Background#
This session continues the elaborate heist planned by Lady Corwin to steal 500,000 gold pieces from Vault 7 in High Forge. The party split into two teams: the Vault Team (Silas, Ohma, and Helisanna) who infiltrated the actual vault, and the Truck Team (Brew, Elspeth, and Olivia) who were tasked with extracting the vault team using a stolen Ford F-150 and explosives.
The Vault Team’s Discovery#
Ancient Draconic Tablets#
The vault team discovers three ancient marble tablets covered in draconic script beneath a tapestry depicting a map. When Silas examines them closely, the letters mysteriously transform into comprehensible text, and he hears an inner voice reading the tablets aloud.
The First Tablet reveals the origin story of a cosmic threat:
“When the star worm fell from the void between the worlds, the first dwarven kings captured a knot in the thread of reality in a crystal and shadow. Let none speak its true name, for names have power, and this one’s power would crack the world.”
The Second Tablet details the control mechanism:
“They who hold Rangoth hold the sphere of the chain. All who carry dragon’s blood must bow to its wielder. Beware, the consciousness of everything endures within.”
The Third Tablet provides the ritual requirements:
“When the sleeper wakes, the wielder of Reangoth will be tested. To reinforce the bindings, a ritual at Sony must be performed. Four perfect spheres of pure violescent spinning over seven circles of salt centered over a bowl of blood given freely. Then speak the name of the worm that lies in the threads of reality.”
Additional newer script on the third tablet warns:
“Rangoth was taken by thieves. Without the orb, when the dragon fully awakes, we are lost. The sleeper in the stars, the serpent of the world, the god, the dragon of everything. Astroeninoious. To live is to serve. To give is to thrive. To ignore is to suffer. To resist is to die.”
Captain Corwin’s Betrayal#
The vault team’s discovery is interrupted by the arrival of Captain Corwin, Lady Corwin’s cousin, who has been turned by the Iron Claws. Wearing an ironclaw badge, he stands between the party and the exit, backed by approaching guards.
Captain Corwin reveals the Iron Claws have made him a “generous offer” of gold and survival, and mentions they are “just about ready to summon the dragon of everything.” He’s particularly interested in the draconic tablets and what they say.
Intense Combat#
A fierce battle erupts in the vault:
- Silas attempts to position himself between Captain Corwin and the tablets while communicating the tablet information telepathically to his teammates
- Helisanna successfully casts Command, forcing Captain Corwin to drop the tablet he was holding
- Ohma attempts to destroy the tablets to prevent Captain Corwin from learning their secrets, dealing significant damage to one tablet
- Captain Corwin proves to be an extremely formidable opponent with high AC and devastating magical attacks, including fear effects and psychic damage
- The battle is complicated by the arrival of Iron Claw guards who can resurrect each other
The Truck Team’s Rube Goldberg Extraction#
Eight Hours of Preparation#
The truck team uses their eight-hour window to construct an elaborate Rube Goldberg machine in the sewers to detonate explosives and create an extraction point. The machine includes:
- A marble rolling down a track hitting a croquet mallet
- The mallet spinning to hit a softball on a larger track
- Water bottles filling cups as counterweights
- A marble race with side betting
- An upright piano playing ominous notes
- An anvil bouncing off a trampoline through a window
- Glass-breaking alarms releasing iron bars
- A balloon propelling through the air to hit targets
- Parachuting army men landing on slides
- Multiple nested cups (Russian doll style)
- Fireplace bellows powering a Hot Wheels car
- Dominoes leading to a matchbox striker lighting the fuse
All of this culminates in the Ford F-150’s trailer hitch knocking over the first domino to start the chain reaction.
The Explosion and Rescue#
The machine works perfectly, creating a massive explosion that opens a hole in the vault wall. The truck team rushes through the debris to find their teammates in the middle of intense combat.
The Final Battle#
Multiple Combat Fronts#
The session culminates in a complex multi-front battle:
- Captain Corwin proves nearly invincible with extremely high AC and powerful magical abilities
- Iron Claw guards with resurrection abilities create tactical challenges
- Silas suffers severe damage and goes unconscious, requiring healing from Ohma
- Helisanna uses crowd control magic to manage multiple enemies
- Elspeth and Olivia provide crucial support with high damage output
- Brew contributes with blinding effects and explosive support
Key Combat Moments#
- Silas lands a massive 52-damage critical hit against the paralyzed Captain Corwin
- Ohma successfully gives Silas a healing potion to revive him during combat
- Elspeth demonstrates impressive marksmanship with her magical firearms
- Helisanna successfully holds Captain Corwin with Hold Person
- The party coordinates well to handle both the primary threat and the resurrect guards
The Heist’s Success#
Securing the Loot#
Despite the complications, the heist succeeds:
- The party loads 500,000 gold pieces into the Ford F-150
- They acquire Captain Corwin’s magical sword (a black blade wreathed in dark smoke that calls to violence)
- Silas discovers valuable documents including:
- A deed to a house
- Records of all great dwarven houses and their locations
- Information about summer homes and familial wealth locations
- Details about tombs scattered throughout the countryside
The Escape#
The party makes their escape in the Ford F-150, complete with:
- A premium magnetic cover concealing the stolen gold
- Coca-Cola product placement as they bribe guards with ice-cold beverages
- A captured baby wormling (dragon-like creature) that Brew attempts to tame
- Post-heist ritual involving blindingly strong alcohol and dirt-eating tradition
Mysterious Encounters#
The Cabin in the Woods#
During their escape, the party encounters a mysterious cabin where they witness:
- A woman giving birth with a midwife’s assistance
- Initial confusion about whether this is their intended rendezvous point
- The Ford F-150 seeming to guide them to this location
- Multiple survival check failures leading them back to similar cabins
The Blackstone Summer Home#
The party eventually reaches what appears to be a Blackstone family summer home:
- Brew identifies it from stolen documents as belonging to a wealthy old-money dwarven family
- Olivia recognizes the Blackstones as having minor criminal records (DUIs)
- The party debates whether to rob the obviously wealthy family
- They observe a recent birth and family activity inside the well-appointed cabin
Session Themes and Impact#
Criminal Enterprise Success#
This session demonstrates the party’s evolution into a highly effective criminal organization:
- Complex multi-team coordination
- Innovative problem-solving (the Rube Goldberg machine)
- Successful completion of a major heist despite significant complications
- Acquisition of both material wealth and valuable intelligence
Cosmic Horror Elements#
The draconic tablets introduce major campaign implications:
- The existence of Astroeninoious, a cosmic dragon entity
- The Rangoth orb as a control mechanism for draconic beings
- The need for a specific ritual to reinforce bindings on cosmic threats
- Connections to Greyport and ancient dwarven sites
Character Development#
- Silas demonstrates his growing importance as the translator of ancient secrets
- Brew continues his evolution from chaotic inventor to criminal mastermind
- Elspeth and Olivia work well as the moral compass while still participating in necessary crimes
- Helisanna proves increasingly powerful in both social manipulation and combat
- Ohma shows tactical thinking and support capabilities
Ford F-150 Commentary#
The session includes extensive (and likely sponsored) commentary about the Ford F-150, with detailed descriptions of its features, capabilities, and the party’s appreciation for American truck engineering in their fantasy setting.
Looking Forward#
The session ends with the party having completed their first major heist successfully but facing new challenges:
- The need to understand and potentially use the draconic ritual information
- The question of what to do with their massive wealth
- The implications of Captain Corwin’s betrayal for Lady Corwin
- The mystery of the cosmic dragon threat
- Potential complications from their various criminal activities
This episode effectively balances elaborate heist mechanics with significant plot advancement, introducing cosmic-level threats while maintaining the party’s criminal enterprise focus.