ASE: Session Seven, Group A

Date: Lapin 10th-13th
Weather: Overcast, with drizzling rains later on

Party:
Cedar (Warrior / Beastmaster)
Celica (Necromancer / Skinshifter)
Cloud Nine (Invoker)
Firion (Warrior / Thought Noble)
Laguna (Elementalist / Healer)

Cohorts:
Raymond (Axebeak)
Rex (Wolf)
Zord (Zard)

Summary:
With research done on a previous day, the party starts to set up their trap for the man with no shadow. Celica starts to scout out an abandoned building with where they will lay the trap, Cedar starts to work on making sedatives to hopefully knock the murderer out, and Cloud Nine does more research on how to contain and banish shadows. Laguna is a bit nervous, deciding to leave the city for a little bit and go rumormongering in Chlemsfordshire. While the party deliberates on their next action, a new critter emerges to provide assistance.

A self-described himbo.

With Firion's help, they assemble the ritual components and the trap. Celica assumes the shape of a goblin merchant to trick the murderer into walking into the empty building they repurposed into a shop, but the man felt it too good to be true and kept walking. Cloud Nine still manages to lure in the shadow with the promise of blood, to which the party manages to trap the shadow in a well-lit room with very few shadows. The shadow feels like it's been lured into a trap, and gets very violent.

I originally drew this for a Shadow of the Demon Lord adventure parodying Garfield.

A scuffle ensues, the shadow flailing around and attempting to murder the party. The party manages to keep it away from Cloud Nine as she finishes the ritual, managing to banish the demon with the party sustaining only minor scratches. With the shadow removed, they chase down the murderer, finding him just in time about to murder Madame Verrona who had went out by herself, making poor decisions to head out without her guard due to sleep deprivation. While they fail to stop him in time, they manage to take the murderer out and revive her just in time.

Back at Verrona's manor, they receive the thanks of the noble lady, as well as an interesting trinket she meant to use against the shadow creature - a congealed paradox that can temporarily enforce the laws of mundanity in an area. Cloud Nine seems nervous about them, but the rest of the party takes them. Laguna comes back, giving news about all the adventurers heading into the mountain, the party deciding to head back to Chlemsfordshire, and the Anomalous Subsurface Environment.

Treasure:
-5000 silver
-3 strange bead-shaped objects called "Congealed Paradoxes"
-A favor from a minor noble

Rumors:
-Odd cultists are gathering in the nearby forest
-A hole has opened up in a large oak tree, with a lot of strange things within
-There's a strange bottle being sold with a sandy coastal beach trapped inside
-A few adventurers are planning on raiding a cloud giant's castle for treasure

Experience:
Aria (lv 3, 7 xp)
Cedar (lv 3, 9 xp)
Celica (lv 2, 4 xp)
Cloud Nine (lv 2, 3 xp)
Firion (lv 1, 1 xp)
Laguna (lv 3, 8 xp)

My Thoughts: I went pretty hard on the skill checks this session. I fear I might be leaning on them too much as a crutch. Regardless, the players all seemed to have a lot of fun solving the mystery.
I'm sprinkling around a few adventures I found or bought along the lands of Denethix. I enjoy adventures that are simply location-based adventures as it makes it easy to slot them in as side treks.