Here’s a blank D&D session note page ready for you to use outlined according to Return of the Lazy Dungeon Master. Duplicate, date, and title the copy page for your new session.

Characters#

• Review the characters

Characters#

Strong Start#

Commune with the [[Arbiter]].

Scenes#

• Commune with the [[Arbiter]]
• Caught in the looping path
• Battling the basalisk

Secret and Clues#

Check off when revealed.

• The ruling family of the summer court has worshiped the Dusk Lord for generations
• The barrier has become very weak and teh othe realms are leaking through dramatically

Fantastic Locations#

• Build Fantastic [[Locations]]

Link to fantastic locations. Use the @ symbol to internally link to a Location page.

• Endlessly looping path in the forest
• Elara’s forge

NPCs#

• Review [[NPCs]]

NPC link. Use the @ symbol to internally link to an NPC page.

• [[Elara Sunforge]]
• [[Sylvia]]
• [[Blackbird]]

Monsters#

• https://slyflourish.com/5e_monsters/
• https://slyflourish.com/sf_patreon_files_898123050001223/fof_stats.html

Basilisk#

Medium Monstrosity, Unaligned

Armor Class 15 (natural armor)

Hit Points 65 (10d8 + 20)

Speed 30 ft.

Damage Immunities poison

Condition Immunities petrified, poisoned

Senses darkvision 60 ft., passive Perception 9

Languages —

Proficiency Bonus +2

Alchemical Ingredients.#

After the basilisk dies, a creature can make a DC 12 Wisdom (Medicine) check using an herbalism kit and the basilisk’s gullet, destroying the gullet in the process. On a success, the creature creates three doses of a salve. One dose of this salve can be applied to a petrified creature as an action, and 1 minute after the salve is applied, the petrified condition ends for that creature.

Toxic Ichor.#

A creature who deals piercing or slashing damage to the basilisk while within 5 feet of them takes 2 (1d4) poison damage.

Actions#

Multiattack.#

The basilisk uses Petrifying Eye Beams and makes one Bite attack or uses Poison Fumes, if available.

Bite.#

Melee Weapon Attack: +5 to hit, reach 5 ft., one target. Hit: 6 (1d6 + 3) piercing damage plus 5 (2d4) poison damage.

Petrifying Eye Beams.#

The basilisk targets one or two creatures they can see within 30 feet of them. Each target must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be restrained as they magically begin to turn to stone. Until the end of the restrained creature’s next turn, they or an ally within 5 feet of them can use an action to cut the encroaching stone from the restrained creature’s body using a weapon that deals slashing damage. When they do, the restrained creature takes 13 (2d12) slashing damage, which can’t be reduced in any way, and they are no longer restrained.

A creature restrained in this way must repeat the saving throw at the end of their turn. On a successful save, the effect ends. On a failed save, this creature is petrified until freed by a cure ailment power of 4th order or higher, a greater restoration spell, or a similar supernatural effect.

Poison Fumes (Recharge 4–6).#

The basilisk exhales poisonous fumes in a 15-foot cone. Each creature in this area must make a DC 12 Constitution saving throw, taking 10 (4d4) poison damage on a failed save, or half as much damage on a successful one.

Reactions#

Poison Splash.#

When the basilisk takes piercing or slashing damage, their wound spews poison. Each creature within 10 feet of the basilisk must succeed on a DC 12 Constitution saving throw or be poisoned for 1 minute (save ends at end of turn).

Deadly Encounter Benchmark#

Calculate the deadly encounter benchmark by adding together all character levels and dividing by 2 if they’re 5th level or above or divide by 4 if they’re 1st to 4th level. An encounter may be deadly if the sum total of monster challenge ratings is greater than half the sum total of character levels or one quarter of character levels if the characters are 4th level or below.

Treasure#

• Donjon Random Treasure Generator

Scratchpad#

Jot down notes during your game. Use it for a text-based combat tracker or anything else. Copy and paste from here into Discord for example. Here’s more on playing D&D and Discord and a Markdown-based battle map.

Caught in a looping path#

Description Ideas:#

1. Familiar Landmarks with Minor Changes:
   As the party walks, describe a large, distinctive oak tree with twisting roots they pass. A little while later, describe a very similar oak tree, but with subtle differences—a slight shift in the way the roots wind or the moss growing on it in an unusual pattern.
   • “Ahead, you see a massive oak tree, its roots curling over the path like tendrils. A faint, familiar feeling washes over you—perhaps you’ve passed a tree like this before. Or maybe this one?”
2. Sound of Echoing Footsteps:
   As they move forward, let them hear their own footsteps echo strangely, or the faint sound of their past footsteps repeating behind them.
   • “Your boots crunch against the fallen leaves, but after a few moments, you hear a faint echo of footsteps—your own, perhaps, though it seems to come from behind you, where none should be.”
3. Repetitive Wildlife:
   Introduce an animal—like a brightly colored bird or a small fox—early on in the description of the forest. Then, as they continue walking, describe the same animal again in a slightly different position or behavior.
   • “A fox with a silver-tipped tail darts across the path and vanishes into the brush. A few minutes later, another fox—silver-tipped tail and all—appears, running in the same direction. The deja vu is palpable.”
4. Shifting Time of Day:
   The sunlight through the trees might shift in an unusual pattern. At one moment, the sun may hang low in the sky as if it’s evening, only for the light to shift back to bright midday after the party walks a few steps further.
   • “As you follow the winding path, the golden light of the setting sun filters through the trees. But as you continue, the sun seems to rise again, higher in the sky, casting long morning shadows. Something doesn’t feel right, but it’s hard to say what.”
5. Recurring Symbols or Runes:
   Small, seemingly inconsequential markings (perhaps old fey runes, symbols of the seasons, or the Cult of the Eclipse) might appear on rocks or trees. After some time, the party notices the same runes reappearing, or they see the markings growing stronger as if urging them to realize the loop.
   • “You notice a faint marking on the bark of a tree—a spiral-like rune etched into the wood. The same rune, or one very much like it, appears again several minutes later, though it looks slightly deeper, almost glowing.”
6. Sudden Cold or Warmth:
   The party might notice temperature changes that seem familiar, as if they experienced them earlier. The air might grow warm and then cold again in the same fashion, suggesting they are moving through the same space over and over.
   • “The air grows noticeably warmer as you continue, a pleasant breeze accompanying the temperature shift. But moments later, the warmth returns, as if you’ve stepped into the same patch of sunlight once more.”

Hints without Revealing the Loop:#

• You can drop subtle comments from NPCs or members of the party who may be more perceptive (like the rogue or ranger) about the strange feeling of retracing steps:
  • “I could swear we’ve passed that boulder before… but then again, every rock here looks alike.”
• Let the party make small marks on trees or the ground (if they choose) and then later realize that the marks seem to disappear or return to the same spot.

Build the Tension:#

If the party begins to suspect something is wrong, they may start trying different tactics to break the loop—like turning around, splitting up, or using spells to track their path. You can intensify the situation by making small changes each time they go through the loop:

• Colors fading: Each time they loop, colors in the forest grow more muted or desaturated, as though reality itself is breaking down.
  • “The vibrant greens and golds of the forest begin to dull, almost as if a shadow is being cast over the world itself.”
• Voices from Another Time: The party might begin to hear voices or whispers of their past selves, creating an eerie, unsettling atmosphere.

Breaking the Loop:#

Eventually, they will need to discover how to break free—perhaps by recognizing a specific environmental change or performing an action that stops the magical effect (e.g., a specific phrase tied to the fey or a seasonal aspect of the forest, like touching a tree in a certain way or offering something of value to the forest spirits).

If they cannot figure it out on their own, small hints could come through investigation or magic (like Detect Magic or Arcana checks), revealing the leyline instability is warping time and space around them.

These techniques allow you to build a sense of unease and mystery without directly telling the party they’re trapped in a loop. They’ll gradually piece things together through the repetition of familiar sights and sounds until they realize they must take action to break free.

Weakening Barrier Encounters#

Session Notes#

• Contacted Arbiter; got advice to cleanse crystal, which Shad did with dispel magic late in the afternoon.
  • tried to repair the broken runes in the leyline magic circle w/candle wax, which did not work
• Shad used contact other plane to talk to Alora’s mother (Maria)
  • “are we equipped to fix the crystal?” - NO
  • “is summer court equipped to fix the crystal or the runes?” - NO
  • “does the chained library have the answers to help us?” - YES
  • “does winter have knowledge of chained library?” - NO
  • “does the center of the elven territory hold answers for us?” - YES
• Stored the leyline crystal in the pocket dimension
• Terry = petrified squirel; Bob = his friend who told Slumpet about the Basalisk
• Party caught in a loop
• Met [[Blackbird]] - demonic/fey creature
  • offered to help get an item for them to help escape the loop.
  • amulet the played music that let them find the way out of the loop
  • didn’t want payment, but signed a binding contract with Toby instead. For three nights, she must pay for everyone’s drinks at any tavern they visit. Otherwise, Blackbird’s Geas will harm her (psychic damage)