(G599 23/08/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), AP, KT) YI48

(G599 23/08/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), AP, KT) YI48

[Fenrir and Reinward are searching for treasure in the Frumenti Forum, part of the sunken kingdom of Ammathar, under the area of the Shining Sea known as the Snare.]

DAY 698(30th Hammer)(January)

Fenrir and Reinward rested in the Water Room without further interruption.

They went north towards the unexplored areas of the Temple underground and came to a large door with a rune in front of it.

Fenrir used his ring of Knock to open the door and floated inside. A magical Bite Attack came at him, but he dodged out of the way. Reinward then came forward and disabled the trap. 

The chamber they had entered was the largest in the dungeons so far, at least 200ft wide, ankle deep in water and festooned in kelp-like fronts. There was a large statue of a hydra at the back. Reinward went to get a closer look and saw runes on the steps that lead up to the plinth. He also saw that it was not completely motionless, like it was gently breathing.

He also saw that their were runes on the pillars that surrounded the statue. He wondered if there was something that might trigger a trap. Just as he was thinking this Fenrir floated over to the east wall and seeing a door there blasted it open with his magic ring. The door flew open with a loud bang and the statue came alive!

The hydra roared and leapt to attack. Fenrir blasted at it, but magic seemed to have no effect. Reinward used Translocate to come in close and stabbed it four times.

Now, this next bit of the tale is confusing to me dear reader. The way Reinward tells the story it is very easy for him, barely an inconvenience, to teleport towards an enemy and stab it four times before it can react, but I am unconvinced. Once maybe, but I mean, it takes time to teleport somewhere, I should know as I do it frequently.
Perhaps the hydra was just very slow.
Either way, it was certainly more cowardly than your average magical stone hydra and after it had been stabbed (once, or four times - will we ever know for sure?) it went and hid behind the plinth saying - "that hurt, leave me alone you bullies!"

Fenrir went to talk to it. It told them it was 'Nyssorhydra, the Drowned Coil'. It had been in this room for so long it couldn't remember how it got there. All it wanted to do was leave, so they let it go.

They then looted this vast chamber of everything valuable they could get their hands on and since it was enough to satisfy their greed they decided to forget about the altar and the sinister orb and call it a day.

They met S'ruurr their guide at the entrance and she took them back to the Frumati Forum.
Fenrir gave her 1000 gold, which she was very happy with. They watched her go to the pub with her purse of coin. A gang of Derro approached her and they argued. She picked on up and broke its back across her knee. Fenrir and Reinward winced as they heard the snapping of bones. She tossed it aside and the others ran off. She was then lost to view as she went into the pub.

From the Frumati Forum they followed the Dweller's directions back to the entrance. They were disguised as Sahuagin when they crossed a narrow stone causeway over a sulfurous  rift, flanked by fungi-covered ledges and stalagmites.

A group of Derro cut them off at the far end of the bridge and some others came in behind. The Derro looked underfed and nervous, but demanded the two Sahuagin they saw surrendered.
'Now lads, you don't want to mess with us,' said Fenrir.
He then tossed ten gold coins at the Derro. Five fell over the side, but a Derro brat collected the others and brought them back to the leader.
'We need more than that,' demanded the head of the Derro.
Reinward reached into his bag, counted one hundred gold into a purse and tossed it at the leader. The Derro then seemed to consider his options. Despite the reputation of Derro's to be all gibberingly insane this one made a wise decision to take the gold. He and his people faded back into the side tunnels and our brave heroes were able to continue on their way.

Once they were at the entrance, they teleported straight back to Yag Island.

They went to get cleaned up then hit the pub and were drinking away some of their new wealth by dinner time. They ordered up a big feast for everyone and Dak, the landlord, very kindly paid for it all.

(G598 09/08/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), AP) YI47

 

(G598 09/08/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), AP) YI47


[Fenrir and Reinward are searching for treasure in the Frumenti Forum, part of the sunken kingdom of Ammathar, under the area of the Shining Sea known as the Snare.]

DAY 697(29th Hammer)(January)

They slept well in the Water Room. Perhaps it was the gentle lapping of the water in the well or the peaceful quiet. While on his watch, in the small hours of the morning and while Reinward slept soundly, Fenrir noticed none other than one of his personal demons - Behemoth at the eastern doorway. Behemoth — a huge, muscular, coal-black tomcat with burning yellow eyes — raised one paw to his mouth in a “shhh” gesture and then beckoned Fenrir to follow him.

Intrigued, Fenrir did so and the cat led him to a secret door that in turn led to about a mile of twisting tunnels. Twenty minutes later Fenrir was stood before a rune-carved archway that hummed with arcane power.

Behemoth said;
'In there is something that we really need for our ... endeavors ... It is an object of great magical power known as the Heart-Knot. It won't be easy to get your hands on old chap, but I'm sure you'll manage it!'

Behemoth waved him into the chamber beyond. Perhaps as a demon he could not enter or perhaps he was just too lazy. In any event Fenrir found himself in a room full of shelves that held faded clothes, threats and balls of wool. Like an ancient and dusty haberdashery. Inside lurked an elf ghost. He was not hostile and  introduced himself as 'Caelthir, Keeper of Threads'. He was tall, had hair braided with 
silver cord, and wore robes embroidered with runes.

He told Fenrir;
'Beyond this room is the chamber of the Ribbonmonger. She was once a waver-mage who attempted to bind the Weave itself to her will. She fell into madness, her body unraveling  into living strands of magic. If you seek to destroy her, you must take the Heart Knot from her body. Beware her touch, as it can unravel your soul.'

'You wouldn't mind if I bump her off then?' asked Fenrir.

'No. I would be glad to be released from this curse,' replied the ghost.

Fenrir went through the next door, through some water logged corridors and found himself at a low entrance. He ducked through the broken arch and emerge into a vast, flooded grotto.  The walls dripped with condensation, their surfaces covered in thick, waving mats of green-gold  kelp. Faint bioluminescent motes drifted in the water, casting long, dancing shadows across  the ceiling.

The air smelled faintly of salt and ozone. Floating among the kelp were strange, spinning  shapes — spools of ribbon, each a different colour, gliding lazily through the air and  leaving shimmering trails behind them.

At the far end, partly obscured in the kelp, he saw an immense shape: a mass of writhing,  interwoven strands of luminous silk, coiling and uncoiling as if breathing. Somewhere deep  within it, a pale mask-like face turns toward him... and smiled.

There were seven spools, each about the size of a human torso and they all charged to attack Fenrir as he entered the chamber. He blasted away for some time and noticed that each of the spools had powers somewhat related to their colour. The blue one hit him with lightning, the red one shot flame and so on. One by one he blasted them to bits, but after a moment they reformed near the Ribbonmonger and leapt back into the fight.

After a while he gave up and went back to Caelthir who gave him this advice:

''
The coloured spools are “anchors” — fuses to her heart — that must be severed in the right order. 
''    
    
Fenrir returned and before the spools attacked had a good look around. Behind the kelp he thought he saw a faded rainbow painted on the walls. Could it be that simple?
It was worth a try he thought so started with red and worked his way through all the colours of the rainbow. It seemed to work, and although slightly injured by this time, he approached the Ribbonmonger.

Deep within the coils of silk, thread and ribbons that moved around and around her Fenrir could see the shriveled husk of a human. Some sort of lich perhaps? He wasn't sure. He tried turning on the charm.
'I can release you from your suffering.'
'Suffering?' she laughed. 'I am at the height of my powers you fool!'
And with that she attacked. Her coils lashed out, but could not get hold of Fenrir as he flew about the place, ducking and weaving. He could not avoid the showers of needles that came at him though, little slivers of steel that bit into any exposed flesh. He shot back with Eldritch Blasts and it soon came down to who would fall first as the blasts and needles flew between them.
     
Fenrir became nervous but kept piling on the attacks until she fell to the ground in a big pile of cloth. As he landed to survey what he had wrought, Behemoth nipped in, reached into the pile and yoinked the Heart-Knot.
'Thanks old chap. The rest of the treasure is yours. You are fine to make your own way back?'
With that the cheeky cat was gone. Fenrir searched the chamber and found a fair bit of treasure including The Ribbonmonger's Sash.

Once he was done and healed up enough to travel, he returned to the Water Room.

(G597 26/07/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) YI46

(G597 26/07/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) YI46
 
[Fenrir and Reinward are searching for treasure in the Frumenti Forum, part of the sunken kingdom of Ammathar, under the area of the Shining Sea known as the Snare.]
 
DAY 695(27th Hammer)(January) cont ...
 
It was late on in the evening and all this looked very complicated, so as before with the altar room they decided to leave the big purple orby thing alone.

The corridors and rooms of this area were laid out like a subterranean level of a temple. Runes guarded many of the door ways and Reinward accidentally set one off that made all his bones vibrate like tuning forks.
'H-How l-long will this l-l-last?' he jittered.
Fenrir didn't know. He went further down the corridor to the doorway of a large round central chamber. He could see bookshelves and stacks of scrolls.
He turned to Reinward. 'Do you want to go into the library?'
Reinward said nothing so Fenrir nosed forward.
A sudden pulse of energy came from the library with a big bang, knocking them both back. Reinward ran off and hid, to heal his wounds.
Fenrir saw a giant magical hand come at him and felt his ribs crack as the Crushing Hand spell took hold of him. He teleported himself out, back to the Water Room.


DAY 696(28th Hammer)(January)

The lads rested and healed in the Water Room, finding it to be the safest place in the dungeon. When they were ready they approached the library again, this time coming from a corridor that led to its southern door.

Fenrir went in first but found himself grasped by another Crushing Hand spell. He was badly hurt, but the hand eventually released him and he made his way further into the room. Reinward, using Blind Sight and well hidden in darkness of his own making, followed.

Fenrir skulked around behind this traveling circle of complete darkness. Reinward could 'see' through it, but Fenrir could not. He waited to see what Reinward was going to do next.

Firstly Reinward threw a rock into the room. He waited and then seemed to forget about it. He tried to Translocate further inside, but he had forgotten that the whole Temple was Dimension Locked and this was not possible. From before he had deliberately blinded himself he remembered there were banners all over the walls. Surely some of those Ribbons would attack soon?

As he edged closer in, they were indeed beset by Thin Ribbons, Attack Ribbons and the more powerful Grand Ribbons - it was these that had been casting spells.

This was their most demanding fight so far as the Grand Ribbons had other tricks up their sleeves, but Eldritch Blasts and deadly thrown daggers eventually destroyed them all.

After the battle, Fenrir decided to look through the library, reading with his magical item that allowed him to read and understand any text. He was looking for clues to the nature of this Temple Dungeon and what the altar and the Orb were.

After three hours he was little the wiser. He contacted Sparkledingle and sought his advice. Reinward joined in and soon they were all talking over each other.

After two more hours the conversation moved on to the possibility of removing the Dimension Anchors. From what I gather this was well beyond their combined capabilities and besides would likely incur the wrath of the Senatus.

A further three hours of study led to an understanding of what the Orb was. It was the main basis for the Temple itself. The whole building had once been a place to experiment with harnessing the power of demons, devils and deities.

The Orb was their most powerful project, a device that was designed to trap an unknown deity of a level of power that mortals could manage. As far as they knew this being was still held within the Orb. Further reading told of the priests becoming more and more frantic, as the curse on their lands took hold and they were unable to harness the power of the Orb without making matters worse.

After another three hours Fenrir's eyes were tired and he had had enough. No one at the Temple had known how to unleash the power of the Orb or what would happen if they did.
If he wanted to see what was within it, he would just have to take his chances.

Meanwhile Reinward had been reading about all the rune traps they had been tripping over. The first one they had encountered placed on the victim the last disease they had suffered. Apparently Reinward was currently cursed with a dose of Fenrir's venereal disease! Still, Fenrir had some ointment left over from the last time so they passed that around and all was good.

They were done in the library now. Reinward stuffed some 'fancy' books into his bag for his chum Sparkledingle, and they went back to the Water Room to rest and think over what to do next.

(G596 21/06/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) YI45

 

(G596 21/06/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) YI45

[Fenrir and Reinward are searching for treasure in the Frumenti Forum, part of the sunken kingdom of Ammathar, under the area of the Shining Sea known as the Snare.]

DAY 695(27th Hammer)(January) cont ...

S'ruurr Moonlightule, their Tren Ranger guide could not tell them much about the place they had arrived at, only that the stories told about it suggested it was full of treasure. This was because of the terrifying beasts and magical horrors that dwelled within.

It appeared to be the catacombs and cellars of a temple complex. They pushed their way through flooded chambers and walls of kelp until they came to an entrance chamber that contained a large glowing orb.

It was no more than a light source though so they listened at the doors either side of it. Behind the door on the left they heard a magical hum.

Behind the door, on the floor, was a glowing rune. Fenrir threw a stone at it, then floated over it. He felt a rather unpleasant itchy sensation in his nether regions. He went to a corner and privately checked himself out. His bits had gone all red and spotty.

While Fenrir was doing that, Reinward decided to blink through the wall to avoid the trap. Unluckily though he did not and he was cursed with the same affliction.

With nothing else for it, they carried on, and down the corridor they came to a vast, quiet chamber. The water on the floor here was unusually clear — unnaturally so. 
At the center stood a large stone altar, glowing faintly with white light that seems to repel the water around it, leaving a dry circle in a 10-ft radius. The light pulsed with a slow heartbeat rhythm.
In three corners, tall bronze lampstands rose from the floor. Each had a candle with an unlit wick — untouched by time. In the fourth corner was a collapsed cave-in, where rubble and fallen coral blocked what might have once been a door or tunnel.

There was an inscription on the altar that Fenrir could only read with magic:

Three lights for the lost. Blood kindles flame. 
False flame invites the silent watcher.
Only the worthy may light without death.

They talked about what it all meant for a while, then Reinward cut his hand and dried blood on the altar, then on the first candle. He felt magically weakened in some way, but the candle sprang into life.

They talked some more and Reinward tried to convince Fenrir to donate some of his blood, but he wasn't having it. They discussed bring in Veddic, but it was a long way back when you were in an anti-teleport zone.
In the end they abandoned the whole enterprise and moved on down the corridors to the next room.

The next chamber they came to was a kitchen, most of it in ruins but some magic items remained:

A Knife of Unerring Slice    
A Salt Shaker of Banishment
Crate of Summoning Labels
    
Here also, some of the ancient defences of this temple were activated by their presence, angry flailing banners, known as 'Thin Ribbons' attacked them. These ones were easily fended off, but they were yet to meet more powerful versions.    

In the next room they were beset by more banners - three Attack Ribbons and three more Thin Ribbons. They lashed with razor sharp edges, but were once more easily defeated.

This was a dormitory room and they spend a good hour looting it, going from chest to chest and cupboard to cupboard. Among other things they found:

A Blanket of Restful Slumber
A Chest of Daily Vestments
A Mat of the Penitent Soul

On they went and the next room the came to contained a large well. Something that had once been the temples main water supply. Here they found:

A Bucket of Elemental Sampling

So keen they were in finding treasure that Fenrir turned back into a Saughan and dove into the well. He found:

A broken sliver of moon-glass, glowing with cold white light

The next room they came to was 'the Orb Chamber.' It can be described thus:

''
A circular stone chamber, 60 feet across. The walls are etched with faded celestial and infernal script, none of it complete. 
The ceiling is domed and high — easily 40 feet up — and entirely smooth, like obsidian 
glass.
In the center of the chamber floats a massive purple orb, roughly man-sized, suspended five feet off the ground. The orb pulses faintly, a heartbeat rhythm of light and shadow within it, as if something inside were dreaming — or watching.
Around the orb, spaced evenly in a ring, are eight glowing runes inscribed into the stone floor. Each one is unique, written in twisting magical glyphs that shift when not directly observed. Just beyond each rune is a black candle, burning with a violet flame and producing no smoke or heat — yet giving off a faint humming sound that presses into the skull.
''

A distinctly sinister looking object! Fenrir - being a big fan of sinister objects took a closer look, but he had no idea what he was looking at.

He could make out some runes on the plinth below the Orb, which when translated read:

''
To wake the Sealed One. 
Silence the mouths. 
Snuff the breath. 
Then gaze into the Eye.
''

Other runes repeated the instructions:

''
Each rune is a mouth.
Each candle is a breath. 
Silence the mouths, 
then the breath, 
then you may touch the eye.
''

Neither of them had any idea what any of it meant, what the orb was or - most importantly - whether there any loot to be had?

Using Fenrir's Speaking Stones the spent a good hour or so talking to Veddic and Sparkledingle. Their advice was - if they wanted to safely access the Orb they would need to snuff the magic candles and nullify the runes using one of the following methods:

Arcane Disruption
Physical Defilement
Overload With Magic
Ritual Unbinding 

If I had been asked, I would have told them to leave it well alone. This was some sort of device that was binding a powerful demon or a minor deity.

Fenrir cut his hand and let some of his blood drop onto the first candle. He shuddered as the evil magic shot up through his body and weakened him. I tend to be more cautious than Fenrir, but he was a Warlock after all - and messing with powers that he didn't understand was very much his 'Raison d'être'.

(G595 14/06/2025 via Roll20 - JF, KT, AP(GM), AD) 5ED7

(G595 14/06/2025 via Roll20 - JF, KT, AP(GM), AD) 5ED7

[This continues the story of Rogier the bard, a warforged called Gravedigger and a goliath paladin known as Uthmar Shatterstone. They are currently dealing with some annoying slimes.]

DAY 8 cont ...

We now find our brave heroes fighting slimes and boars. Rogier cast Cloud of Daggers to hold them back while Gravedigger and Uthmar bashed away.

Once they had been dealt with they moved on into the larger room. Wallow was there waiting to see what happened next. When she saw the slime splattered heroes arrive she held up her hands and called, 'truce!'.

Uthmar, probably the least fit for the purpose of diplomacy out of the three of them stepped forward to parlay. 'What are you doing?'
'Um, I just found this place! I was carry out some experiments.'
'Well stop it!,' demanded the goliath. 'You are hurting the villagers.'
'OK, OK! I'll stop then... and find something better to do with my time.'

Her big pet ooze was called Patsy. Gravedigger went up to it and said, 'hello Patsy!'

But then Wallow abruptly changed her mind and attacked. When the fight didn't go her way she flew off on a broomstick. Gravedigger cast Spiritual Weapon and used it to pulverise Patsy.

He looked around to see how the others had done, but they were already searching the cave for treasure!

After the room was looted the moved on into a smaller chamber where paintings had been hung. They were of nobles, merchants and the like and Wallow had used charcoal to make them look more like herself - a ghastly old kobold crone.

There were also glass cases that contained such items as - a stick. This was in fact a Wand of Sweets.

The only other items of any worth where:

Horn of Cavat the Blue Dragon, 
Robe of Gallahan the Great and
Armor of the fallen Quinton Prit.

Wallow's desk also contained two vials of acid. Here they also found her Tinker's Tools and Spellbook. Her shelves contained two potions of healing and a bag of holding.

The loot was taken back to the village and sold. When dividing it up, inside the bag of holding they found a small ring with a 'bird skull' crest on it.

What could it mean they wondered. Gravedigger said he might have an idea.

(G594 31/05/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) YI44

 

(G594 31/05/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) YI44 

[Fenrir and Reinward are vaguely on the search for treasure in the Snare, an area of shallow seas to the east of our island. They have found some on a small island, but they thirst for more! They have been asking about the mysterious 'Dweller of the Deep' at the merfolk settlement of Meeflee.]


DAY 689(21st Hammer)(January)  cont ...

They were told by the druids of the Meeflee Merfolk:

'Go back to your island, landwalkers. We will put out the word for the Dweller.
He will come to you soon.'

Fenrir and Reinward accepted this and returned to Yag Island.


DAY 690(22nd Hammer)(January)

Today Hemma Bearclaw left the island, off on her adventures. She was one of the folk saved from Bone Island.


DAY 691(23rd Hammer)(January)

We got a report from 'King Raz' back in Westgate today. It sounds like being a monarch in a corrupt and vampire infested city is a pain in the arse!
Who could have possibly guessed?

The current annoyance was the Bastard of Cormaeril, someone who hated Raz and his friends with a fiery passion and had the cunning and power to be constantly moving against the crown.

It sounded like he needed the help of someone equally cunning to 'take care' of him!


DAY 692(24th Hammer)(January)

Fenrir's demons caused a 'minor outrage' in the village today. Several sailors were turned into pigs who then flew about the skies pooping on people.

This is how it starts though, as I recall. The demons tricks are almost funny to begin with, but they get nastier and more dangerous the more they are allowed to continue. Someone should do something.

Today the Dweller turned up, out on his travels again and came to talk to Reinward and Fenrir. He said:

''
I've heard of you two now. Powerful adventurers, but somewhat cavalier. One who carries the crown of a Broken God but who worships only gold. And one who has built a shell of magic around him to protect him from demons. This is what I have heard. The ancient ruins below the Snare are of importance to me. I do not take the sharing of its knowledge lightly.

I can tell you what I tell freely to anyone though. Ammathtar was once a small but powerful island kingdom. I am old enough to remember it in its glory and it makes me sad to know what it has now become. There are dungeons there, but many have already been cleared of their treasure and contain only monsters. There are many areas that are not flooded, and some areas that have been re-inhabited by beings that mean no harm, but desire only solitude.

There is also the Senatus, a huge building that is the home of a hidden Ammathari remnant.

They do not take kindly to visitors.

If it is treasure you seek, then come up with a cunning plan to gain entry via the Sahuagin trench the merfolk have told you about. It is the easiest way to get in. I can then give you directions to the Frumenti Forum. It is not flooded and you will find adventure there.
''

This sounds more like it! thought Fenrir and Reinward as gold gleamed in their eyes. After the Dweller had left they came up with a plan to get into the Ammathari ruins and had the idea to buy continuous affect magical items that bestowed Alter Self.

Towards this end they ordered two Shifter's Geese. 

DAY 693(25th Hammer)(January)    

I have a sort of clinic these days. I use a shack near the entrance to the Barrow Area. People from all over the island come for healing and medical advice and either me or Sylvia will meet them there. It buys us a lot of good will on the island.

I go by the name Rowan and Sylvia goes by the name Silke.

DAY 694(26th Hammer)(January)

The Shifter's Geese arrived today. I was interested to take a look at one. The instruction booklet that came with each goose says:

''
This 6-inch-long carved figurine of a smug, seated goose is made of polished ivory with inlaid opal eyes. When placed on your person (tied to a belt, stuffed in a pocket, or even carried in a pouch), the goose honks softly once as the magic takes hold — granting you the continuous effect of the Alter Self spell.
''

The lads saw no need to tarry, so packed some sandwiches and teleported to Meeflee. It was a further 12 miles to the Sahuagin settlement and although they could swim that distance disguised as Sahuagin, they would need a guide.

One of the merfolk druids volunteered.

DAY 695(27th Hammer)(January)

They set off at four in the morning, riding on the backs of dolphins. It was a gentle pace. This region was dangerous and it was best to be cautious.

The arrived at the Sahuagin rift at five in the evening, and descended into the depths to scout it out. The merfolk druid had been here many times and took them to an outcrop from which they could look down into the dimly lit rift.

They talked over a plan.
'Are they aggressive with each other? I mean are their multiple tribes that fight each other?' asked Fenrir.
'No, they are not like that. This settlement is part of a network of similar places. If you go in, even in disguise, you will be seen as strangers and they will be very wary of you.'
After that they came up with several ideas for tricking the guards (that they assumed would be down there), but in the end they opted for sneaking in.
They thanked the guide, who then left.
'One last thing,' he warned. 'Be wary of swimming at depth in your natural forms. If you ascend too quickly you will get decompression sickness. The Saughan are much better adapted to this, but be careful.'

Fenrir turned invisible and Reinward did his best to go unnoticed. As they got closer to the settlement they saw lamps showing the lines of the streets.
From a distance it was strangely pretty. The Saughan lived in the smaller caves and rock formations, but they could also see two large cave entrances. One was guarded and another was not.

They went to the unguarded one and skulked inside. It was pitch black but Fenrir had devil's sight and Reinward used his blindsight goggles.

The followed the large cave system for a mile, using the directions the Dweller had given them and arrived unmolested at the Frumenti Forum. This had once been the main square of one of the Ammathari cities. It was not underwater although it was certainly damp and was home to the usual sort
of aquatic Underdark denizens.

At the main entrance were a group of skum guards.
'Who goes there?' they demanded.
Remember that Fenrir and Reinward appeared to be Saughan.
'Jeff Vader and Billy the Fish!' came the facetious reply.
'Advance and be recognized!'
'This is not a game of who the fuck are you!'
'Advance and be recognised!' repeated the guard captain.

The lads shrugged and left. They returned later, disguised as skum and blagged their way in, successfully this time.

The Frumenti Forum was home to Skum, Kao-toa, Derro and even a few Tren. It was similar to Pedestal, but considerably smaller.

They spend the next few hours asking around for stories of dungeons stuffed full of treasure.

They eventually met S'ruurr Moonlightule, a Tren Ranger. She was the unofficial law enforcement of the Forum and offered to guide them to a 'juicy dungeon' in return for a finders fee.

The lads were in business!

(G593 24/05/2025 via Roll20 - JF, KT, AP(GM), AD) 5ED6

 (G593 24/05/2025 via Roll20 - JF, KT, AP(GM), AD) 5ED6

[This continues the story of Rogier the bard, a warforged called Gravedigger and a goliath paladin known as Uthmar Shatterstone. They are currently dealing with some annoying slimes.]

DAY 8 cont ...

Rogier cast mage armour on himself and the heroes went back down to the chamber at the bottom of the stairs.

Uthmar at this point was smoking something intoxicating in a clay pipe.

A door in the chamber had a sign on it that read:
    WOLLO'S WARRIN GIT LOOST!

While the others poked about for treasure Gravedigger went through the door. A bucket of rocks fell on his head and he was slightly injured. Still, a new room to explore drew the humans to him. It was a spacious chamber, full of ruined furnishings and a large ornate rug lay in its centre.

Everyone expected it to come alive, and it did! It first attacked Gravedigger and tried to smother him. The others entered the room and attacked it.
Gravedigger popped out of the carpet, was smothered again, then popped out again and give it a good whack with his mace, finishing it off.

The only things of any value in the room were three books on alchemy. Rogier and Gravedigger went to one door to explore beyond it, but Uthmar wandered off in a daze.

Eventually the all agreed on what door to go through and a new room was discovered.
This was an alchemist's chamber, and this time it was the cauldron that attacked them, shooting flames from its rim. Rogier cast a Swarm of Daggers spell and everyone stood back. Uthmar stood strangely close to Rogier.

'We should take Uthmar back to the pub and let him have a lie down,' observed Gravedigger.

After the Daggers had gone they all charged in again and Rogier got in the killing blow with a Firebolt spell.

They next door the came to was locked and Gravedigger took some time to bash it down with his mace. In the room was some crates and he went in and whacked them all to make sure they were not more annoying mimics. 
Inside one of them they found some 'Dust of Disappearance'.

On they went, into another small room that contained six large clay casks filled with fluid. Gravedigger saw a little blobby man in one of the casks, but no one was really interested and it was left alone.

The next room they came to was large and contained display cases, guarded by small pig men type creatures (known locally as snortlings!). They attacked, but the heroes dispatched them with relative ease.

The room was explored and they saw that plaques were affixed to each of the display mannequins in the room:
Stand 1. Robe of Gallahan the Great (A flowing blue mage’s robe)
Stand 2. Mantle of Tom the Foolhardy (Leather mantle covered in burns)
Stand 3. Armor of the fallen Quention Prit (Gleaming iron plate armor)

Next they went through a door in the west wall and found a fancy bedroom. Gravedigger poked at a pile of blankets, but nothing happened. There was another door in the bedroom which lead to a chamber containing six large copper tanks and a desk alone in one corner.
There was a strong acrid smell in this room.

They were getting deeper into the dungeon now and another door led to a corridor that led to a small room with an earth floor, where mushrooms were growing. Gravedigger dug into the earth and found stone about one foot down.

On the other side of the mushroom chamber there was a much larger room. Gravedigger was first to go in, and saw two figures standing at a vat which contained something that steamed and gave off a purple glow.
This was Wallo the kobold wizard and her oozling chum Patsy. There were also some pigmen further back in the chamber.

Gravedigger went to talk to Wallo, but Uthmar shoved past him and in his loud intoxicated voice bellowed, 'Hey you!'
Gravedigger snarled and went back to the mushroom chamber to continue digging the hole he had made. He measured it out to be seven feet long - enough to fit an annoying goliath paladin in.

Uthmar instantly forgot about Wallo and went to annoy Gravedigger.
'What's go into your head? Have your micro-wotsits all gone wrong?'
Rogier came to see what was going on too, and both men stood to watch as Gravedigger, with great speed and expertise continued to dig.
Rogier unslung his lute and started to play a song to inspire Gravedigger in his endeavors. Wallo and her minions had been completely forgotten about!

(G592 26/04/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) YI43

(G592 26/04/2025 via Roll20 - JF(GM), KT, AP) YI43

[In a rare moment, everyone is currently on Yag Island. Fenrir and Reinward are vaguely on the search for treasure in the shallow seas to the east of our island.]


DAY 687(19th Hammer)(January) cont ...

They couldn't sit around drinking free booze all day. Well they could if they wanted to, but their was treasure to be had! Booty to be snatched!

With only a description of a destinctive rock formation they teleported onto Big Elbow Island. Big Elbow was far from big though, being no more than 300 yards long at its longest point and a mere 50 yards wide.

It was a rare above-water-level fragment of the sunken civilisation of Ammathtar. It was just ruins, so the lads were not overly concerned about the history of the place and soon found themselves at a stone doorway at the highest point of the island. There were some fishy looking charms and fetishes about the place as well, made from skulls, sharks teeth, amd shells, woven together with seaweed.
Mostly likely artifacts left there by the sahuagin that inhabitied this part of the shallow sea.

They checked out the rest of the island, but this did not take long. In the end they had their lunch and went back to the door they had found on their first pass.

The door was at the top of some steps. They lead down for some time and the air became cooler as they went below sea level.

Much of this dungeon was half flooded, water ran down the walls, sea moss grew on the floor and feintly glowing fungus lit the rooms. In the first large chamber they came to was a stone golem. It was cracked and moss-grown, leaking salty water, and parts of it were fused with coral and barnacles.

It lumbered to attack and Fenrir blasted at it. It appeared to be immune to magic though so it was left to Reinward to through carefully aimed daggers at its vital joints until all its salty waters had flown out and the golem collapsed.

The next room they came to contained three fonts, each of which contained a jem at the bottom of the water. They talked over the likelyhood of traps for a while, but despite a search none were found.

In the end Reinward shrugged and reached into the first and pulled out a pearl. The next contained an emerald and the next a saphire. Something was going on for sure as he felt waves of magic washing over him, but whatever it was he was resistant to it.

The lads continued into the dungeon. The next room the came to contained a bunch of salty dried out corpses with big long centipede tongues. They attacked and Reinward was paralyzed.

Fenrir stepped back down the corridor to line up a blast, but the wiley morgh (for such they were) slammed the door shut and locked it! Fenrir took a moment to react - he had not expected this - but then blew the door open with his Ring of Knock and went into the room. Reinward was nowhere to be seen! Fenrir blasted away a couple of morghs and entered a side room. He found Reinward - being eaten by a pack of hungry morghs!

Fenrir killed off the morghs and got Reinward back on his feet. He was bleeding from bites all over and was missing his right pointer finger. He was also very annoyed at Fenrir!

Fenrir helped to heal up his friend, but it would take more than standard healing spells to grow back his finger.

After some discussion they teleported back to Yag Island and had Veddic cast Regenerate on Reinward to get his finger to grow back.

After that Reinward stormed off and found somewhere sulk. Fenrir didn't see what all the fuss was about, but I have to say when I heard of this I was on Reinward's side. Fenrir made a mistake - a rookie mistake - and he should have owned it instead of trying to shrug it off. Reinward was getting used
to not being killed off on a regular basis and he had no red bands left on his wrist - his blessing from Ilmater. 


DAY 688(20th Hammer)(January) 

Still, the next day they had made up enough to teleport back into where they had left off in the dungeon.

They moved through rooms full of cloth hangings, banners and tapesteries and were attacked by cloakers and mimics, but these were easily dispatched.

Another chamber had become the lair of a chuul. To quote from one of my books of Monster Lore:

''
A horrible mix of crustacean, insect, and serpent, the chuul is an abomination that lurks submerged  or partially submerged, awaiting intelligent prey to devour. Although amphibious, chuuls are not good  swimmers and actually prefer to be on land or in very shallow water when they attack.  A chuul is about 8 feet long and weighs 650 pounds. 
''

Basically a big nippy bastard, but again the two heroes easily dealt with it. Reinward even cut off one of its claws to give to me later.

There were other corridors in the dungeon but they were all blocked off. The lads looked about and did a bit of digging and searching for secret tunnels but in the end accepted that they had squeezed all the treasure out of this place they were likely to get.

They returned to the island and talked to Jonathan.
'Bit disappointed in the amount of loot,' they said to the seagull. Jonathan was far from an expert on dungeons and loot. He shrugged. 'Sorry to hear that humans. Perhaps they know more places back in Meeflee?'

Back in Meeflee they did indeed know more. They whole shallow sea area east of the village (known locally as 'The Snare') was all that remained on the surface of an  ancient civilisation known as Ammathtar. The people of Meeflee knew of an entrance to the ruins, but the catch was that it was in a rift that was also in a trench settlement of sahuagin.

The lads went back to Yag Island and talked to Sparkledingle, then later went into town and looked up Egnol Galeborn, and elven wizard and historian that had made his home in the pirate port.
He invited them in and made a pot of tea. They asked about the Snare and he told them what he knew:

''
Long ago, about 600 years before the present day, a proud and secretive human civilization thrived on a fertile tropical island about 30 miles across, located near the southern  reaches of what is now the Shining Sea. This land was called Ammathtar ("Blessed Crown" in old Chondathan), and its people were known as the Ammathari.

The Ammathari were master artisans, shipwrights, and scholars, drawing influence from  the ancient Netherese survivors who had migrated south centuries before.  They excelled particularly in sea magic — protective wards, weather control, water-shaping, and the taming of ocean storms.

In 734 DR ("Year of the Splendid Stag"), a great catastrophe struck. According to fragmented records and legend, the Ammathari attempted a grand ritual  to bind the storms of the Shining Sea permanently, ensuring safe trade and prosperity. Instead, something went horribly wrong.
A terrible maelstrom erupted, swallowing the entire island chain. The land was torn  apart and sank beneath the waves within a single day and night. Some say it was Umberlee's wrath at their hubris; others claim abolethic influence or a rift to the Plane of Water was unleashed. Survivors were few — scattered into Calimshan, Tethyr, and among sea elf enclaves along the coast.

Today, divers, sahuagin, and merfolk occasionally find broken mosaics, statues, and enchanted  relics buried among coral reefs and shallow ruins. Stories tell of undead Ammathari guardians, twisted by despair, and terrible creatures drawn to the Pearl Spire’s ruins.
Pirates and smugglers avoid the area, calling it "The Snare" and claiming the dead still whisper from below.
''

Engol also mentioned in passing the Dweller of the Deep, but also another entity known as the Dark Dweller. Apparently there are two.

The lads had met the Dweller of the Deep before so went in search of Jonathan (their local knowledge expert seagull) to see if he could be located.


DAY 689(21st Hammer)(January)

The lads teleported back to Meeflee again to ask about the Dweller. Shansar, the most senior merfolk druid of the settlement talked to them.
'The Dweller does a lot of good in the region,' said the merfolk. 'He keeps us reasonably safe from the sahuagin and gives us scrap metal that we can turn into tools and things.'

His current location was unknown, but the lads helped themselves to a seat at the bar and ordered some ice-cold pina coladas.