Session 11 Player Notes — The Portal of Doors

These are the players’ own session notes, preserved from the party’s game document. They capture the table’s perspective — what the players saw, did, and said.

Key Events

• Reaghl’s hidden army (the Fist and RAM militia) revealed — 87 guards lowered their weapons to the centre of the arena
• Reaghl killed Battiatus with a Nat 20 psionic strike, then smashed down the Emperor and Madam Ava in the same turn
• A massive Pegasus-feather arrow volley killed the entire arena crowd — an army of 2,000 led by Clifton the Righteous besieged the arena
• The party fell through the floor into the Plane of Time and met Lady Polaris, who explained the threat of Occhio Voir — an elder lich consuming planets
• Kaial returned from Mount Celestia, reuniting with the party in tears
• The party returned to the arena and engaged Occhio Voir directly, with Arawn transforming into a golden dragon

Session Notes

The Arena Standoff

Facing the party after the arena battle are:

• Madam Ava (crystal ball)
• Petronius the Emperor
• Battiatus, who runs the ludus
• A guard with a nicely plated double-handed sword, breasty breastplate, nice hair, and a slight limp — Madam Ava’s sister
• 6 guards
• Four magic users

Round 1 — Reaghl’s Rebellion

Reaghl makes a gesture to the guards. 87 guards lower their weapons to the centre of the arena. The Fist (Forks Initiative Striking Tyranny) and RAM (Rebelliatus’ Army Militia) reveal themselves. A guard fires a longbow arrow into the sky.

Lux notices nobody casts a spell to dispel Guts’ polymorph.

Lyra runs towards Rebelliatus and stabs him in the neck. She feels a massive resistance and hears a voice in her head. She draws the rapier, runs her hand over the blade, and green fire erupts. 45 damage. Clouds start covering the sky.

Arawn puts Slayer’s Prey on the Emperor and fires two arrows — 10 damage each. Both arrows drop to the ground, falling through the Emperor’s shield.

Ava’s sister runs towards Elora, screaming — the sound of her voice triggers the memory of the orc field. She misses and stumbles. Elora snaps: “We saved you!” She is confused. “I don’t know who you are.” She swings again but misses.

Lux casts Dominate Person on the maroon magic user, but he saves. Lux infers these are wizards specialising in protection and wards. The maroon mage casts Wall of Force (5th level), but three of the magic users don’t make it behind it (Cream, Dark Green, Brown). This is when the polymorph on Guts drops.

Reaghl counterspells (4th level) as a reaction. The wall breaks. He looks at Battiatus and rushes towards him. Psionic strike — Nat 20! The silence of the crowd breaks and they cry “Rebelliatus!” His sword is raised above his head and Reaghl drives it straight into Battiatus’ skull. 32 damage. His body breaks apart to his sternum and smashes to the ground. The relief that courses through Reaghl is unbelievable. But the thought crosses his mind — why is this so inky? Arawn senses undead, not from anything in front of them but coming in waves from below the ground.

Reaghl turns to the Emperor. Shield bash — 15 slashing, 15 force damage. He smashes the shield into the side of his head, slicing through his ear and jamming into his skull. Blood rushes out — it looks normal. He turns to Madam Ava, slashing her across the face (6 damage). She drops and the crystal ball rolls into the arena. Reaghl orders the soldiers: “Engage the mages!”

A single white arrow with Pegasus feathers strikes the centre of the arena.

Guts holds a hulking mass of iron, seven feet long. To call it a sword is an insult — it is a siege weapon. Guts goes reckless and frenzies. Three swings at the white “black” guard, hitting the second time for 16 damage.

The brown mage jumps down into the hole at the back of the arena. The green magic user casts Banishment on Lux and Elora (saves of 18 and 23). They feel their bodies sucked out of the atmosphere before popping back.

The black guards scream: “You need to hand over the bag with the Shadow Stone. Where is the bag with the Shadow Stone!” All five guards sprint towards the Hydra. Someone screams “Dominate the hydra!” Opportunity attacks land as they pass, then they climb the Hydra. Blinding Smites cleave three heads from its body. Acid damage erupts — Arawn takes 24 acid damage.

The Hydra explodes outward with new heads — now seven total. The crowd and guards panic: “The world eater, the world eater!” When the world was created and the primordials and gods fought, the world eater came into the world, eating the sun and bringing destruction.

The Arrow Storm

Arrows fall into the arena. Screams ring out as people die. The guards swarm to the centre and hold shields aloft.

Everyone takes 74 piercing damage. Those under shields take 59. All the arrows have Pegasus feathers. One magic user dies. Everyone in the crowd is dead. There must be an army outside the arena. Other adventurers — including Nazir and the Unstoppables — are alive in the crowd and run to join the party.

Skulls form in the clouds. Ava’s sister looks at Elora, a light behind her eyes: “Are we going to die?”

Elora notices an area 80 feet up where the arrows deflect — it must be the magic user.

Arawn’s Golden Dragon

Arawn grabs a golden scale and lets loose a golden arrow into the sky. A streak of light flies up and forms the head of a golden dragon. Arawn’s arm extends into the light and the neck and head of a golden dragon morphs from him. The dragon looks around: “What would you have me do?” He breathes: “I smell it!” and launches skyward.

Arawn sees from the eastern side of the arena (towards Silverton) an army of around 2,000. A really good-looking Paladin on a Pegasus leads the charge — Clifton the Righteous. The statues of Titus and Petronius are animating and coming alive. The one with the globe starts bashing on the side of the arena. Above, Arawn smells the person who turned him into the dragon lich.

There is a cracking and everyone falls through the floor. Arawn sees dark energy spinning in the air where the arrows had deflected.

The Plane of Time — Lady Polaris

The party floats down into a room that looks like the internal workings of a clock. Lady Polaris is there and the golden eye is spinning. Guts’ sword transforms into a man.

Lady Polaris: “Please do not be alarmed. Are you okay?”

Reaghl: “I am alarmed.”

Guts: “Have you seen the shit that is happening up there?”

“I understand that this is confusing. You are on the Plane of Time. They don’t call this the Portal of Doors for nothing. I am happy to answer any questions. I’ve lived my life… my entire life for this.”

The room is clockwork mixed with stained glass windows. If you look long enough you can see imagery inside. She looks at Lux, sensing a magic user. “Trust me, no amount of logic can explain what I am about to tell you. This is the space between space. This is the time that every plane is subject to. Everything from here is a plus or a minus. I have been here for my entire eternity after my life but also it doesn’t feel that long.”

Elora asks: “Why are you here?” Reaghl: “Why are we here?”

“I trust Arawn is where he needs to be right now.” Reaghl: “That motherfucker is always absent.”

“And I suppose Kaial is where he needs to be as well. This moment is the end of all moments.”

She takes them through timelines she has been monitoring. For every one, there is a point where they all turn to darkness.

The Circle of Eight and Occhio Voir

Lady Polaris explains she is part of a circle of 8 wizards. She was banished to this realm after an event and other wizards have also been split away. She shows the party moments from all of their lives. Reaghl whines: “I was lonely…”

She explains: at the beginning of time, the primordials were shifted from this world. They created things that the gods played with, and some were banished to the far realm. One of the wizards she worked with created a life eternal — the first lich. His name is Occhio Voir (“I see”). A lich needs to feed itself with souls, and this one delved into the far realm and figured out a way to consume entire planets to feed itself.

She shows them visions where every timeline turns to black. “Occhio Voir is choosing to destroy life. From what I can see he is attempting to displace the God of Life, Ilmater, to destroy all life. Every timeline ends, but this one that you’re on pushes the furthest. I have lived my entire existence to pull you into this moment and help.”

There is a planet in the far realm created by the primordials that the gods liked. Occhio Voir has gone to the far realm as a lich, and the planet now consumes other planets.

She mentions other lost wizards — some of the party’s spells are named after them. Some wore protections so their souls would not be lost forever.

Lyra has a ring she believes contains a soul (Ring of Mind Shielding). In the Plane of Time, the person in the ring enters Lyra’s head — a wizard who was entering the Shadowfell to find the paladin who took the void spell. Her body was the ooze the party threw over a bridge. Lady Polaris takes the ring to communicate with her.

Mike Wyzowski (the spinning eye) heals each of them to full health. Lady Polaris took Guts out of his timeline as a baby and has been enhancing him to ensure he was ready for this moment. Reaghl interjects: “There are worse versions of you, Guts?”

She shows them Battiatus’ rage as Reaghl escaped and his desire to find something bigger to erase the memory. Occhio Voir arrived and tempted him. Bending his will to the creature caused the tainting of his body.

Lady Polaris notes that Occhio Voir is not a god. He can be killed. Holy water can protect a soul from necromancy and from leaving the body. Occhio Voir has used this to capture souls. He corrupted the mind of Lord Crewel, offering him a throne in the Shadowfell. In Highpoint he offered books of knowledge that people gladly accepted — anyone who read those books opened a gateway into the mind for OV. These were the books the party read in Highpoint. The attack on Silverton captured all souls of Silverton into the Void Stone in the bag of holding.

Reaghl asks if there is a way to release the souls from the stone. She doesn’t know — nothing has existed beyond this moment. Reaghl points out you can enter the stone like a labyrinth and potentially break it down.

The god of death could not be destroyed, so OV was attempting to collect souls from the afterlife realm. “When you go back, this is all I can do. All I can do is let you know what you are fighting for.”

Reaghl asks about the army. Clifton the Righteous is leading them. One of the stewards from Highpoint was corrupted by OV (the general of war) who captured Clifton and modified his memory with Geas.

The only way to kill an elder lich is to kill it inside a magic circle, and then when it comes back, kill it again. The serpent above is the World Serpent that ate the sun.

Kaial Returns

Kaial enters the room in tears. He embraces each of them. He explains that in Mount Celestia they are preparing for a war with the gods. “I have been watching you Elora, I have been watching you all. I can’t let you enter this challenge without all of the might of Nemesis. We are going to create the beginning of all lives everywhere.”

Guts mutters: “Who is pregnant?”

Occhio Voir travels in a big black pyramid — the same one Elora stubbed her toe on in the desert with the purple worm.

Kaial explains that when he tried to go back to his realm, he popped back into existence. He is wondering why when he was told “he’s home” he didn’t understand.

Lady Polaris embraces Guts. Reaghl gives Guts his Berserker Armour. He takes 7 of the other Gutses that Lady Polaris created to use in battle.

She compels Reaghl to use Kelemvor’s Bane. Lady Polaris says: “I don’t know what will happen after this, but I think this might be the last thing I ever do.”

Return to the Arena

There was a wheel in the room. Lady Polaris states: “You can’t go back in time, but you can slow it.” This gives the party rounds to prepare before the enemy can act. They roll for strength and get four rounds.

They fall back through the ground and land in place in the arena. Nazir wants to go to the planet the primordials created.

Round 3 — Occhio Voir Manifests

Arawn holds his action (grapple). Lyra holds hers, waiting for the blob to solidify. Kaial has Revivify on standby for Elora.

The black swirls coalesce into a ball of wispy tendrils. In its chest is a beak that reminds Arawn of an aberration. Thick muscular tendrils fly around the creature.

Lyra strikes at Occhio Voir with Green-Flame Blade — 35 damage. He immediately moves 60 feet away.

The arena floor erupts into inky darkness. Shadowfell material emerges. The dead bodies twitch as they are animated. A hand bursts out of the sand to grab Guts — natural 1.

The Gutses killed Nazir.

The two statues begin climbing into the arena.

Lux busts out his wings. He strikes out at the lich — 22 fire + 10 radiant damage. He flies away, keeping 35 feet of distance.

Sister drops into the Shadow, jumps back out terrified, and runs away.

A statue throws a spear at Guts — 33 damage (16 for Guts while raging). Second spear pierces Guts for 17 damage. Elora reaches to Ilmater to take the damage — normally 30 feet.

The Unstoppables launch into battle, moving quickly as a unit.

Guts and Reaghl dash towards the statues, launching themselves off the colosseum wall. Guts hits twice for 27 damage. Reaghl does 18 damage across two strikes plus 9 with his shield. The 7 Gutses deal 49 and 48 damage.

Elora jumps from the back of Vol, floating 200 feet in the air. She lands on the back of the Pegasus. Clifton the Righteous reacts, stunned: “What are you doing on my…?” She casts Remove Curse on the modified memory. “What is this, what has happened?” She points him towards the army of corpses. He lets out an extremely loud cry, pulls out a spear with a flag, and the army diverts — converging on the arena.

The Hydra starts ripping at the arena walls, climbing and biting into the sides.

Items & Loot

• Crystal Ball — dropped by Madam Ava when Reaghl struck her down (rolled into the arena)
• Void Stone — in the bag of holding (contains souls of Silverton)
• 7 Gutses — created by Lady Polaris, given to Guts for the battle

NPCs Encountered

• Lady Polaris — one of the Circle of Eight wizards, living on the Plane of Time, has been monitoring timelines and pulled the party to this moment
• Kaial — returned from Mount Celestia to rejoin Nemesis, in tears at their reunion
• Battiatus — killed by Reaghl’s Nat 20 psionic strike through the skull
• Emperor Petronius — smashed by Reaghl’s shield, blood looked normal
• Madam Ava — slashed by Reaghl, dropped
• Ava’s Sister — the guard from the orc field, memory modified, doesn’t recognise the party
• Clifton the Righteous — paladin on a Pegasus leading 2,000 troops, under modified memory/Geas, freed by Elora’s Remove Curse
• Nazir — arrived to help but killed by the 7 Gutses
• The Unstoppables — adventurer party who joined the fight
• Occhio Voir — the elder lich, first lich ever created, aberration parasite in his chest, consuming planets from the far realm
• Mike Wyzowski — the spinning golden eye, healed the party to full

Notable Quotes

• Reaghl, on the Plane of Time: “I am alarmed.”
• Guts: “Have you seen the shit that is happening up there?”
• Reaghl, on Arawn’s absence: “That motherfucker is always absent.”
• Reaghl, seeing his past: “I was lonely…“
• Reaghl, on Guts’ clones: “There are worse versions of you, Guts?”
• Guts, on Kaial’s speech about creation: “Who is pregnant?”
• Lady Polaris: “I don’t know what will happen after this, but I think this might be the last thing I ever do.”
• Clifton the Righteous, as Elora lands on his Pegasus: “What are you doing on my…?”