Thirty Second Session - Enter Sandman

Five days into the desert journey, the Keepers and the caravan reach a higher, rockier area of the desert at around dawn. They are hopefully now safe from worms, and there is no sign of the Crown's Eyes overhead (for now). Passing through a massive, jagged canyon, they all reach an oasis where they can camp in shade for the day and refill water at a well.

After Fin sets up camp, Max talks to Ishaq about Keeper-Druid relations, concerned that Ishaq's orb-related desires may lead to conflict. Ishaq assures him that he won't do anything to threaten their cohesion, especially in the middle of the desert, and indicates a desire to get back toward the coast and Raith after the business at Azkaresh. Unusually, Max trusts his words at face value.

This camp is much more comfortable and more lively than any they've had in the desert so far, but the party and caravan are still plagued by nightmares throughout their sleep. By the time they're ready to move on, Fin and Markoris are both Exhausted and will be at disadvantage on their ability checks until they get a Long Rest. All the NPCs are in a similar state.

Max raises the issue that everyone is being affected by something, and History checks are rolled. Ishaq gets a sense that there are places that can influence dreams- cursed places, or places inhabited by cursed entities. Donna confirms this well wasn't cursed the last few times she was around. Celia casts Detect Magic, but gets nothing - whatever's causing this isn't inside her range. With no better ideas, the party and caravan moves forth, hoping to get away from the dark influence. Ishaq uses his Inspiring Leader feat to boost HP for everyone except Alice and Kiwi.

Marching order:

Ishaq, Alana Max Celia, Kiwi

CARAVAN

Alice, Raul, Markoris, Fishboy

Alice invites an exhausted Markoris to ride on her magical horse (who is named Spiro), but when he declines Fin gets to ride instead. Max, paranoid, has a javelin equipped and at the ready.

The group reaches a dead end in the canyon, blocked by a massive rockslide from a toppled stone pillar. Four tunnel entrances are visible in the cliffs to the sides. While the rockslide seems natural, Max is still wary of an ambush. Alana turns into a hawk and flies upward to search for a way around, but sees nothing. Consulting with Donna, Ishaq confirms this path was clear as of the caravan's last trip through the desert, about two months ago.

With no other apparent option, Ishaq proposes going into the tunnels. Reluctantly, Max picks the top-right tunnel, which is the widest and best-suited to admit the caravan's animals. The party moves in single file, stealthily:

Alice Max Alana Celia Markoris Ishaq Fishboy and all the NPCs are in the rear, plus Alice's magic horse

Encountering a small crevice offshoot from the main path, Alana and Alice break off from the main group to check it out. Alice's Divine Sense detects nothing, but she does hear an ominous clicking noise. She and Alana choose to go back and block off the crevice, and as they do, they hear something slithering toward them- as they exit, they behold a hideous beaked serpentine thing with mouth tentacles.

They call for the crevice to be blocked off. Alana casts Water Sphere over the opening, restraining the creature in water. Max tries and fails to close the crevice with his crowbar, while Alice stops Ishaq from inadvertently collapsing the whole tunnel on them with his magic. Alana then charms the beast, which will be friendly for the next hour. Ishaq recognizes the creature as a Grick, a predator with a fondness for shiny things. Alana offers it a gold piece and rolls Animal Handling to persuade it to go away. Max uses his caltrops to booby-trap the crevice behind it, just in case.

With that taken care of, Alice leads the party forward on the main path, only for it to terminate in a dead-end cavern. At this point, Alice's horse telepathically warns her that the caravan is starting to fall asleep. Hurrying back to the main canyon, they find all the NPCs asleep- even Spiro.

They rouse the horse and the other caravan members, and no one remembers anything except that they experienced even worse night terrors in their brief sleep than when they camped at the well. Max gets a glimpse of a black-robed figure disappearing into the tunnel across the canyon, and points it out. Moving closer, Alice uses Divine Sense again, but perceives nothing. Max suggests collapsing the tunnel behind the figure, but Ishaq points out this would trap them if that tunnel is the exit, and insists they follow and confront the figure. With that, he leads the party into the cave.

Advancing cautiously, Max finds no traps inside the tunnel. Alice sees TWO black-cloaked figures stepping away in front of them. The group follows in single file, leaving Kiwi to guard the caravan behind them:

Alice Ishaq Alana Max Celia Markoris Fishboy Raul

The tunnel branches, and the party follows the path that has a glimmer of light visible in it. They reach a much larger cavern, lit by a single torch on the far side. The two Organization XIII cosplayers are facing each other, speaking in an unrecovnized language.

Alice, Max and Ishaq enter the cavern while the rest of the group holds back in the tunnel. As Alice greets them in Common, then Elvish, they remove their hoods, revealing identical-looking humanoid girls- slightly malformed, as though humanoid features were being imitated somehow.

'We speak the Common. Sleep, you need your rest.' Despite being addressed by the party in multiple languages (including Infernal and Primordial), this is the only message they give in return. An exit is visible past them, and Ishaq tries to convince them to let the party pass peacefully, but the only response is 'sleep, you need your rest.'

And then it's time to ROLL INITIATIVE !

ROUND 1


 * 1) The girls (A and B) - A casts Sleep. Max, Alana, Celia, and Fin are all asleep. B moves closer, casts Invisibility on herself. Only the three elves/half-elves and Raul are still awake.


 * 1) Celia - zzzzzzz


 * 1) Raul - shakes Fin awake, holds arrow attack


 * 1) Alana - zzzzzz


 * 1) Fishboy - gets up, wakes Celia, moves into the cavern, bumps into invisible B, attacks at disadvantage,  both attacks miss


 * 1) Ishaq - sees Fin attacking something, casts Level 4 Fireball nearby, 41 damage to B, 20 damage to A, then Metamagic's a second Fireball spell for 30 more damage to both of them


 * 1) Alice - wakes Max, moves to join Fin, holds an attack for seeing B


 * 1) Markoris - enters cavern, wakes Alana, bow attack on A, misses


 * 1) Max - Gets up, moves closer, uses his sling to throw flammable oil on A

ROUND 2


 * 1) The girls - B reappears, looking pissed, and casts a cone-effect Psychic attack. Raul and Fin take 9 damage, Markoris takes 4 damage, 18 damage to Celia and Ishaq. A runs *much* too fast into melee with Max, and the Disguise Self spell drops, revealing a HIDEOUS OCTOPUS-FACED HUMANOID, a homebrewed  Mind Flayer variant. A takes two tentacle attacks on Max, then another Legendary attack for good measure, but they can't penetrate his defense, only succeeding with its final Legendary action dealing 14 damage to Max. B uses a Legendary action to attack Alice, and scores a critical hit, while Alice's held attack misses. Both Alice and Max are Grappled and Stunned.


 * 1) Celia - moves within 30 ft, casts Bane, A fails, now rolling -1d4 to all their attacks and saving throws


 * 1) Raul - moves next to Ishaq, fires on B, 18 damage


 * 1) Alana - gets up, and casts Mirror Image on herself - three illusory duplicates of herself appear


 * 1) Fishboy - enters a Rage, makes 2 reckless attacks, 18 damage to B


 * 1) Ishaq - 3rd level Magic Missile at B, 12 damage, Sorcery Point to 3rd level Magic Missile at B again, 14 damage. B looks pretty hurt.


 * 1) Alice - gurgles


 * 1) Markoris - bow attack at A, 6 damage


 * 1) Max - gurgles

ROUND 3


 * 1) The DREAM DEVOURERS - Both cast Living Nightmare on Max and Alice, sticking their tentacles into their heads. Celia's Bane on A saves Max from taking damage. Alice takes 60 damage, goes unconscious and then DISAPPEARS. This attack appears to have used up their Legendary Actions for this Round.


 * 1) Celia - casts Toll the Dead on B, who is unaffected.


 * 1) Raul - attacks B again, 30 points of damage, B IS DEAD. But where it was, a strange purple-black rift in space remains. A looks pissed.


 * 1) Alana - casts Locate Object on Alice's sword, trying to find out what happened to her. The spell fails because Alice isn't on this plane, which Alana informs everyone of!


 * 1) Fishboy - Pulls Max out of grapple with A, takes flanking position on Max and A


 * 1) Ishaq  - moves to G3, casts Agonizing Scorcher on A, but the fucking thing can Counterspell! The spell fizzles, and Ishaq is out of level 3 spells! Ishaq moves again, between Markoris and Celia


 * 1) Alice - no turn, but she doesn't have to do death saving throws at least!


 * 1) Markoris - incredibly pissed, moves closer and attacks A, misses


 * 1) Max - switches to Mace weapon and attacks, crits for 13 damage, then backs away. A still looks healthy!

ROUND 4


 * 1) The Dream Devourer - casts Dimension Door, disappears

WE LEAVE OFF FOR NEXT SESSION ON A CLIFFHANGER - Alice is gone, no one knows where the rift leads the caravan is defenseless aside from Kiwi, the party is banged up, and one of those things is still out there.