Tonight’s session was smooth and fun. I’d prepped the upper floors of the Vanthampur Villa expecting the party to take the front or rooftop approach, but true to form, they surprised me. They broke in through the stables and used the back entrance, bypassing the upper level entirely (for now). As per the module, hitting the underground dungeon triggered a level up mid session, which always feels a little odd, but hey, rules as written.
The early fights weren’t too challenging. They wiped out a few cultists and a spined devil with ease before facing the dungeon’s boss: Duke Thalamra Vanthampur (who was in the second room because, again, they entered through the secret dungeon exit). The fight was solid, mechanically a bit light, but the fun came from her Hellish Rebukes, which hit hard and really stole the spotlight. As she died she scowled “See you in hell,” and it felt like foreshadowing (because it is?). Thalamra’s stat block may not impress on paper, but her role in the narrative and the way she tied directly into the cult’s worship of Zariel made her a satisfying anchor for this dungeon.
Lore wise, this session hit big. Players uncovered a statue of angelic Zariel, prompting a deep dive into her history with the Hellriders. Reya’s story landed well, and the group got their first real taste of what this campaign is ultimately about. That momentum carried into Thalamra’s private chamber, where they found an obsidian altar to Zariel’s current, infernal form.
Post boss, the party disguised themselves as cultists and began exploring the dungeon backwards. The bard, using Disguise Self, impersonated the Duke convincingly enough to order a barracks of cultists to strip, oil themselves up, and light it all on fire. A few successful skill checks later, we ended with a circle of burned to a crisp cultists and two higher ranking fanatics left standing.
This group is starting to gel beautifully. The blend of crunchy D&D veterans and wide-eyed new players creates a dynamic where creative chaos gets full runway, but backed by mechanical savvy when needed. Best part? I feel great after this one. Smooth, satisfying, and just spicy enough to keep the momentum rolling.