Session 7 of “The Sunless Citadel” begins with the adventurers having taken a long rest and leveled up. They decide to explore the northern room, which contains a variety of sickly-looking plants.
Next, they check an unlocked door leading east. This opens into a domed chamber with dragging carved granite blocks, a huge marble statue of a rearing red dragon with glowing red eye sockets, a five-foot diameter circular tile of dark stone with runes carved in Draconic, and an inky shadow behind the dragon. Casting dancing lights behind the statue reveals nothing hidden.
They decipher the Draconic runes on the tile, which say “let the sorceress power illuminate my spirit”. Nettleack (presumably a sorcerer) steps onto the red tile and recites the phrase. Puffs of spectral flame erupt from the tile, harmlessly engulfing Nettleack and granting them advantage on Charisma checks for the next 24 hours.
After this, the shadow on the wall begins to move towards Nettleack, initiating combat. Initiative is rolled. Navin uses their dread ambusher to attack the shadow, which drains four points of Nettleack's strength. Anna attempts to flank the shadow, and Turkey (Murky) uses sacred flame, causing the shadow to dissolve.
Tempest searches behind the dragon statue and discovers a loose stone, revealing a small alcove containing 34 gold pieces and two flasks of alchemist's fire.
The party then moves to the north door, which is unlocked. Opening it reveals a chamber filled with leaning and falling stone bookshelves, with torn and burnt pages, bindings, and scrolls scattered around.
Tempest investigates another unlocked door, hearing no sounds. Opening this door reveals damp and crumbled steps descending sharply, with a safety railing. They descend, passing under the Garden Room. Navin spots stairs leading up to a hallway that turns south, but they hear and see nothing. The corridor continues south, leading to two locked doors in the eastern wall.
After failing to pick the lock on one door, they hear goblins talking behind the second door. Anna successfully unlocks this door, revealing a room with a layer of soil, rough wooden shelves filled with tomes and scrolls, a rough-hewn desk, luminescent fungus providing light, and several small bushes and pale saplings growing in the soil. These plants are identified as not being twig blights.
Tempest checks another unlocked door and hears the same goblin voices. The party searches the room and finds seasonal records of growth, precipitation, and harvest for the surrounding land over the past twelve years. They also discover an exquisitely bound tome titled “Treasures of the Fire Lord”, which might contain magical information.
As they discuss a flanking maneuver, Turkey detects magic emanating from the book. Upon opening the book to page two, a glyph of warding explodes, inflicting cold damage on the party. Words written in Draconic appear on the page, and Damon takes possession of the book. The magical explosion causes the goblins in the other room to yell.
While this is happening, Nettleack searches the room and finds a scroll of entangle, a scroll of protection from poison, a tome on erratic theories on the cycle of life and death, 365 gold pieces, and four agate gems.
The goblins' shouting intensifies, and Tempest opens the goblin door, preparing to attack. Initiative is rolled. The goblins are described, and Navin is positioned in the hall. Combat ensues, with Tempest attacking first. More combat actions are described involving Navin, Shannon, and Turkey. The goblins cry out for aid to the “protector of the Twilight Grove”. Tempest continues their attacks. The goblins in this area seem less resilient than previous ones. Navin takes their turn, and Shannon enters the room.
The room is described as having twigs and roots piled on the floor, a collapsed southern wall, luminescent fungus, and the Twilight Grove with stickley briars, bushes, saplings, runt walls, and hollow towers. Little Akai defeats another goblin. They notice an enormous cavern and twig lights approaching. They decide to stay in combat briefly for healing. Shannon casts a healing spell. Initiative remains the same. Navin attacks the twig lights, instantly killing one, then moves and readies a spell. The briars in the Twilight Grove can cause damage. Turkey moves, and Damon casts fire bolt at a twig light. A twig light attacks Little Akai and misses. Navin attacks a twig light with booming blade, flanking it. Turkey uses sacred flame again.
Noise from further south in the cavern is heard, and a map reveals a massive tree. They briefly consider resting but decide against it due to a perceived ritual. The massive tree is in an underground cavern lit by luminescent fungus, allowing plant growth. They realize a feather token cannot be used underground. A frog, identified as Belak's pet (Charmin Bradford/K), is aware of their presence. A short rest is unlikely due to Nettleack's strength drain and the frog. They take a ten-minute break before the next combat.
The area is described as a blog clearing with the evil-looking Gulthias Tree with blackened limbs. They see twig lights, a heavily armored young human male with a shield and sword, a blonde young-haired woman in robes, and a middle-aged bearded human male with a staff and sickle. These humans have black eyes and grey, bark-like skin, and the frog is present. Twig lights move north towards the party. They advance and reroll initiative. Shannon casts silence and moves, drawing their longbow. The twig lights act, the frog stays put. Navin attacks Belak. Turkey attempts a fire bolt at Charlaine. Belak yells but is silenced, and his twig lights move forward. Sir Bradford moves towards a twig light. Tempest casts magic missile at second level, hitting an unseen target. Turkey uses cleric power, likely targeting the frog. The frog attacks Nettleack but misses. Charlaine begins casting prismatic spray at Nettleack, but it misses. They decide to engage the seemingly corrupted individuals. Turkey uses sacred flame on Charlaine. Damon tries to cast Fire Bolt. Sir Bradford moves closer. Tempest misses another attack. Shannon casts more magic missiles at Charlaine. Tempest attacks Sir Bradford. The frog attacks Nettleack again and misses. Charlaine casts magic missiles at Nettleack. Damon casts twin-spelled fire bolts at the frog and Sir Bradford, hitting the frog. A twig light is killed. Nettleack moves and attacks the frog, hitting with a sneak attack. The frog is critical. More magic missiles are launched, and the frog falls. The silence spell is dropped.
The narrator explains Belak's plan involving the Gulthias Tree and its enchanted fruit, which creates twig lights and controls the infected individuals, including Charlaine and Sir Bradford. They are beyond saving and Belak wanted the party to surrender. With the silence gone, the tree remains still. They are out of combat and plan to destroy the tree. Navin begins attacking Charlaine and Sir Bradford, referring to “true vegan power”. Damon attacks the tree with fire bolt and alchemist's fire. Navin uses hunter's mark and fires at the tree again. The tree catches fire and is engulfed in flames. They search Charlaine's body, finding her signet ring. Sir Bradford's sword, Shatterspike, is identified as a +1 magical weapon with special properties. They loot the bodies, finding antitoxins, a key, and potions of healing. Bellak had Charlaine's spellbook and the signet ring, and Sir Bradford had the sword.
Having accomplished their initial goals, they decide to return to town. They briefly discuss the kobolds and the dragon (which is unconscious and chained) in the citadel, deciding to leave the kobolds alone. Experience points are awarded. They discuss how to inform Carolyn Hakuro about her children and decide to bury the bodies on the surface. They give the bodies a proper burial and return to town, where Carolyn is saddened but finds closure. She grants them salvage rights to the citadel and their rewards, keeping only the spellbook and holy symbol. The townspeople are aware of their actions, and the mayor, upon hearing about the twig blights spreading due to the goblins selling the enchanted fruit, organizes their eradication and declares a “National Navin Day”. The session concludes with the end of “The Sunless Citadel” adventure. A post-session discussion covers future game plans and character choices.