Session 1 - First Tenday of Utktar, 1491
The heroes were sent by Olisara Lightsong to investigate what happened to a Harper friend named Garlen Dreen - an elf wizard living a few miles east of Hillsfar.
When they arrived at the wizard's tower, the heroes witnessed an argument between a group of Red-Plumes lead by an old Sargent and a young, frightened looking half-elf in mage's robes. The Red-Plumes were threatening him to complete some sort of research or "the Red-Plumes will take over the tower due to breach of contract, as ordered by the First Lord, Torin Nomerthal".
After the soldiers left, the heroes approached the young half-elf, who turned out to be Garlen's son and apprentice, Arlax. After the heroes told Arlax that they are Garlen's "old friends", the young apprentice confessed that something happened to his father, and he needs their help. Leading the heroes into the tower and down into the cellar, they find Garlen dead, with horrible growth covering his body. Next to him is a Drow, covered with the same growth, but still alive. A bottle of wine stands on a table between them.
Garden's body twitches then, and from a wound in his chest a tentacled horror bursts out. The heroes fight it, managing to kill it. Investigating, the heroes learn that Arlax found his father this way three days ago, and didn't report since he's afraid the Hillsfarian Mage's Guild (his father is a member) would take over his tower. Further investigation reveals that a crystal ball was stolen from the tower recently.
The heroes cooperate with Arlax to find a cure for the Drow affliction. They manage to research the cause of the disease in the tower's library, and enlist the help of a local healer - a dwarf female named Glinti Deepenmiddens. In the mean time, the heroes manage to clear the tower from another tentacled horror, and also buy time for Arlax to complete the research the Red-Plumes required of his father - with the heroes (both Vakell and Aliat made a stand, making the Sargent lose face in front of his soldiers).
The Drow, once healed, thanks the heroes and tells them he is in their dept. His name is Arizz, and he is a smuggler working to import goods from the Underdark to the surface. The wine he brought to Garlen (an old friend) is an example of such goods. The wine was obviously tampered with, but he says such methods are rarely the work of Drow as the evil race enjoys watching their victims suffering.
The heroes report back to Olisara, who thanks them for their help. She asks that they remain in Elventree for the next couple of days, to rest, and to provide a detailed report about Garlen's demise.
Session 2 - Second Tenday of Utktar, 1491
Olisara updated the heroes with the latest rumors concerning the crystal ball stolen from Arlax's tower. Apparently an Emerald Enclave agent - an old druid named Doust - spotted a Drow lurking in the forest east of Hillsfar, fondling what appeared to be a crystal ball. Olisara sent the heroes to speak with the Emerald Enclave agent, and report back to her, unless they learn something that requires an immediate journey to track the Drow.
The heroes arrived at Doust's shack, just north of Elventree, finding it apparently empty. A voice spoke in their heads suddenly, inviting them to "come closer". The heroes were soon attacked by animated scarecrows, but they managed to destroy them and save Doust from their clutches.
The thankful druid told them about a refugee camp south-east of Hillsfar, where he saw the Drow, and the presence of Red Plumes in that area. He also asked them not to report his "difficulties" to Olisara (the man is obviously in love). The heroes agreed, and decided to head back to Elventree to report.
In Elventree, they found Olisara busy with a recent attack against the farms south of Hillsfar. Ettins emerged from the forest to attack the farms and the southern walls of Hillsfar. She asked the heroes to track the Drow, and learn whatever they can about the Red Plumes activity in the area.
On their way to the refugee camp, the heroes encountered a dwarven merchant complaining about the "mad refugees" and their "queen". They also encountered a Red Plume patrol, led by the Greybrook - the captain Vakell had a tackle with earlier.
Arriving at the refugee camp in the middle of the night, the heroes witnessed a group of men forcing a young halfling and an aged gnome to fight a chained Ghoul. Vakell quickly intervened, and the heroes helped the two escape the "arena". The two, Vix and Blaskin, told the heroes that the mad refugees are under the influence of some dark power - probably something to do with the Drow who recently walked into the ruined fort nearby. A gong then sounded, and the refugees began walking mindlessly toward the fort.
The heroes retreated, and headed back to the forest, spotting two Red Plumes spying on the refugees. The Red Plumes were heard saying "it started, we need to call Duphal" before turning around and heading out. The heroes decided to tail them quietly - but soon found themselves surrounded by Red Plumes with their swords drawn. Greybrook triumphantly shouted "I got you now!" as a red-robed Hillsfarian mage emerged from the forest...
Session 3 - Second Tenday of Utktar, 1491
The Wizard interrogated the heroes, trying to understand what are they doing at the forest, while Greybrook accused them of being 'Harper Spies'. Eventually, the wizard left, leaving the heroes facing an enraged Greybrook.
Before the captain could order his men to arrest the heroes, Kairon used a spell to command Greybrook to flee, leaving the stunned (and laughing) Red Plumes alone in-front of the heroes. The Red Plumes left, but one of them - the blonde soldier Vakeel is familiar with - stayed, warning them that Greybrook will not forget yet another insult.
The heroes left the forest and decided to track the refugees who left the camp - as if in a dream - walking into the fort. The heroes realized the fort was once occupied by the Zhentarim, with the symbols of Bane (the god of murder) everywhere. The refugees were gathered inside the fort, in a ruined temple for Bane.
The heroes climbed on the walls of ruined temple to get a better look of the happenings inside, and saw the refugees standing and chanting, while a few sacrificed themselves to create more ghouls. A black whirling cloud made of shadow circled above their heads, seemingly emanating from a large pit in the floor.
The heroes decided to try and topple a part of the wall on the pit, in an attempt to stop the horrible scene below them. They managed to do so, but the crumbling wall gave, and two of them fell with it. The impact created a cave-in around the pit, and a lower floor was revealed - a crypt of some sort.
The crazed refugees scattered, while the heroes fought the remaining ghouls, and an undead shadow. During the fight, Red Plumes converged on the door, allowing refugees to escape but leaving the heroes to face the monsters.
After the heroes eliminated the ghouls and the shadow, Greybrook, with the wizard behind him, called to the heroes. If they will descend into the crypt and retrieve the crystal ball - all their "crimes" against the law (and the Red Plumes) will be erased. The heroes rested (Vakeel got a binding stone from the Joraan, the Red Plume soldier, who told him that crushing it will bind a dangerous creature below to Joraan's masters - an unspecified faction), and descended down.
In the crypt, the heroes eventually located the hall in which the drow was hiding, guarded by several ghouls, and a giant spider. Aliat managed to decapitate the drow in a single, decisive maneuver - but then a horrible demon materialized out of thin air. The sight of the creature left a mental scar on Aliat, and Vakeel quickly crushed the binding stone, sending the creature away. The heroes eliminated the ghouls and the giant spider in a fierce fight...
Aliat took the crystal ball and hid it, just as Duphal and Greybrook walked into the room. Duphal demanded the crystal ball, but the heroes managed to trick him, and escaped through an opening in the hall deeper into the Underdark.
A chase followed, with the heroes trying to lose their pursuers in the darkness below. They seem to have succeeded, but then they fell straight into a Drow trap, falling through a pit and landing in the middle of a huge spider web.
Three Drow warriors mounted on giant spiders approached to the helpless heroes, glued to the web, hissing in common: "Well, what do we have here....?"
Session 4 - Unknown date, 1491
The drow took the adventurers as prisoners after peppering them with poisoned crossbow bolts. The adventurers woke up in a slave pen, with a host of other prisoners. Buppido, a derro prisoner, approached the adventurers and introduced the cellmates, among them a drow, a quaggoth, a miconid, three deep-gnomes and a fish-like creature the adventurers never encountered before.
The adventurers soon realized they are deep in the Underdark, in a drow outpost. Screams were heard from a nearby guard tower - Buppido told them the drow are interrogating the wizard who came with the adventurers, and so they learned that Duphal was captured as well. In the hours that passed, the heroes tried to learn more about their surroundings, and Vakell tried to test the strength of the chains that were binding them. One of the prisoners - an orc - threatened Vakell not to alert the guards, and Vekell stopped after realizing he can break them if enough force was applied. Aliat learned that no magical power can be activated in the cell, due to protective runes placed by the drow.
Several hours more and a host of drow came in, throwing the mutilated body of a prisoner into the cell. Rond (the orc prisoner) immediately searched the bleeding body, finding a small golden trinket on it. Vakell then went to check who it was, and found out that it was Greybrook. Vakell then intimidated Rond in order to get the golden trinket, eventually forcing the brute to yield it. Then, the fort's commander - Ilvara Mizzerim - took the prisoner for the night's "entertainment" - the execution of Duphal. After the wizard's horrible death, Ilvara told the prisoners to accept their fate, work hard, and maybe they will survive.
The adventurers immediately started looking for a way to break free, with Aliat secretly crafting improvised lockpicks and Vakell arming himself with an improvised club. It took them more than 8 "days" (counting sleeping cycles), but eventually the adventurers slipped out of their cell (after Aliat learned the drow guards shift schedule and Vakell broke the binding chains), taking only those who are able to defend themselves (leaving the fish-creature, the miconid and Greybrook behind). The adventurers assailed the guard tower containing the armory (where their equipment was stashed), and after a short and fierce fight, managed to overcome the guards and escape through the window and into the cavern's pool with their equipment and some supplies. Topsy and Turvy were killed during the attack, and the adventurers led the remaining cellmates deep into the cavern. Derendil, Kairon and Aliat were shot and paralyzed by the pursuing drow. Vakell shouldered the Kairon and Aliat, and the adventurers left Derendil behind, with Jimjar, Buppido, Ront and the Drow prisoner running for their lives.
Buppido demanded they all headed to Gracklstugh - his homeland, but Jimjar suggested a longer route to the more civilized deep-gnome city of Blingdenstone. The adventurers parted ways with Buppido, and ran into a northern tunnel that Jimjar claimed leads in the direction of his homeland.
The adventurers and former prisoners started right after Jimjar, loaded with the weight of two paralyzed members, with the screams of Ilvara echoing in the cavern: "Find them! I want them alive!"
Session 5 - Unknown date, 1491
The former prisoners bolted out of the cavern, with Vakell carrying Aliat and Kairon. Jimjar led the way into the northern passage, taking the adventurers through winding tunnels in an attempt to lose their pursuers. But soon enough Ilvara's scouts, mounted on giant spiders, spotted them. A tremor then shook the tunnel, and a lava-filled chasm opened behind the adventurers. Ilvara's scouts made it through, but Ilvara and her foot soldiers couldn't pass the fiery chasm. Ilvara - shrieking in rage - ordered her soldiers to find another passage. The adventurers managed to dispatch the drow, and quickly resumed their fast-paced escape.
Running for hours, the adventurers stopped to rest in a small cavern crossed by a stream of clear water. While foraging, Jimjar told the adventurers that he doesn't trust the drow prisoner who joined them, and suggested to get rid of him (The adventurers also learned about the drow attack on Blingdestone, destroying most of the city - but Jimjar assured them they can find someone there to take them to the surface). The drow only told them that he was accused of murdering a fellow drow, but he has no recollection of it. He refused to be interrogated further, and only said he is drawn to a place called Neverlight Grove, and he will travel with the adventurers in that direction.
Jimjar told the adventurers that they have almost 8 days to a region called the Darklake (an underground ocean), where they can find a guide that will help them cross it among the koa-toa. But he doesn't think they'll make it with a treacherous drow on their tail (adding Ilvara's pursuit doesn't help either).
The adventurers decided that there is safety in numbers, telling the deep-gnome that they will keep their eyes on the drow. They collected food and water for a couple more days, and resumed their trek, after Ront showed Vakell an orcish rune on a nearby wall. Ront believes there is an orchish fort nearby, and suggested to seek it "to be saved".
Continuing their journey after a long rest, the adventurers made it to a huge cavern covered with the bones of orcs and some other, snake-like creature bones, obviously the result of a massive battle. Deformed stalagmites and stalactites were scattered all over the cavern. Pushing forward, the adventurers encounters creatures similar to the creature they found in Garlen's tower, but much larger. A fierce fight followed, with the adventurers dealing with both the creatures and two of Ilvara's scouts who made it to the cavern.
Kairon used a well-placed eldrich blast to bring down the ceiling on Ilvara's spies, and the collateral damage dispatched the remaining creatures (while hitting the party as well). The adventurers discovered the orcish fort, overrun by the slithering creatures. Retreating, the heroes decided to follow Ront's advice and head to the fort's tunnels (the shaman quarters) as a way to cross the cavern and avoid what appears to be a colony of the slithering creatures.....
Session 6 - Unknown date, 1491
While trying to access the shaman's tunnels, a huge clockwork drill cracked the cavern's ceiling and dropped to the ground near the adventurers. Two figures emerged from the wreckage - a duergar and an elf, looking a bit rattled from the crash. There was no time to lengthy introductions, as the creatures lurking in the orchish fort rushed toward the crash site.
Fighting the creatures on their way into the tunnels, the adventurers managed to seal themselves in the tunnels, with the creatures outside. The following short rest was not uneventful, as the adventurers started to hear voices calling to 'be resurrected'. The adventurers explored the orcish tunnels, realizing some foul and tainted demonic power was in place. After destroying the source of this power (a tome dedicated to a two-headed demon), the adventurers made it to the other side, releasing the orchish fort from its curse. The creatures lurking in it reverted to their original form (Orcs), and turned to dust.
Jimjar led the adventurers on, into a chamber with a flooded tunnel leading 'to a place we can rest at, and from there to the Darklake region, from which we can take a boat to Blingdestone'. The adventurers had to dive into the tunnel and hold their breath while swimming toward the exit on the other side.
Too late, the adventurers found out that the exit had collapsed (maybe due to the recent earthquakes the adventurers experienced). The adventurers started to lose consciousness, but Vakell and Ront managed to force an opening, and after that - while the strong current resulting from that opening took the adventurers to a rough ride down the new flooded tunnel - Vakell managed to grab the ledge of a ceiling opening, and eventually pull all the group out.
With most of the group down, Vakell was relieved to be offered help by a strange, seemingly friendly creature - humanoid, with an octopus shaped head. The creature called its butler to aid the adventurers, and invited them to 'dinner'. The revived adventurers soon realized the mad creature had a different dinner in mind, and managed to slaughter it before it could execute its horrible plan (to devour their brains while they are intoxicated from spiked food). After killing it, the adventurers heard shouts from below the creature's adobe. Two drow stood there, shouting the creature's name...
Session 7 - Unknown date, 1491
The adventurers managed to subdue the drow, learning that they belong to house Faen Tlabbar, a rival of house Mizzerym and Ilvara. The drow told the adventurers about a planned ambush set by Illvara, if they take the shorter route to the Darklake. The other, more dangerous route - through duergar territories - will be safer. The adventurers asked Jimjar if he is sure about traveling to the Darklake, and the deep-gnome answered that his is the shortest, safest route to the surface. The koa-toa are mad as any other Underdark denizen, but they are mostly harmless.
The adventurers decided to listen to the drow warriors and head to the duergar territories, not before they looted the mindflyer's tower. They appointed the butler, emancy, as the tower's keeper. Rasporo healed Sarith from his illness (the fungi infection), and the drow will repay the debt by serving Rasporo for one year.
The adventurers headed to the duergar territories, eventually arriving at a strange construction site, with duergar working on what turned out to be a massive bomb created out of the combination of arcane knowledge and clockwork engineering. The chief engineer - Many - obviously mad, asked Rasporo to help with the 'finishing touches'. While the adventurers realized the danger of the machine and tried to dismantle it, Rasporo couldn't resist his tinker senses and actually helped the duergar.
A short brawl started, with the duergar trying to stop the adventurers from destroying the bomb while the adventurers do whatever they can to dismantle it. The structure toppled eventually - and the adventurers left the cavern, with Many shouting curses after them.
Finally arriving at the shores of the Darklake, the adventurers were ambushed by koa-toa, obviously trying to subdue the adventurers. The fight was short - the adventurers proved too skilled, and they got some help. Plooploopeen, a koa-toa and the archpriest of the Sea Mother, came to their help with a few koa-toa followers. He told the adventurers that the Sea Mother answered his payers by sending them - and that they will be rewarded for helping him in a dire situation...
Session 8 - Unknown date, 1491
Accompanying Plooploopeen to the Sea Mother Shrine at Sloopbludop, the adventurers heard about the Plooploopeen's daughter, who have recently experienced a powerful vision of "Leemooggoogoon the Deep Father", proclaiming him the new god of her people. Followers flocked to her, and now the kuo-toa are split in two.
Plooploopeen asked the adventurers to help him cut the head off this new cult (namely, kill his own daughter). At the Sea Mother shrine, the adventurers debated how to proceed. Agreeing that a father who try to kill his own daughter isn't to be trusted, they sneaked out of the Sea Mother shrine and headed off to the Deep Father shrine to try and cut a deal with Plooploopeens daughter.
They were allowed entrance, finding kuo-toa priestess on her throne, along with several soldiers. A mutilated corpse of a derro was sprawled on the floor, blood dripping into the Darklake as an offering.
While the adventurers made their case, a group of soldiers brought in Plooploopeen, and his daughter thanked the adventurers for 'their offering'. Deciding not to intervene as the priestess got ready to behead her father, the adventurers watched as the foul ritual took place.
Leemooggoogoon, or, in its proper name, Demogorgon, rose from the surface of the Darklake, as if summoned by the ritual. Roaring - and rendering half the party senseless with its horrid visage - the Prince of Demons leveled Sloopbludop as it made its way deeper into the Underdark.
The adventurers barely made it alive - with Ront and Sarith dying in the chaos and confusion that came after the demon attacked Sloopbludop. Aliat and Veh'rendis were badly injured, and the adventurers took some time to regroup and head back to where they came - away from the madness that took the kuo-toa and their settlement.
Resting on the shores of the Darklake, with nothing but darkness around them, the adventurers talked in hushed voices, trying to make sense of what they saw, and how to proceed.
Session 9 - Unknown date, 1491
The adventurers decided to send Aliat and Vakell to search for surviving kuo-toa near Sloopbludop, while the rest build a raft to cross the Darklake. On their way the two encountered a Lizardfolk accompanied by a Dragonborn, who warned them of a nearby Drow ambush.
Helped by the Dragonborn and his companion, the adventurers managed to subdue the drow and learn of a bounty placed on their heads by Ilvara Mizzerym.
The two stated their wish to join the adventurers on their journey to Blingdestone, as they are searching for deep-gnome lore in a private matter. The adventurers agreed, and the group finished to construct the rafts, pushing into the dark waters and heading to an island spotted by the Lizardfolk and the Dragonborn on their way to Sloopbludop. Jimjar told the adventurers that a hag is living on the island, 'eating any visitors', but the newcomers insisted that their guide stopped there and return in one piece.
Slouching toward the island the adventurers encountered a fast current leading to an artificial waterfall created by a drey contraption (probably designed to capture travelers and their goods). The adventurers cooperated, struggling to keep their heading, but eventually lost one raft and Rasporo to the currents, barely making it with one raft to the other side. Skeeish, the Lizardfolk, displayed some of his druidic powers by transforming into an alligator and helping Dayum and Veh'rendis reach the island.
Wet, exhausted and a bit shaken by the loss of Rasporo, the group landed on the island, spotting a tiny, Victorian-like hut with a rocking chair on the porch, and candle light pouring out of the window. As the adventurers approached the hut, the fat, black cat sitting on the rocking chair raised his head and said in a deep voice: "Nanny, there's an alligator on the porch....."
Session 10 - Unknown date, 1491
The heroes met Nanny Plunk and her cat, Snukkoms (also known as Milton ). While babbling about cooking the heroes, she told about her husband (wasn't seen for years) and the portal she opens to travelers seeking to cross the Darklake.
While Skeeish and Vakell tried to glean some information from the Nanny and her cat, Dayum tried to impress her by picking Underdark flowers nearby. Skeeish found out about the cat's prisoners - a miniaturized human family claiming the cat is responsible for all the evil that befell them. A rather confused set of events led to the family being freed from their prison, nanny's husband (a huge troll) appearing at the door, next to Dayum (holding the newly picked flowers).
The crazed troll (aka jealous husband) went into a rage, and the heroes tried to subdue him. After getting some help from the cat, the troll was subdued, and nanny plunk was more than happy to open the portal (with Dayum helping her with the ingredients, which rather strangely, resembled a recepie for a cake).
Vakell decided to behead the cat at that point, causing the entire scene to dissolve into smoke. Dayum managed to recall the activation word of the portal, leading the heroes straight to the other side of the Darklake, landing them near the Earth's End Spelosa - one of the only true havens in the Underdark.
Meeting a group of Gheleb Durr (calling themselves the Durgg-Gontag), the heroes learned that the rocky creatures are agents of the Harpers, but they didn't receive any word from their operators in tendays. Dayum (being connected to the Harpers), received a sending stone from the creatures.
Continuing to the Earth's End Spelosa, the heroes find the inn a slaughter house, the work of the drow. A single drow warrior awaited them, accompanied with a menacing demon. One of Ilvara's lieutenants, the drow suffered greatly during the chase after the heroes. He is now eager to settle the score...
Session 11 - 4th Tenday of Nightal, 1491
The heroes fought the dark elf and his minions, eventually managing to kill all the chanting priests that constantly healed him. The dark elf disappeared then, as Vakell landed the killing blow on his demonic pet. After dispatching all the priests, the heroes searched the chambers of the inn for clues, supplies and information.
Investigating their surrounding, the heroes discovered a young girl hiding, and retrieved a message from her (dead) Harper grandparents, to be handed to the Durgg-Gontag. Dayum took the girl to the Durgg-Gontag, who agreed to keep her safe with them. The heroes also discovered that a bounty was placed on their heads by Ilvara.
Continuing their journey through the Underdark, Jimjar finally brought them into deep-gnome territory. The gnome promised the heroes that his people are trading with the surface dwellers, and they can probably find a ride home with a surface trader.
The group arrived to the Pickshine mine (a gem mine), and Jimjar met his friend Dasco Pickshine. Some formalities where traded, followed by the quick arrest of Jimjar by the deep-gnome authorities, who were glad to find the heroes bringing the 'criminal' to justice.
The surprised heroes found an inn to rest at, and were told that Blingdestone is closed to outsiders, but its surroundings are open to all and are relatively safe. It appears the deep-gnome are troubled by a ghost infestation, along with an ooze infestation. The city is closed so that the city officials can deal with those issues without interference.
The heroes decided to keep their eyes open, and see if they can help the locals in order to try and find their ride to the surface world.
No comments:
Post a Comment