Session 54. The Tests of Garm

Reebo returns with his discoveries beneath the Temple of Frigga and the party visits the Monastery of Garm.

This write up is based on our Sunday, June 1, 2025 session and was written by our scribe Carl with a few additions from myself. Thanks to our mapper Jimmy for the screen shots.  Since we are scattered around the country, we use Discord for voice communications and the Roll20 online tabletop to connect with each other.

Continued from: Meeting Ridwik of the Relic

Over the last few days, Aefir has spent a lot of time meditating at the Temple of Thor. A priestess there believes that the missing people were caused by the monks of the Temple of Garm, but also thinks there is something odd is going on at the temple of Frigga. Tsathoggus, the high priest of Frigga has been out of contact for many weeks.

Arnthora, the priestess, had a vision from Thor himself supported us needing to get something out of the Garm monastery. Not sure what it is, but we NEED to get it.

So now we have two temples to check out, not just one.

We have a barbecue scheduled for this afternoon, where we will meet and hopefully talk to Tsathoggus.

Reebo also reappeared, after being missing for two days. He apparently spent some time exploring the temple of Frigga underground.

Reebo:  "There were two stairs down, hallways with doors.  Illusion walls connecting parts of the lower levels, and a variety of monsters we will need to deal with. Caverns at end of hallways, maybe an alternate entry."

Sarthoggus, the High Priest of Frigga, did not attend the barbecue. Only junior priests showed up, and they said Sarthoggusis totally wrapped up in researching spells for something very important. The acolytes seemed more nervous than they should be... maybe they sense something bad is going on.

Aefir did a Divine Sense to determine evil or not, and some people showed up evil. About as expected, a range of goodness and evility.

Ternelmor, the mayor, offered us a magic weapon, a hammer donated by the Temple of Thor, if we solve the mystery of the vanished townsfolk.

We asked the Acolytes that if Tsathoggus became available, have him please talk with us. Otherwise we might have to take more severe steps.

Party done, we went about our evening.

May 16th
Next day we headed to the monastery.  On the way there, we found a toll group of goblins wanting money.  Aefir was outraged and told them to take it down.  They disagreed. A little discussion later, combat ensued.

The goblins all whispered "Death" and threw rocks at Aefir and a green mist started coming up from the ground. All goblins but one were dead soon enough. These were dressed differently from the ones we had made a sort of deal with, clearly intruders. They got what they deserved.

One goblin we left alive.  We sent him off to tell his tribe to NOT come this way, and a promise of money if they learn anything about undead in this area.

On to the monastery, to at least walk around and recon the place.

As we approached the monastery, there was deep grass, and just like last time, a bunch of LARGE wolves came out to see what we were doing. We remembered that the cult of Garm treats these animals as FAMILY, so attacking them would probably (definitely) be DUMB.

Escorted by the wolves, we walked to the main entry, and found a cord attached to a bell. Aefir pulled the cord, and one monk said we were not welcome. There were lots of people training inside.

Aefir spoke for us, he said that we were investigating rumors of activities affecting the town. They said the town is not their concern. 

Aefir said, "If you are involved we would like to understand."  

He asked for more information about what they do. 

Answer: they are doing training. who they use it on is their business.

Shadow said, "We have concerns with this training you are doing. Where is the hellgate you are training to guard?"

"Far to the East."

Aefir did divine sense, and all were evil but no undead were present.

"How do you defend the hellgate?" 

"With staffs and our hands."

Shadow recognized they are monks, and about that time the spokesman notes Shadow and went to get another person. The two looked and said, "They are the ones from the prophecy".

At that point, they invited us in. Talk about a turnaround....

The master, Kendasco, had prophesied our arrival. If we pass the test of Garm, and show we are worthy, the master will talk with us.

The first test is a test of fear.

We discussed things, and told them we have 'other duties' but would come back. Duties included ACTUALLY HAVING A PLAN.  We went back to town for researching Garm and learning some more (if we can) about the tests.

In town, no one knew anything. NO interaction with the monastery takes place. They do not shop or visit the town, so they must get supplies from other sources.  

The monastery was once a monastery of Frigga, but the Frigganese abandoned it long ago.

Shadow remembered he had a map, and showed it to us. It was a basic layout of the monastery.  Talking some more with the Thor temple, we were reminded that the monastery has something we MUST have, and we need their cooperation to get it.  No more details, but a pretty good confirmation that we need to go back and face the tests.

We waited a couple days, since we told them we had stuff to do. During that time we spoke to the children of the town, asking about any caves or caverns in the area (NOTHING, struck out) They had heard of some in the old ruins, but we had already been there.

Lenral didn't have any information about the monastery or the temple, but he told us the temple people had been searching for something through the ruins and underground.

Good try, but the kids let us down.  Back to the monastery.

First test involved a pit and jumping into it. Natalie cast Feather Fall on everyone except Shadow and we jumped...and fell...and fell..and fell.

Beneddar said his robe of eyes showed the pit was an illusion and we did not need feather fall at all. So let it expire and no recast.




At the 'bottom' we found a bunch of bodies. Dozens of humanoids broken up, some in robes of the monks of Garm.

The east wall had a rounded archway, with carvings on the stonework. A couple of us remembered the language, and it said repeatedly:

   “Enter your future without examining your past.”

Reebo found another message next to the door in thieves cant: "Test of speed. run and don't look back."

We ran, passing some statues in a 20' hallway/tunnel. We heard a door open behind us, and a sound of slipping and sloshing.

The Robe of Eyes made it difficult for Beneddar to not look back, so he tried to take it off. He almost managed, but saw a medusa. Fortunately he was able to resist turning to stone. He yelled out what it was and kept on running. It was more a slime than a medusa but had multiple snake heads. We kept on running. He yelled, "I think the statues are people who failed the test."

Shadow put a mirror on a pole and pointed it back down the hallway.

At the end of the hall was apparently a dead end, but when we all got there the sound pursuing us started to flow back to where it came from.

Faint etchings of weapon and armor silhouettes, lots of weapons of all kinds, and lots of types of armor were around what was apparently a doorway. No basic gear, just weapons and armor.

It looked like a puzzle of some kind, maybe to open the door. Reebo checked it out carefully. All the etchings had seams around them. Reebo pressed the dagger first, watching in case a dagger came out of the wall.  It lit up instead.

Bow next, and it lit up too. Longsword. Crossbow. Pushing a second time made the light go out. Dagger went out.  Plate armor and shield.

After pressing the shield button the door vanished, making an opening we could go through. When Paraselene came through, her armor disappeared from her body and we could hear it landing across the room. It looked like we made decent choices, by accident.

As we stepped into the room beyond, mist started rising from a grate in the floor. Then a giant wolf started condensing out of the mist.  FREAKING HUGE!!!!

We prepared for combat as the wolf formed. But since this was a temple of Garm, built around wolves, some of us waited for it to attack. Some did not.

The wolf bit Aefir and broke a tooth on his armor. Even so, it had a BIG mouth and thick skin. But a rogue shooting an arrow at a wolf butt is a joy to behold.  Instant colonoscopy.


Continued in Session 55: The Test Passed & Finding the Dragon's Lair