Session 1 — The Train
| Detail | Value |
|---|---|
| Session Date | February 21, 2026 |
| In-Game Date | Day 1 |
| Party | Gluthoric, Cal Clyde, Corbin, Ossivar |
| DM | Justin |
| Location | The Train → Grand Central Station |
Quick Summary
The party boards a train heading into the quarantined City. After a nervous Steward passes through, Forsaken burst from the forward cars and begin slaughtering passengers. The party fights through four train cars — battling Forsaken, a Scourge lycan, and Scion manikins — before Cal Clyde brings the runaway train to a halt with seconds to spare. They arrive at Grand Central Station, turn over their captives to the Radiant Church, and are directed to the Elysian Baths for healing.
Timeline of Events
1. The Passenger Cabin
The party finds themselves in a worn passenger cabin of a train heading into the quarantined City. The train is “less than legal” — the City is under quarantine, and trains shouldn’t be running. The seats are worn velvet with tarnished brass armrests — a space that was once luxurious but is no longer maintained.
A Steward enters and addresses the passengers, offering assistance. Most of the party notices he seems nervous — furtive glances back toward the forward cars, less eye contact than normal, fidgeting hands. Gluthoric asks how much longer; the Steward replies about 30 minutes to Grand Central Station.
As the Steward opens the door to leave, the atmosphere shifts at once. The door bursts open — humanoid figures with beast-like features pour in, tearing into passengers in the forward cart.
2. First Combat — The Forsaken
The party lunges into action as Forsaken rip through passengers in the narrow train car confines. Cal Clyde wakes up Scarecrow (his construct companion), who joins the fray. Blocked from advancing, Cal Clyde withdraws a ball bearing and imbues it with the sound of raucous gunfire using magical tinkering, rolling it between the fallen Forsaken as a distraction. Combat concludes with the Forsaken dispatched.
Post-combat: Gluthoric shakes hands with Corbin and Cal Clyde. Cal Clyde offers prayer over the fallen. Ossivar shakes hands with Corbin (who hesitates before accepting) and Gluthoric (who has to lean down considerably). Scarecrow shakes Ossivar’s hand, mimicking the others.
3. Interrogating the Steward
Corbin notes the nervous Steward to Cal Clyde — strange things are afoot. The group investigates the forward cars but finds the door locked. They return to the Steward.
Gluthoric intimidates him (with Guidance from Ossivar). The Steward hands over a key to the food cart, blubbering about something “weird” brought onto the train. Corbin presses further. Gluthoric steps away as it becomes a shakedown and informs Cal Clyde of the situation.
Gluthoric hands the key to Scarecrow to scout ahead. While waiting, Gluthoric asks Cal Clyde if he’s a gambling man. Cal Clyde says he never had time. Gluthoric offers a coin flip — Cal Clyde calls tails and wins a gold. Gluthoric appears mildly bummed.
4. The Food Cart — Scion Manakins
Scarecrow reports: the dining tables were set for a grand feast, now destroyed and stained in blood. Shattered manikin parts are scattered among mutated Forsaken. A symbol is visible on some manikin parts. A body near the entrance has residual lightning arcing from it but lies still.
Cal Clyde investigates the manikin, using a ball bearing with magical tinkering light to illuminate it. He recognizes the mark as belonging to the Scions. The manikin is beyond saving. Cal Clyde confirms to Gluthoric that the attire of the Forsaken aboard matches the Scions — the Scions’ manikins appear to have been used to infect people with the Scourge.
Character moment: Gluthoric shows Cal Clyde a drawing — “Look what she painted for me.” It’s a family drawing that says “I love you, Dad.” Cal Clyde is moved, warns Gluthoric to be careful as the City is not kind. Privately, Cal Clyde thinks of his own son.
5. The Cargo Car — The Scourge Lycan
The next car reeks of chemical tang, burnt incense, and blood. No windows — the wind whistles through unseen gaps. Torn manikins, organic bodies, crew, foodstuffs, and servants all lay lifeless. Torn crates and shattered vials with loose gears scatter everywhere.
Ossivar quips that the smell reminds him of his mother’s cooking.
Scarecrow reports someone alive, potentially trapped under crates at the far end. As the party moves in, a giant crash sends crates flying. A Scourge lycan — a massive beast — surprises Cal Clyde, knocking him prone and crunching his armor in its jaws. Ossivar heals Cal Clyde with a 2nd-level Cure Wounds, fully healing him. The party bests the lycan.
6. The Forsaken Scout
Gluthoric lifts the crates to reveal an individual in Forsaken garb with a slashed abdomen. Ossivar heals him with Cure Wounds. The man thanks them and explains: the Scion manikins ambushed his group and tried to infect them with the Scourge.
Cal Clyde identifies him by his robes as having a somewhat significant role — potentially a Forsaken scout. He knows the Radiant Church would pay for turning over a Forsaken resistor.
Cal Clyde pulls Corbin aside; they agree to restrain and turn him in. On return, Gluthoric attempts to grapple him — fails the first time, succeeds on the second with Rage and Guidance. They bind and disarm him, dragging him to the rear cart.
Corbin gives the Steward a shortsword and tells him to keep watch. When the Steward objects, they bind him too. Gluthoric gives two javelins to the remaining passengers for protection.
7. Fraudulent Incense
Gluthoric smashes crates in the cargo area, finding scattered incense sticks. Cal Clyde notices something off — they are warding incense with fake holy sigils, replications of genuine Radiant Church incense. He alerts the group: they’re fraudulent.
Ossivar suggests they could sell them and begins collecting. Corbin doubts the Church would pay for fakes but helps anyway. Each party member collects about a hundred sticks. Cal Clyde uses Shape Water to gather the black liquid from the broken vials.
Gluthoric smashes another crate that sprays foul black liquid on him. Cal Clyde washes it off with Shape Water.
8. The Engine Room — Runaway Train
Coal dust obscures the next car. A broken manikin torso drags itself around with a machete. The train is picking up speed. The party presses on into the engine room — every surface smeared in blood. A hulking bloated figure with pulsating bulbs of flesh dominates the far side. Two red-eyed canine forms tear into a corpse nearby.
Combat erupts. The train rocks violently, throwing combatants to the ground. Cal Clyde and Ossivar notice the controls — bones jammed in the mechanisms, but the emergency brake might work.
Cal Clyde rushes past enemies to reach the controls. The bloated figure blocks Corbin’s approach, trapping Cal Clyde alone in the control room. Gluthoric shouts: “Tell my daughter I love her!”
The train rocks again. Cal Clyde braces and holds steady. He fails to pull the emergency brake on the first attempt but avoids snapping it. On the second attempt, with a tool hammer and Guidance, he slams the e-brake down. The train slows.
Ossivar uses Ballad of the Nameless City to shove every creature in the room — all fail and are thrown prone. Cal Clyde works the control panel with his tinker’s tools, deciphering it and bringing the train to a safe speed. He then enters the fray to finish the fight.
Cal Clyde reckons he was six seconds from a fatal crash.
9. Arrival at Grand Central Station
As the party exits the train at Grand Central Station, a tight line of armed guards stands on the platform. Their armor gleams in the low light. The Sergeant steps forward from an elevated staircase — hardened by age and battle, peppered beard — and demands to know who they are.
Corbin identifies himself as a Jaeger of the Church and reports the plot. The guards lower their weapons. Corbin hands over the Steward’s journal.
Ossivar provides a testimony. The Sergeant sends the first squad to investigate the train. Convinced, he offers a coin pouch for the party to share.
10. Father Eamon
Father Eamon introduces himself and greets them warmly as friends of the Church. He states they will question the Steward but interrogate the Forsaken scout. He collects the fraudulent incense and offers additional coin.
Father Eamon notes Gluthoric should seek aid at the Elysian Baths for his wounds. The Sergeant concurs — Sister Alice has been treating citizens and hunters for Scourge wounds there. When someone mentions the quarantine, Father Eamon gives a sharp look and the topic is dropped.
The Forsaken scout makes a break for it. The guards shoot him dead. He falls in a pool of blood.
The party heads for the Baths.
Locations Visited
| Location | Events |
|---|---|
| The Train | Entire session — Forsaken attack, lycan fight, Scion manikins, engine room, emergency brake |
| Grand Central Station | Arrival, debriefing with guards, meeting Father Eamon |
NPCs Encountered
| NPC | Role | Disposition |
|---|---|---|
| The Steward | Train steward | Nervous, cooperative under pressure |
| Father Eamon | Radiant Church priest | Warm, authoritative |
| The Sergeant | Guard commander | Hardened, professional |
| Sister Alice | Healer (mentioned) | Referenced as healer at the Baths |
| Forsaken Scout | Prisoner | Captured, then shot while escaping |
Combat Encounters
Fight 1 — Forsaken in the Passenger Cart
- Enemies: 2+ Forsaken (beast-like humanoids)
- Environment: Narrow train car, passengers being slaughtered
- Highlights: Scarecrow joins the fight; Cal Clyde uses ball bearing with gunfire sound as distraction
- Result: Victory
Fight 2 — Scourge Lycan in the Cargo Car
- Enemies: 1 Scourge Lycan (giant beast)
- Environment: Dark cargo car, crates, shattered vials
- Highlights: Lycan surprises and nearly devours Cal Clyde; Ossivar heals with 2nd-level Cure Wounds
- Result: Victory
Fight 3 — Engine Room Abomination
- Enemies: 1 Bloated nightmare, 2 Scourge hounds
- Environment: Blood-soaked engine room, runaway train
- Highlights: Cal Clyde alone at the controls; Gluthoric’s farewell shout; Ossivar’s Ballad shoves everyone; Cal Clyde brings the train under control
- Result: Victory (with 6 seconds to spare)
Items & Loot
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| 12 silver | Looted by Gluthoric from dead passengers/Forsaken |
| 3 silver | Found on second body by Gluthoric |
| Child’s drawing | Charcoal on parchment, “I love you, Dad” — taken by Gluthoric from a dead passenger |
| Dining cart key | From the Steward’s pocket watch chain |
| Short sword + Longbow + 20 arrows | Confiscated from the Forsaken prisoner, taken by Ossivar |
| Fake incense sticks (~100 total) | ~25 per party member — turned over to Father Eamon |
| Broken manikin torso | Carried by Corbin as evidence (Scion marking) |
| 10 gold | Coin pouch from the Sergeant |
| Gold pouch | From Father Eamon |
| 15 gold | From Father Eamon for the fake incense (from his personal pouch) |
Character Moments
Gluthoric
- Shows Cal Clyde his daughter’s drawing — a family portrait saying “I love you, Dad”
- Shouts “Tell my daughter I love her!” as the train hurtles toward a crash
- Intimidates the Steward into cooperating (with Guidance)
- Offers Cal Clyde a coin flip gamble, loses a gold to him
- Gives javelins to passengers for self-defense
- Gets drenched in black liquid from a smashed crate
Cal Clyde
- Wakes Scarecrow to fight; uses ball bearings with magical tinkering (gunfire sound, light)
- Prays over fallen passengers and the slain lycan
- Identifies the Scion mark on the manikins and the Forsaken scout’s rank
- Nearly devoured by the Scourge lycan — saved by Ossivar
- Single-handedly saves the train by pulling the emergency brake and working the controls
- Uses Shape Water to wash Gluthoric and gather black liquid
- Privately thinks of his own son when Gluthoric shows the drawing
Corbin
- Identifies himself as a Jaeger to the Radiant Church guards
- First to suggest restraining and turning in the Forsaken scout
- Hands over evidence (Steward’s journal) to the authorities
- Hesitates before shaking Ossivar’s hand during introductions
- Arms the Steward with a shortsword for guard duty
Ossivar
- Heals Cal Clyde with 2nd-level Cure Wounds during the lycan fight
- Heals the Forsaken scout (who later gets shot)
- Uses Ballad of the Nameless City to shove all enemies prone in the engine room
- Provides testimony to the Sergeant at Grand Central
- Quips about the smell reminding him of his mother’s cooking
Best Quotes
Gluthoric: “Tell my daughter I love her!” (lying on the ground bleeding, 2 HP)
Corbin: “Fear not passengers, for we are salvation.” (after executing a Forsaken)
Ossivar: “Reminds me of my mother’s cooking.” (pause) “She was.” (dark humor about his dead mother)
Gluthoric: “Look what she painted for me.” (showing Cal Clyde a drawing taken from a dead passenger)
Gluthoric: “I’m invincible.” (as attacks bounce off him while raging)
Gluthoric: “I’m sorry, old chap.” (stabbing the groveling lycan with a javelin)
Corbin: “It’s an execution, boys.”
A passenger: (murmuring) “Thought the servants of the church were supposed to be the good guys.”
Mysteries & Hooks
- The Scions’ plot: Why were Scion manikins on the train? Were they deliberately infecting passengers with the Scourge?
- The fraudulent incense: Who created fake Radiant Church incense, and why? Someone is leaving citizens unprotected.
- The black liquid: What was in the broken vials? Connected to the Scourge? Is Gluthoric infected after his failed INT save?
- The quarantine: Father Eamon silenced discussion of it. What is the Church hiding?
- The mysterious hooded figures: The Steward said unidentifiable hooded figures threatened him into allowing “unusual cargo.” Who were they?
- The Forsaken scout: What information died with him? What was his role in the resistance?
- The whispering passenger: A surviving passenger whispered something to the Sergeant/Father Eamon and slipped away. Who were they? What did they say?
- The Steward’s journal: Contains his account of the threats. What else is in it?
- Sister Alice: Who is she, and what does she know about the Scourge?
- “The good guys”: A passenger murmured about Church servants being “the good guys” — with doubt in their voice.
Session Statistics
| Stat | Value |
|---|---|
| Duration | ~3 hours |
| Combats | 3 |
| Enemies defeated | ~6+ |
| NPCs encountered | 4 |
| Near-death moments | 1 (Cal Clyde vs. lycan) |
| Close calls | 1 (runaway train — 6 seconds from crash) |
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