Session Overview#
The party returns to Toonlock’s realm with all three required items (the mask, priest’s stole, and mystical dagger) to help him sever his connection to the astral tree and escape Crowley’s assault. What follows is a series of intense battles and a climactic confrontation with Crowley himself.
Opening Recap and Ogre Guardian Battle#
The session begins with a recap of the party’s journey through The Hollow swamp, including their passage through magical fog, cliff climbing, spider encounters, and bridge crossing. As they approached the Wichita Sisters’ cave, they discovered what appeared to be a moss-covered boulder was actually a massive ogre-like creature (similar to a Hinox from Breath of the Wild) that served as the cave’s guardian.
Combat: The Cave Guardian#
The massive creature, wielding an uprooted tree as a club, engaged the party in brutal combat:
Opening Moves:
- Jasper charges in with his greatsword, dealing solid damage while invoking Eldora’s name
- Red casts Spirit Guardians, surrounding himself with spectral Goliath warriors
- Elspeth opens fire with her magical gun, dealing consistent damage
Tactical Highlights:
- Helisanna successfully casts Tasha’s Hideous Laughter, incapacitating the ogre for a crucial turn
- Silas struggles with his attacks but eventually lands significant hits
- Bru deploys his Eldritch Cannon and uses Faerie Fire, outlining the creature in blue light for advantage
Devastating Counterattack: The ogre performs a massive tree swing that catches multiple party members, dealing 25 damage to those who fail their strength saves and knocking Red prone.
Final Assault:
- Olivia delivers a spectacular finishing blow, dealing 51 damage with a critical hit enhanced by Divine Smite
- She describes cutting the ogre’s legs out from under him, then repeatedly smashing his head with a goblin skull while using her battle axe
Post-Combat and Loot#
After defeating the guardian, the party takes trophies:
- Elspeth carves off ogre ivory (teeth/bone) for crafting purposes
- Red demonstrates his new Returning weapon enchantment on his tomahawk
- Bru provides everyone with temporary hit points using his cannon’s protective mode
Return to Toonlock’s Realm#
Arriving back at Toonlock’s realm, the party finds it under heavy assault and barely holding together. The walls are destroyed, facilities smashed, and skeleton minions running in panic.
Combat: Tweedledee and Tweedledum#
Two massive (15-foot tall) humanoid creatures resembling Tweedledee and Tweedledum in schoolboy caps and red overalls attack the party:
Enemy Abilities:
- Bite attacks that deal both physical and psychic damage with nightmare imagery
- Powerful punches that knock targets prone
- Coordinated assault on the front-line fighters
Party Performance:
- Helisanna attempts Command but fails against their wisdom saves
- Silas flanks effectively, dealing 28 damage with sneak attacks and precision strikes
- Red supports with Emboldening Bond and Spiritual Weapon
- Jasper rages and delivers consistent greatsword damage
- Olivia devastates one creature with 49 damage using Divine Smite and weapon mastery
- Bru provides artillery support with his Force Ballista and Firebolt
- Elspeth and BoxBox coordinate to deliver the killing blow on the second creature
Joel’s Dramatic Rescue#
As the caterpillar creature (from previous encounters) looms over the party with a cigarette holder weapon, it suddenly freezes in pain. Joel explodes out of the creature’s stomach in a spectacular display, calmly retrieving his cowboy hat and holstering his gun before stumbling slightly and ruining the cool moment.
Joel appears exhausted from non-stop fighting but warns the party that Crowley is approaching and they need to get to Toonlock immediately.
Crowley’s Intimidation#
As the party rushes toward Toonlock’s sanctum, Crowley appears, walking calmly with his hands behind his back. His unnervingly familiar whistle pierces the air as Joel desperately tries to hold him off, urging the party to run.
The Ritual Chamber#
Inside Toonlock’s sanctum, the party finds the fox-like being emaciated and sitting in a lotus pose within a magical sigil. He explains they must work quickly as he can only suppress Crowley temporarily.
The Severance Ritual#
Toonlock begins the dangerous ritual to sever his realm from the astral tree:
- He dons the mask (like Daredevil’s first season hood)
- Wraps the priest’s stole around his shoulders
- Takes the mystical dagger in hand
The scene swirls into mist, transporting them inside the astral tree itself, where Toonlock must sacrifice part of himself to complete the separation.
Combat: The Tree’s Guardian#
As Toonlock begins drawing magical sigils, the astral tree fights back, manifesting a massive humanoid shape made of vines and bark that screams its defiance.
Enemy Characteristics:
- Oak tree-sized manifestation with devastating attacks
- Life-draining roots that attempt to burrow into party members
- Massive reach allowing it to attack multiple targets
Tactical Combat:
- Silas demonstrates exceptional skill with 43 damage from a critical sneak attack
- Olivia uses Shining Smite to give the entire party advantage on all attacks
- Helisanna uses Dissonant Whispers to force the creature to move and provoke opportunity attacks
- Red supports with Spiritual Weapon and healing while maintaining Emboldening Bond
- Jasper adapts to ranged combat when the creature moves away
- Bru deals consistent damage with Force Ballista and Catapult
- Elspeth lands a critical hit for 25 damage with her magical gun
Finishing Move: Red delivers the killing blow with his Returning Tomahawk, describing a slow-motion throw that wedges into the creature before exploding with magical force.
Crowley’s Final Threat#
Just as Toonlock is about to complete the ritual, time freezes around everyone. Crowley appears telepathically, making his final offer and threat:
The Ultimatum#
Crowley reveals he thought their involvement was finished and offers them one last chance to stop Toonlock and “earn his forgetfulness.” When the party refuses:
Threats and Revelations:
- He has captured Caspian and is holding her in his realm
- He knows all their names, including Red ’s true name (Thurnok)
- He makes it clear this is personal now that they’ve interfered with his plans
Character Interactions:
- Olivia insists on “Retired Detective Olivia Cooper” rather than first names
- Silas refuses to engage in conversation due to Crowley’s “creepy voice”
- Helisanna points out his poor definition of “friend”
- Bru notes that Crowley knew his name without being told
Ritual Completion#
After Crowley vanishes, Toonlock completes the ritual by:
- Cutting off his own hand with the dagger
- Using his blood to complete the magical sigil
- Successfully severing his realm from the astral tree
Resolution and Rewards#
Back in Toonlock’s damaged stronghold, the grateful host provides rewards for the party’s service:
Joel’s “Reward”#
Joel gives each party member an autographed headshot of himself, which the party receives with varying degrees of enthusiasm and confusion.
Toonlock’s True Gift#
Toonlock grants each party member the Fey-Touched feat, manifesting as fox tattoos on their shoulder blades. This powerful boon provides:
- +1 to Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma (player’s choice)
- Misty Step spell once per day
- One level 1 Divination or Enchantment spell once per day
Silas immediately chooses Comprehend Languages as his additional spell, demonstrating strategic thinking for future adventures.
Session Themes and Development#
Escalating Threats#
The session effectively escalates tension from environmental challenges through increasingly dangerous combat encounters to cosmic-level threats, culminating in Crowley’s personal vendetta against the party.
Character Growth#
Each party member demonstrates their evolving abilities and personalities:
- Olivia ’s devastating paladin abilities and professional demeanor
- Silas ’s precision combat and strategic thinking
- Red ’s growing confidence with divine magic and weapon skills
- Helisanna ’s tactical spellcasting and performance abilities
- Bru ’s artillery expertise and creative problem-solving
- Elspeth ’s consistent damage output and mechanical reliability
Moral Complexity#
The party’s decision to help Toonlock despite Crowley’s threats shows their commitment to protecting innocent beings, even when it puts them in personal danger.
Ongoing Plot Threads#
- Crowley’s Vendetta: The fae entity now considers the party personal enemies and has their true names
- Caspian’s Capture: The winter goddess’s assistant needs rescue from Crowley’s realm
- Joel’s Knowledge: The cowboy has information about Crowley that could prove crucial
- Astral Tree Access: The party’s connection to the astral tree provides ongoing adventure opportunities
- Power Growth: The Fey-Touched feat represents significant character advancement
Session Conclusion#
This interlude successfully concludes the Toonlock rescue arc while setting up future conflicts with Crowley. The combination of intense combat encounters, character development, and cosmic-level stakes creates a satisfying conclusion that opens new narrative possibilities.
The Fey-Touched feat represents not just mechanical advancement but story recognition of the party’s heroic actions and their growing connection to otherworldly powers. The session ends with the promise of future adventures as different party members prepare to take turns as DM, using the astral tree as a gateway to infinite possibilities.
The successful completion of this mission demonstrates the party’s evolution from local troublemakers to cosmic heroes capable of influencing conflicts between powerful otherworldly beings, while Crowley’s personal interest in them ensures future adventures will have appropriately high stakes.