Dawnspire Session 5 Recap - In Memoriam: Smokehole

Eleven adventurers. Three quests. One sacrifice.

As whispers of darkness grow louder and distant fires crackle on the horizon, three parties answered Dawnspire’s call. Their paths diverged, but their mission was the same: hold the line, uncover the truth, and protect the fragile stability they’ve helped build.

Below is the updated map discovered at the end of Session 5.

🪨 Party One: The March of Giants

News spread fast: a warband of hill giants, enraged by a poisoned river and vanishing game, had begun marching toward Dawnspire. With clever words and divine theatrics, the adventurers tricked the giants into believing they spoke with the voice of a god, even winning over one of their number in a trial of strength.

Their journey took a darker turn when they confronted a Thornhaven warlock and her grotesque zombie clots. Gilberto narrowly escaped death, while Kib unleashed divine fury that scattered the undead horrors.

Returning triumphant—with the warlock’s skull as proof—they secured peace between the giants and Dawnspire. As thanks, the giant chieftain offered a rare boon:

A one-time staff capable of summoning all fourteen hill giants to fight for the city in its hour of need.

🌿 Party Two: The Recursion Unravels

After coordinating with Captain Hargrave and the Academy of Duskwind, this group tracked Tessa Vale and the Green Haven Trust to a remote eastern encampment.

With cunning preparation—including a keg of gunpowder purchased from the dock wardens—they laid a deadly trap in the woods. As Thessa performed a ritual, the party launched a daring assault. Mid-battle, the cultists rushed to aid their leader—only to trigger the trap and be annihilated.

Tessa was defeated in the fight, and the last two cult champions were taken down after a brutal skirmish that left several adventurers incapacitated.

Their reward: a cache of Healing Potions and a 4,000gp bounty from Captain Hargrave. But whatever Tessa was trying to complete... is not yet fully understood.

🪶 Party Three: Eyes in the Dark, Wings in the Night

This party set out north of Edgemoor to end the terror of an Abominable Yeti. After a brutal battle, they prevailed—only to uncover a greater threat: a Roc had driven the Yeti from its home.

Their hunt led them to the ruined Shrine of the Sky-Crown, high in the mountains. As night fell, they attempted to loot the Roc’s nest—but a misstep woke the beast. In the chaos, the fighter and ranger escaped, but the monk known as Smokehole was caught and torn apart by the Roc midair.

They returned to Dawnspire carrying powerful artifacts—a Cloak of the Bat, a Driftglobe, a Potion of Heroism, and more. But the Smokehole’s Amulet of Health remains lost in the Roc’s lair. The shrine is now feared as one of the most dangerous places in the realm.

⚖️ Session Outcome

+8 Stability Points (Total: 27/50) — progress and unity continue to grow as the adventures continue to prove their teamwork, resiliency, and mastery.
+2 Doom Points (Total: 7/15) — the enemy adapts and watches from the shadows.

All players advance to Level 7.

🕯️ In Memoriam: Smokehole, Monk of Malodorous Might

“He never wore shoes. And somehow, we loved him for it.”

Smokehole, the brass-toe-knuckled wood elf monk, smelled like a bog and hit like a battering ram. His feet may have been illegal in most polite company, but his heart was undeniably brave. A mischief-maker, a rule-breaker, and a relentless punch-thrower, Smokehole never did anything halfway—including dying for his friends.

In his final moments, facing down a Roc that would have torn his companions apart, he leapt into fate with the same grimy grin and toxic toes we all knew too well. His sacrifice will not be forgotten.

May he rest barefoot in peace.

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