plunder and made major investments in their new vessel. The team officially claimed The Falling Star as their own, debating renaming it The Shooting Star. A heated discussion followed over whether to sell The Perry or press it into service as a merchant vessel. Ultimately, they decided to keep The Perry running trade routes, investing 10,000 gold into outfitting it for commercial operations.

With an impressive 177,000 gold remaining, the party outfitted The Shooting Star for both combat and cargo transport, securing siege weapons, hiring marines, and adjusting its configuration for future battles. Among their purchases:

• A heavy catapult installed on a 360° turret on the stern
• Two ballistae left in place on the forecastle (one magical)
• Giff (hippo-folk) siege engineers hired to operate weapons
• A new crow’s nest installed for enhanced lookout capabilities
• Discussions on adding more firepower but balancing maneuverability and cargo space

Meanwhile, Hwrulf found that Boris had an active bounty in Greela. Turning in his severed head earned the party an additional 5,000 gold—a fitting final reward from their battle with the pirate.

A Stowaway Surfaces – Vinnie “Freaking” Getz

While transferring supplies, the crew was startled when a crate burst open, revealing a curly-haired, fast-talking scoundrel—Vinnie “Freaking” Getz!

Vinnie, a former guild thief and informant, had stowed away aboard the party’s ship after they freed him from Ikor’s dungeon. Claiming he had nowhere else to go (and that various crime lords wanted his head in a sack), he declared himself a valuable asset to the group, offering his connections, black-market expertise, and cooking skills.

After a barrage of suspicions, threats, and half-hearted intimidation attempts, the party reluctantly agreed to let Vinnie stay aboard—for now.

A Mysterious Puzzle Chest

Three days into their journey toward Oerth, the crew recovered a drifting metallic chest, which slammed into the deck with a resounding crash. The chest was locked by an intricate dwarven cipher, featuring:

• Three sliding rows of symbols
• A cryptic dwarven inscription that hinted at aligning virtues:
  • To the daring, fortune.
  • To the wise, truth.
  • To the resolute, power.

On the back of the chest, the symbols were listed alongside short descriptive clues, providing the key to unlocking the puzzle.

Deciphering the Code

The team worked through multiple attempts, theorizing that the solution required matching virtues to the correct symbols. Every failed attempt reset the sliders and changed the riddle, forcing them to think fast.

⚠️ After three failed attempts, the chest armed itself!

Through clever deduction, they realized that their assumptions were off—the riddle wasn’t static. Each new version demanded a different answer. With one final chance before detonation, they carefully selected:

🗡️ Sword (Conqueror / Dominance)
🌙 Moon (Secretive / Control)
⛓️ Chain (United / Security)

As the final slider clicked into place, the chest shuddered, then unlocked with a satisfying clunk!

What lay inside? A magical dwarven item, a moltenheart helm, granting the wearer resistance to cold!  It was claimed by Hwrulf as the team continued on their journey!

Game summary for March 18, 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), Komorebi (Kitsune Bard played by Josh Jenkins), 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.

The Showdown with Boris Steelbeard!

The battle aboard The Falling Star reached its peak as Boris “The Butcher” Steelbeard emerged from belowdecks, axes chained to his bracers clanking ominously. His platinum beard was slick with sweat and blood, his eyes filled with rage as he cursed the adventurers for ruining his operations.

Though Boris was not the most dangerous foe the party had faced—the tiefling abjurer still held that grim honor after slaying Callum the previous session—he proved to be the most formidable melee combatant they had engaged on board. His whirling axes struck with terrifying speed, and despite the overwhelming opposition, he fought with the fury of a cornered beast.

One by one, his crew fell before the party’s relentless assault, leaving the pirate captain to stand alone.

The Flow of Battle

🔥 Boris Steelbeard stormed across the deck, his twin chained axes spinning in deadly arcs. His first target? Komorebi.

🎭 Komorebi, relying on his mirror images for protection, watched as Boris tore through the illusions before finally striking true. A vicious axe swing slashed into him, spraying blood across the deck as Boris grinned through the carnage.

🎶 Not to be deterred, Komorebi retaliated with a shadow conjuration, forming a spiked pit beneath Boris and one of his henchmen. While Boris resisted its illusory effects, a toxic boogin was not so fortunate—he tumbled into the pit, screaming as the spectral spikes impaled him.

⚡ Callum, barely recovered from previous wounds, spun in the crow’s nest and unleashed empowered scorching rays at Boris. The blazing bolts hammered into the dwarf, heating his armor red-hot and searing his flesh, causing him to roar in agony. This attack turned Boris from untouched to heavily wounded, proving that firepower would be needed to bring the pirate down.

🦊 Finch, still weakened from poison, focused on control, tripping a nearby boogin and ensuring that Helg’s spiritual weapon could finish the job.

🐝 Snagyndar landed a crushing axe-hammer blow before following up with a devastating kick from his magical boots, sending a goblin reeling.

🐊 Hekera, now towering over the battlefield after drinking his enlarge person potion, became a juggernaut. His massive greatsword carved through Boris’s allies, shattering their defenses.

🔥 Hwrulf, no longer burning but still lost in his battle rage, carved through what remained of Boris’s crew, reveling in the destruction.

🛡️ Helg channeled divine power, healing the party and keeping them in the fight, while his spiritual weapon continued cutting through fallen foes.

🏹 Notch, despite still feeling the effects of poison, unleashed a deadly bane arrow at Boris. The first shot shattered harmlessly against Boris’ thick armor, but the second found its mark, punching through a chink in his plate and drawing a furious growl from the pirate lord.

🗡️ Boris fought with reckless abandon, his chained axes whirling in every direction. Even outnumbered, outmaneuvered, and badly injured, he refused to surrender.

The Final Blow – The Butcher Falls

As Boris reeled from the fire, arrows, and sword strikes, Hekera stepped forward, his greatsword gleaming in the dim light of wildspace. With a mighty swing, the massive blade cleaved through Boris’ defenses and took the pirate captain’s head clean off, sending it tumbling across the deck.

For a moment, there was only silence.

Then, with a sickening thud, Boris’s headless corpse collapsed, blood pooling at his feet.

The largest challenge of the battle was over.  Quickly the team mopped up the rest of the pirates.

The Arcane Trap – A Race Against Time!

The moment the last pirate’s body hit the deck, a wave of red-hot arcane sigils erupted across the ship, glowing with power. These sigils spread like wildfire, searing themselves into the very wood of the vessel. Within seconds, the adventurers realized what was about to happen—these runes were primed to detonate the ship’s entire powder magazine!

The party raced to decipher the symbols, trying to shut down the arcane bomb before the entire ship—and likely The Perry moored nearby—was reduced to splinters.

But the danger didn’t stop there.

🔥 A few seconds after activation, an elder fire elemental erupted from the runes, its roaring, infernal form looming over the battlefield! The creature lashed out immediately, attempting to ignite the ship in a final act of destruction.

Each member of the party was forced to make a split-second decision—disable the runes or battle the elemental.

⚡ Callum, Helg, and Komorebi focused on unraveling the enchantments, working furiously to shut down the magic before it reached critical mass.

🗡️ Hekera, Snagy, Notch, and Hwrulf, engaged the elemental, doing their best to hold it back before it could reduce the ship to cinders.

The fight against the elemental was brutal, with flames lashing out in all directions, but through a combination of raw power and divine magic, the creature was finally vanquished.

🔥 From the shadows, Finch came forward and successfully disabled the last of the runes, stopping the detonation just before it was too late.

As the runes faded, and the elemental’s form crumbled into harmless embers, the crew finally took a breath.

The Aftermath – What Comes Next?

The party now stands victorious aboard The Falling Star, having slain Boris Steelbeard, his lieutenants, and prevented the ship from being destroyed.

They searched the ship and found several documents with intriguing leads and clues about the Witchlight Marauders, mysterious militant orcs, and the possibility of joining Xenotermination, Ltd.!

But what now?

🚀 Will they claim The Falling Star for themselves, or will they strip it for parts?
⚓ What treasures or secrets still lie within its hull?
💀 And has Boris’ death truly severed his influence, or will his past sins come back to haunt them?

Find out next time in Chronoshift: Spelljammer!