See [[City of Eyes]] for more information on the campaign. ## Elysium #### Hour 0 [[Krue d'Avenir|Krue]], [[Skoll de Marais|Skoll]], [[Nia Skultrac|Nia]], and [[Rudolph van Richten|Rictavio]] wake up in [[Cicero's Bar]] in the mostly monochrome city of [[Elysium]]. Even though none of them are familiar with Elysium or with how they got there, the party quickly gathers that they have found themselves in another [[Domains of Dread|Domain of Dread]]. The party attempts to get information out of the bartender, [[Cicero]]. They learn a few things: residents of Elysium trade in silver, not gold; it's always raining in Elysium; and the [[The Spider|Duchess]] might have work for them if they visit the [[Crooked House]]. Before the party departs, Cicero tells them that he needs basil for the house special. Outside, Skoll, Nia, Krue, and Rictavio are greeted by miserable weather: pounding rain, high winds, and thick fog. They also find that Elysium has electricity, which Skoll and Nia have not experienced before. Skoll attempts to control the weather. Although he successfully calms the wind slightly, it continues to rain, and Skoll is exhausted by the casting. They search for an inn, in the process avoiding a confrontation with a swarm of umbrellas with teeth. They eventually make it the [[Dancing Spider]] inn, where they are met by the [[The Proprietress|Proprietress]]. The Proprietress is rude to the party. Still, Skoll and Krue tip her. As a result, she allows them shelter, and the party investigates each of the three rooms that correspond with the three available room keys. The Proprietress also indicates to the party that they should be on the lookout for additional keys during their time in Elysium, as all of the other room keys have either been lost or stolen. The first key transports them to room 9, in which there are seven glowing rocks inscribed with runes. Each of the rocks have runes that correspond to the different schools of magic; the only school that is missing is divination. Also in room 9, the party finds a door to the [[Infinite Staircase]]. Put off by the strange sight, they decide to wait until later to investigate. Next, the party investigates room 7, finding a library full of divination spell books. They also find notes about eyes, many claiming that there is something horrible watching Elysium through reflective surfaces. Krue, Skoll, Nia, and Rictavio check various reflective surfaces. In [[Ewyn the Dancing Moonblade|Ewyn's]] reflection, Krue sees a strange, inky shadow which waves at her. Unknown to Krue and the others, the figure is [[The THING in the Mirror]], a being which threatens the existence of Elysium and everyone in it. Deciding to ignore the figure for the time being, the party investigates room 2, finding it full of spider eggs, research material on spiders, and with a scroll that claims the sky is a giant spider. Having investigated all the rooms accessible to them, the party rests. Skoll and Rictavio occupy room 9 while Krue and Nia occupy room 7. #### Hour 1 Skoll, Krue, Nia, and Rictavio hear a distant clock chime once as soon as they wake. Upon checking his pocket watch, Rictavio realizes that only an hour has passed since their arrival in Elysium, even though they took several hours to rest. With no leads on how to leave the city, the party heads for the Duchess at the Crooked House. Along the way, they avoid a swirling mass of elements and furniture by ducking into a side street; they then come across a merchant selling flatbread. The party abstains from buying anything due to their bad experience with [[Morgantha]] posing as a merchant in [[Barovia|Barovia]]. The party finds that – like the streets of Elysium – the rooms of the Crooked House are constantly shifting, likely due to the house and everything in it being a mimic. While exploring the house, the party meets [[Cheshire]], a cat with too many teeth, and [[Feste]], a banderhobb butler. They also find a long table with thirteen chairs – twelve of the chairs have patterns carved into them, with jubilant skeletons in the seats. The thirteenth chair is not occupied by a skeleton and has its pattern scratched out beyond recognition. The party finds their way to the Duchess's sitting room. The room is choked with dust, and it is difficult to see the Duchess's face beyond the veil she wears. With little preamble, the Duchess begins asking about the whereabouts of her supposed adopted daughter, [[Amelia Hawthorne]]. Krue is thrown off by the Duchess's theatrics, though she is unable to discern much of the truth – the only thing she can tell for certain is that the Duchess cannot get the party out of Elysium. The Duchess has one lead on Amelia: a note left by the woman. It's water-damaged and mentions an appointment by the lake, so the party leaves the Crooked House and heads for that direction. On the way to the lake, the party stumbles across the [[Changing Faces Press]], the building out of which Elysium's newspaper is produced. Outside, they meet [[Johannes]], one of the "skorrespondents" (skeleton correspondents) who works there. Johannes is reluctant to give them any information on Elysium, but the party finds it hard to blame him due to his limited autonomy as a raised undead. Inside the press, the party meets the non-skeletal boss, [[Rosa]]. Rosa also isn't helpful; the only thing she tells the party is that no one leaves Elysium. Arriving at the lake, the party sees something at its center: a large, complex machine atop an artificial island. The ferryman [[Foulsham]] informs them that the machine – which is made of counter-orbiting hoops inscribed with unfamiliar symbols – functions as a clock. Foulsham cuts a deal with the party, offering free passage across the lake if they agree to supervise his other passengers – a man named [[Mr. Fox]], an abyssal chicken, and a supposed bag of grain. Skoll and Krue both get the sense that Mr. Fox is rotting from the inside out; still, they have a pleasant conversation with him, learning that Elysium holds auctions with the change of every hour. The party manages to ensure successful passage for all. After dropping off the rest of his passengers, Foulsham takes the party to the center of the lake. There, the party meets [[The Spider|Damháin]], who claims to be a wizard from Greyhawk. Damháin also claims that he and the clock were cursed by a woman; when asked to describe the woman, Damháin describes her in the same way that the Duchess described Amelia. He gives two leads: the [[Phrenological Pharmacy]] and [[Sneerian's Bookstore]]. As with the Duchess, Krue has a difficult time picking the truth out of Damháin's words. Still, she is fairly convinced of one of his claims: when the clock strikes 13, Elysium will be gone. With the pressure of a time limit, the party decides to try to find Amelia despite having no plans to share her whereabouts with the Duchess or Damháin. The streets take them to Sneerian's Bookstore, where the party meets the dual personalities of the [[The Manager|Manager]] and the [[The Collector|Collector]]. The Manager informs the party that Amelia recently came by the bookstore in search of her lost journal. He agrees to let the party look for the journal as well. During the search, Rictavio finds a book on astrology that claims that the stars are alive and watching — as he is reading, the clock chimes twice, signaling the transition to Hour 2. #### Hour 2 Krue asks the Manager if anyone other than Amelia had been through recently. The Manager mentions a tall, stressed woman wearing a nice shirt. Krue begins to fear that [[Ezmerelda d'Avenir|Ezmerelda]] is also in Elysium. Using silver, the party buys Amelia's journal, a train ticket, and an unlabeled crate. After leaving the bookstore, the party examines the journal, which is filled with jumped, fervid scribbles and half-finished diagrams. Almost all of the text is illegible, with the exception of two entries: > I don't remember how we got here. Strange to think it was almost a week ago that we lost Alec and Andromeda. The rain is constant. Alec said it was magical, but he didn't know why. This place is cursed, and if we are to escape we must solve the mystery. > The sewers hold horrors I cannot describe to you in words that would be sufficient. The tunnels twist and turn, defying all logic and laws of nature. We were attacked by a creature which smelled of sulphur. It was masquerading as Andromeda, but I saw through the deception before it could strike. It paid dearly for that particular stunt. #### Hour 3 #### Hour 4 #### Hour 5 #### Hour 6 #### Hour 7 #### Hour 8 #### Hour 9 #### Hour 10 #### Hour 11 --- ## Page Tags/Properties **Tags:** #Timeline **Category:** [[Timelines.base|Timelines]] **Type:** Campaign **Campaign:** [[City of Eyes]]