(G300 29/11/16 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ, HK, NG) SS14

(G300 29/11/16 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ, HK, NG) SS14

DAY 276 (11th Nightal)(December) cont ...

[Hail, dear reader! The next part of the story is amply covered by a report that happened to make its way into my possession not so long ago. The writer is a drow detective aligned to House Dusklorn. His name is Merlock Tomes and he takes up the story here ...]

Of course, the death of Elessarwa Nledoor the matron of House Dusklorn was sudden and brutal but perhaps not unexpected. She had a habit of abducting and torturing to death anyone she liked off the streets of Pedestal and that is not a hobby that one can pursue indefinitely without meeting with censure.

I was first told of the murder by my master Lord Gragrax who sent me immediately to the scene of the crime. It appeared that Elessarwa had been shot through the belly with an arrow so forcefully that at first I assumed it was magical. The assassins had been clever and taken all their missiles away, however I later tended to believe that the arrow in question was psionically focused.

Muvaysil, Elessarwa's consort had been struck a mighty blow by a great axe. With a  strength that lead me to think a half-orc had possibly landed the blow.

Of the other's in the room I surmised there was a female magic user firing magic missiles, a male warlock firing eldritch blasts and their pet rhinoceros. The rhinoceros was clearly evident from the smell of rhinoceros that still lingered in the air. On my last trip to the surface I made it my mission to seek out and sniff as many creatures as I could and that endeavour was now bearing fruit.

Surface dwellers then, and since there was only one place I would certainly find them I went immediately to the Dripstone Inn where I located them immediately. I enquired of the locals discreetly and soon found the names of them and their likely professions.
The rhinoceros turned out to be a kiloren druid, which, of course, would have been my second guess.

To put their descriptions briefly here then we have:
Billitoppe - a sex starved gnome scout who appears to be good in nature
Durz - his boon companion, a simple but powerful brute barbarian that knows little else but violence and lust
Dwerry - a quiet, bookish aasimar that is not all that she appears
Arahel - a juvenile kiloren with much more power than sense
Fenrir - a renegade warlock murderer of whom a famous song was written in his home town of Waterdeep
    (also noted that he has vampire bite marks on his neck, which was interesting)

I watched them with keen interest, and observed their various bizarre mating rituals. This was, evidently, not an adventure band that cared much for keeping a low profile.

I initially sent a messenger to Lord Gragrax to tell him the killers had been discovered, but advised him not to move just yet, as after a spot of eavesdropping I discovered that their next target was the Necromancer's Spike. If this was the case then either a) they would die in the attempt to take the spire or b) they would kill the denizens within, who were all enemies of House Dusklorn.

So, on the morrow of the next day I followed them at a careful distance as they did indeed make for the Spike. Well, all but Billitoppe, who escorted his gnomish sex-pets out of the city.
I left Doctor Wazzon to tail after him and followed the others.

On the way, as they swaggered through the streets of Pedestal like they owned them, they were  attacked by a large gang of plaguelost. There were ten of the plaguelost, powerful ones too, drow, goblins and grimlocks, that came seeping out of the cracks of buildings in green mists that formed and then attacked.

Fenrir took to the air, but some of the plaguelost followed him. Dwerry fired magic missiles and the others used their magical weapons. One by one the plaguelost were dispatched but not without the Buffalo Bunch being injured and one of them being infected with ashdoom.

They returned to the Dripstone Inn for healing, but I was impressed by how efficiently they dealt with the undead attack. I would estimate it would take ten of our finest warriors mounted on driders to defeat them and probably a powerful wizard thrown in for good measure.

I sent another message to Lord Gragrax to prepare such a force should it be required.

They did not waste much time though and soon made their way to the Spire of Maroe the  Necromancer. I had instructed the guards at the Spike to let them pass (House Dusklorn lays  claim to the spike although we dare not enter it) and in they went.

I followed at a careful distance and guaged their progress by the destruction they left  behind them.

The first chamber, the one that had killed off so many with its deadly trap, they managed to traverse using an enchanted ring that nullified the magic within.

Taking the left hand door they then explored the trophy rooms and after that made their way into Dining Room. From here they made their way into the guards quarters, looked into the chamber of frozen corpses (I assume Maroe used them as undead advisors) and thence into the Shrine of Lolth.

Here they triggered a trap that made the large statue in the shrine come to life. It was a Bone Spider Golem and a dangerous foe. Swarms of spiders spewed from its abdomen and it attacked with powerful jaws. The Buffalo Bunch did not take long to defeat it though, with powerful blows and magic. The spider exploded as it died, injuring the Bunch, but not in any mortal way.

Once they had got their breath back the headed for the kitchens.

It was noon now. It seemed they were making short work of the Spike so far, but I knew what they did not, namely the evil that lurked further up in the tower.

(G299 22/11/2016 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ, HK, NG) SS13

(G299 22/11/2016  via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ, HK, NG) SS13

DAY 275 (10th Nightal)(December)  cont ...

Durz, after some nagging, got up, put his breeches on and went to talk to Billi.

Billi then decided to have a group meeting and went and woke up Fenrir. Durz went and tried to wake Arahel. When she wouldn't arise after the door was given a hefty pounding he kicked it down. This still didn't wake her, but it did wake the rest of the inn.

In the end though, they all made their way down to the common room where Dwerry was eating. Billi lead the questioning and talked to Dwerry and Berum separately.
Dwerry seemed confused and concerned saying that she could only think that Berum must have been mistaken or deceived.

Fenrir also used his Detect Magic ability and noticed many magical aura's on  Dwerry and none on Berum.

Billi decided one way to settle things was to go to the house Berum had trailed Dwerry to. The house in question was near the Bazaar and did not take long to find. Berum pointed at the door and Billi knocked on it. There was no answer.

Fenrir decided to fly around the two storey building but saw that all the windows were securely boarded up. Durz, impatient, used his 'key' and chopped down the  front door in less than a minute. Fenrir landed and did his best to scare away the people that were watching from the street including a drow beggar who tried to convince them that this was his house.

Once they were in, they found a small front room and a kitchen downstairs and two bedrooms upstairs. As the poked about, nine dire rats came scampering in, but they were only interested in raiding the kitchen cupboards for food.

Billi, while upstairs, could smell the strong perfume he knew to be Erin Ja's in and around one of the beds and then came downstairs to question Dwerry further.

Dwerry could not explain what was going on, just that perhaps Berum had seen  someone that looked like her, after all Erin could change her appearance to be anyone she liked.

Billi asked Fenrir to detect magic on Dwerry and he noticed, among other things, an illusion aura on her. She said, 'Oh, that must be my ring, it helps protect me from evil yuan-ti... magic.'
Billi was unconvinced and asked her to take it off, but she refused.

Fenrir tipped Dwerry a wink, he could perhaps see that her story was not stacking up very well, and came in on her side.
'Oh yes, this ring is giving off the aura. It is as she says.'

Billi accepted this, but was deep in thought as they walked back to the Dripstone Inn, tugging on his beard and pondering the evidence.

Dwerry talked to Arahel on the way back, 'You think I'm alright don't you?'
Arahel wasn't so sure, but then, she was just nine years old.

They all went to bed and woke in the morning, going downstairs to have an  Underdark style breakfast of fungus and creepy crawlies.

The next task on the list given to them by Es Sarch was to kill Elessarwa Nledoor.
As the mysterious undead fellow had explained to them earlier:

"The disruption following Pedestal's fall lasts even unto this hour, though I must admit  the vacuum provided by the fleeing drow has been to my advantage. Consider, though, that  the reason this City did and does not completely collapse into chaos is due to my efforts. Nearly everyone here appreciates my influence. Bur gratitude doesn't last, and others seek  to displace me."
Es Sarch's voice fell to a whisper. "The Assassins' Guild has decided to seek an alliance with  House Dusklorn. If my agents were to disrupt this burgeoning accord, I fear I'd do more to cement the relationship than diffuse it. I ask you to eliminate or drive off Elessarwa  Nledoor, matron of the house and a psychotic to boot. I have knowledge of a hidden route into  her secret torture chamber, where she slinks away from her duties to the Dusklorn to apply  her savage arts to hapless victims she takes from Pedestal's alleys. I have arranged matters  so the Dusklorn will believe her death to be the work of the duplicitous Assassins' Guild.
That will be the end of that."

He gave them directions to a secret tunnel under the nearby tannery. The only person they found in the tannery was a crazy old beggar and once he'd shuffled off they located the secret tunnel and followed it to the lair of Elessarwa.

The tunnel lead to yet another secret door which when opened revealed the lair and torture chamber of the wicked drow matron. She was there, with her companion Muvaysil, a drow wizard.
They appeared to be about to sacrifice some poor wee svirfneblin female who was shackled to an altar before them.

Muvaysil cast a web spell at the door to try and hold them back, but with little success. Arahel changed into a rhino and charged in and Billi floated past it. Durz too, charged in and with a huge swoop of his axe killed the wizard. Elessarwa tried to flee as Fenrir's bolts found their target but she was finished off by a deadly psionically focused arrow from Billi's bow.

Billi cut of Elessarwa's ear to try and make it look like an assassination. They also discovered two more svirfneblin, a male and a female in a cell at the back of the chamber. (There names were Lorimila and Yoshik for the females and the male was called Qifyx)

Now, I am not a huge expert on the inter-gnome relationships of the various gnome species but I will say that Billi, when the got back to the Dripstone Inn, took them up to his room and indulged in what can only be described as an orgy. I assume gnomes have a similair view on these things as the bonobos I met in Chult.

The Buffalo Bunch had become famous in the Inn by now so this only added to their reputation
as bizarre surface dwellers and not to put a fine point on it - freaks.
More entertainment for the patrons was provided when Arahel, still in the shape of a rhino, tried to get up the stairs to see what the gnomes were doing and only succeeded in totally destroying the stairs.

This event very nearly made Es Sarch get up out of his chair, something I am lead to believe had last happened three years ago when the tavern had been attacked by an army of driders.
Arahel rolled out of the way and back into the common room as undead servers came to tidy up  the mess and propped a ladder up as a temporary means of escalation.

Billi only came down to the common room again that night to take up as much booze as he could carry. He then shut the door on his room once more and treated the rest of the Dripstone to the sounds of a drunken gnomish sex party.

Meanwhile Durz retired to his room with Berum, to make his own racket and Fenrir, in a more genteel fashion, turned his charm of Dwerry.

They spent the rest of the day and night at the inn, in this fashion.

DAY 276 (11th Nightal)(December)

Fenrir succeeded in bedding Dwerry that night, although once the effects of the alcohol and his charm had worn off her she skuttled through to her own room so he awoke to find his bed empty again.

By mid morning, Durz was up and about and went to the shop near the bazaar to pick up his adjusted armour. Hrodyn had it ready for him and had also added a little extra magic to it. She seemed to have taken a shine to Durz, something that Berum picked up on and was  not overly pleased about. Fenrir had gone with them and spent most of the day selling off the loot they had gathered so far in and around Pedestal.

Billi spend half the day still upstairs doing the god's only knew what and Arahel was in her normal form helping fix the stairs.

No one noticed then, that Dwerry had gone missing, despite all of them agreeing to watch her the day before. Fenrir and Durz were undone by avarice, Billi by lust and Arahel by naivety.

When they gathered that evening for dinner and compared notes they realised that Dwerry had been unaccounted for all day.

Fenrir went upstairs and checked her room and found her reading a book. He invited her down for dinner and to receive her split of the gold made from the selling of the loot.
This she did.

(G298 15/11/2106 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ, HK, NG) SS12

(G298 15/11/2106  via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ, HK, NG) SS12


DAY 274 (9th Nightal)(December)

Dorette left early in the morning. Fenrir was so exhausted that he slept through until the others woke him for breakfast.

It was agreed in the group that they should not waste too much time and get down to the docks and find a boat to get them to Rikaryon's Isle. This was the place, you may remember, that the mushrooms Es Sarch valued so much grew.

On the way they were attacked by a 'plaguelost', a strange ghostly being of green dusty light that was formed as a result of the plague burst that ruined half of the noble quarter. This one was in the form of a dark elf and though it was annoying it was not impossible to defeat. A few well place magical strikes were enough to send it to whatever hell was reserved for such creatures.

At the docks the hailed and talked to an unfriendly duergar that sold them a seaworthy boat for 25 gold. The island was visible from the docks, glowing with a pale blue light, so it was not a difficult task to get to its shore.

The island was not very large and it did not take long to penetrate the mushroom forest and get to the clearing in its middle. Just as Billi went to start gathering the mushrooms though he was attacked by an invisible foe.

Durz, throwing caution to the wind, leapt at whatever it was and began to grapple with it. Billi and Fenrir did their best to guess where the target was. When Billi was attacked again they realised there were two of them.

The attackers were tricky to fight and did some damage, mainly to Durz as he tangled with them hand to hand, but eventually they were defeated and became visible as they died. They were large mushroom type beings.

They gathered the mushrooms Sarch desired and rowed back to the docks. There were more duergar there now and one of them had heard of them, saying to the others, 'These are the ones that killed Scratchy the other day.'
They were low level members of the Assassin's Guild, one of the main powers in Pedestal.
Fenrir easily won them over and even tried to sell them back the boat, without success though.

On the way back to the inn they saw some derro traders. Their wares were mainly junk but Arahel noticed they had a very fine magical haversack.
They did not want to sell it, but did say that they would think about it if she had sex with both of them.
Wether in jest or earnest she replied, 'I could just kill you and take it.'
Durz also joined in the threats, but for reasons I find impossible to fathom he was generally not a very intimidating fellow.

One of the derro picked up the haversack and made a run for it. Durz chased it but the little chap jumped down a hole much too small for the half orc to follow down.
A duergar trader nearby told him off, 'We've all paid our dues to the Assassin's Guild you know! Watch your back mate!'

On his return to the others Billi told Durz to lean down so he could slap him about the back of the head.

They had found an elven chainshirt on a corpse on the island of mushrooms and Durz had an idea to have it reworked to fit him. With this in mind he and Billi left the others at the inn and went to the shop of Hrodyn the female half-orc armourer (they had been given her name by Brurhwol Coalhauler who they had met by chance at the Bazaar). Durz arranged to pick it up in a few days once she had finished with it.

The night in the inn was uneventful for them all. Fenrir noticed Dorette come inside, but she appeared to have business with others so he left her to it.

DAY 275 (10th Nightal)(December)

That night Durz was awoken by knocking on the door. Sleepily he opened it and was surprised to see his wife Berum.

She yawned and after the door was shut started undressing, 'I'm exhausted, budge up!' she said as she got into bed.

When they were all snuggled in she then whispered to her husband,
'I came with Dwerry. Before we came to the inn, she snuck off by herself at the Bazaar. I don't think she knows I am a tracker though because I easily followed her to a house where she met two people. I got a look at them, just for a second, but I'm sure it was Karhad and Erin Ja!'

Meanwhile Dwerry knocked on Fenrir's door to inform him of her arrival. The whole thing had been arranged by Cavu she explained. He had found them both and sent them on their way. They had travelled through the Earth Node and across the Ocean Bridge without incident and had just arrived in the city.

Fenrir smiled, nodded and went back to sleep.

(G297 08/11/2106 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) SS11

(G297 08/11/2106  via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM)) SS11

DAY 273 (8th Nightal)(December) cont ...

It was getting late in the evening in Pedestal. The city never knew daylight and the denizens of its streets kept no pattern of night and day, but Fenrir knew it was late at night on the surface.

It had been a long day. It had started with him breaking into a gnomish temple the night before, a trip through an earth node and then a period of being dominated by an aboleth.

By anyone's standards to had been a full day. Still, when the opportunity came for more adventure the young chap, to give him his due, was all for it.

Just as he was thinking of going to his room he noticed that a beautiful young drow lady had been watching him so he went over to introduce himself.

She told him that she was known as Dorette and that she was formally of House Dusklorn, but for reasons she did not go into she had recently had a falling out with the rest of the nobles.

After some discussion she revealed that she wished to retrieve a wand she described as  'sort of like a stick snapped off a white tree' and that she had a plan that would require someone of Fenrir's capabilities.

'If I distract then guards,' she said, 'And wake the house up and lead them a merry dance, then you get in through the cellar and search the place for the wand. Anything else you find feel free to keep. I only want the wand.'

Fenrir readily agreed and once they had arrived at one of the Dusklorn mansions in the Noble Quarter he entered through a cellar door that Dorette had a key to.

He was invisible and staying as high in the ceiling as he could. The first room he entered had two guards in it that the just about managed to sneak past. The next room had four drow in it as well as four coffins arranged around the walls. One was a wizard and another a tough  looking fighter. The other two were a servant and a guard. The fighter sensed Fenrir as he entered and shot a crossbow bolt at him.
It was a quick and brutal fight though, none of the drow were a match for the warlock and he slew them quickly with his eldritch blasts.

Unfortunately he did it noisily though and woke the vampire and three vampire spawn that  slumbered in the coffins. As he raised his hands to fight again one of the spawn was lucky enough to dominate Fenrir in the first few seconds of the combat.
'Well,' said the cheif vampire, 'He is your play thing now Ventrexia, take him through to the
blood chamber, I wish to continue my sleep.'

Things looked bad for Fenrir as the spawn sunk her fangs into his neck. The shock of feeling his blood being sucked from him though was just enough to break the spell and he quickly stepped back and blasted the undead being to a more permanent death.

In this room were also a duergar and drow prisoner, which he released. They thanked him and made a run for it.

With no more rooms to explore he went back to the first room and found that a fleeing guard had left a secret door open in one of the store rooms.

He followed the corridor through to a very large chamber that had a rift with a bridge over it. He saw a drider (a drow with the body of a spider) and decided to engage it.
He shot with eldritch blasts and it returned fire with lightning bolts. Another drider attacked him from further up that he had not seen and large spiders skuttled out of the rift although they were no danger to Fenrir as he was hovering a ceiling height.

This was a tough fight for the warlock and he had to use all of his healing. He killed one of them then fled the battle, going for an exit from the chamber on the other side of the rift. The drider that he left alive did not follow him.

The narrow corridor lead down some steps to two doors. He burst through the first one and discovered four hobgoblins and a large bugbear. He fled up the stairs a little but was not followed initially. A few minutes later a hobgoblin nervously came up the stairs and Fenrir killed it with a single blast.

When no more came, he went back down and slew all of them easily enough with his demon magic.

The other room contained a drow wizard how identified himself as Jurix and some more drow guards. Again they were no match for Fenrir who slew the wizard and let the others run off. He then looted the wizard's chambers of magic items which included the wand that Dorette had asked for.

A job well done, he exited the cellars the way he had arrived, went invisible and flew back to the Dripstone Inn.

Some time later Dorette turned up and he gave her the wand. Although getting tired he found it impossible to resist her beauty and turned on the charm.
She did not take too much persuading to join him in his room for a night of passion. I do not know much about the mating habits of drow but from what I understand based on this union, it is not an impossible undertaking. Most pleasurable in fact, but then, Fenrir would say that!

(G296 01/11/2106 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ, HK, NG) SS10

(G296 01/11/2106  via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ, HK, NG) SS10

An so, with Fenrir slung over Durz's shoulder they made their way towards the town of Pedestal. None of them had ever been in the Underdark before, and from this distance  the settlement looked almost pretty, its few green lights twinkling in the darkness of the Great Grotto and reflecting across the Sunless Sea.

Arahel felt along way from the world she was used to, there was no trees or flowers, just mushroom and strange twisted roots.

As they got closer to the town they saw that the wide, sloping base of a massive column was  built up with streets, walls, and hundreds of elaborate structures. A few glimmered with faint  illumination, and here and there, lanterns shed green light in small pools separated  by gulfs of shadow. Portions of the small city were completely collapsed and obviously  abandoned, though others showed clear signs of habitation and upkeep. A great wall surrounded the lowest edges of the city, and upon that edifice, hundreds of rusty spikes pointed toward the cavern's high ceiling. Rotting heads adorned scores of those spikes.

The city gates were no more than half an hours walk away and they arrived at the broken down and half barricaded portal to find it guarded by more fish faced people. These were kao-toa, nasty fish headed fellow that attacked immediately with their javelins and spears.

They were no match for Durz, Billi and Arahel (who turned into a bison). Three were killed quickly, one ran away and the other tried to surrender. Durz walked over and killed the thing with one sweep of his axe.

The streets of Pedestal were pitched black, except where the occasional green everburning lantern  still hung. The houses were either derelict and empty, or boarded up with the occasional chink  of light shining under a door or between shutters. This was not a welcoming place.

The continued on, taking turnings in the streets at random until they came to a crossroads that had a dried up fountain in its middle.
There was a dark dwarf stood at it and as they approached she said,
'What business have you here, sun warts?'

They approached to make conversation, but were then ambushed, crossbow bolts flying at them from all sides. Arahel, still a bison, went charging off to root around in an abandoned building and chase one of them away. Durz and Billi burst into a nearby building and attacked the dark dwarf rogues that lurked within.

Once more it was a one sided fight, these roguish low-life's were no match for seasoned fighters like Durz and Billi or a powerful druid like Arahel. One was killed and three were captured.
Throughout it all Fenrir lay on the road where Durz had put him.

Billi, a good natured gnome at heart, organise the bringing of the three captured rogues into one of the abandoned buildings. They waited a while, none of them were healers (not even Arahel!) and did not know the best way to deal with a dwarf that was close to death.

In the end, after a couple of hours of waiting, they used the pine cones that Cavu had given them to heal them. The first had not been tied up, so after answering a few questions about Pedestal he jumped out the window and cheesed it.

The other two gave much the same information and in the end they released them also. The first one had warned them about not messing with the Assassin's Guild, but if this was the best they had to offer none of them were that concerned.

The rogues had told them that the best place to go in Pedestal for directions and assistance (if you had the coin) was a place called the Dripstone Inn and inquire after the owner, a gentleman known as Es Sarch. The Inn was several streets away but the directions had been  correct.

Lights of every hue streamed from the windows of the sprawling three-story building. Conversing  voices, snippets of song, and the clatter of crockery spilled into the street. Odours of exotic  tobaccos, yeasty drink, and barbecued meat suffused the air. The wall facing the street was a  sculpted formation off flowstone, like dozens of drooping hands, apparently built up from  water falling somewhere high above. Here and there, stone faces leered out from the deposits.

As they entered conversations near the entryway wet quiet as many patrons in this common room  looked over the new arrivals, particularly Arahel who was still a bison. Few of the faces seemed  welcoming, and most that did looked hungry or insane. Dusky dwarves, wild-eyed derro, slim  drow, and stranger creatures sat or stood in the dozen or so lantern-lit niches scattered about the large, high-ceilinged chamber.

A central bar was stuffed with bottles, casks, pipes, vials, cigarillos, and less familiar paraphernalia. Cloaked in white linen, a humanoid figure stood behind the bar. Four servers moved about the room, similarly shrouded. A side door apparently opened into a busy kitchen that was alive with the sounds and scents of cooking. From a great stone chair across the common room,  a humanoid figure observed, wrapped in and hooded by a crimson robe that had a complex pattern  of eyes on it.

Despite being a bison, Arahel was left alone by the patrons of the inn. Bill led them over to where the cloaked figure sat and introduced himself.

It was Es Sarch of course and as a gesture of good will he used a Remove Curse spell to remove  the domination from Fenrir. He explained that they had had a run in with Imaug the Aboleth, a powerful  monster that attacked travellers around the Sunless Sea.

He seemed interested in finding out about their business and the exchange of information began. Billi remembered the note they had found on the corpses back at the Earth Node and handed it  to the strange patron of the inn.

Sarch told them it was written in yuan-ti and read it out,

Fadheela,
I have been delayed. My servants carry the king's bones and all the items of his champions that I could find. Merthuvial I cannot locate. l shall spend a bit more time trying to find it, but I am sending these on so our rendezvous is not compromised. Please give the Vanguard my regards.
l shall be along shortly.
-Xeron

He went on to tell them that he had heard of Fadheela and could find out what they needed to know in order to locate her. In return for doing this, he would set them two small tasks.

He explained:

"The first task involves Rikaryon's Isle, it is an immense island of fungus glimmers atop the Sullen Sea west of Pedestal, and I have been told that it releases dangerous digestive and luminescent spores into the air  around it. These spores create a dim blue light, which you must have seen as you came to Pedestal, but they  also slowly destroy fleshy creatures, including my undead agents. Those who live in this so-called Great  Grotto are more susceptible to these spores. Sending anyone from Pedestal to the isle to collect what I seek  would mean that creature's death. But for you surfacers, the threat should be minimal. Growing upon Rikaryon's Isle, as it is called, is a mushroom for which those here in Pedestal pay dearly. Its cap is a sovereign remedy against the plague that tumbled the ruling drow from their altars and thrones.
Journey down to the dock west of here on the Sullen Sea, find a seaworthy craft, a few are left, and head out to the isle. The mushrooms I seek are obvious, black with red spots in the shape of tiny hands. You can't miss them, though you might have to venture to the isle's centre to find them. Bring me at least ten.

The second task involves the a Dusklorn Matron. The disruption following Pedestal's fall lasts even unto  this hour, though I must admit the vacuum provided by the fleeing drow has been to my advantage. Consider, though, that the reason this City did and does not completely collapse into chaos is due to my efforts.  Nearly everyone here appreciates my influence. Bur gratitude doesn't last, and others seek to displace me."

Es Sarch's voice fell to a whisper. "The Assassins' Guild has decided to seek an alliance with House Dusklorn.  If my agents were to disrupt this burgeoning accord, I fear I'd do more to cement the relationship than diffuse it. I ask you to eliminate or drive off Elessarwa Nledoor, matron of the house and a psychotic to boot.
I have knowledge of a hidden route into her secret torture chamber, where she slinks away from her duties to the Dusklorn to apply her savage arts to hapless victims she takes from Pedestal's alleys. I have arranged matters so the Dusklorn will believe her death to be the work of the duplicitous Assassins' Guild. That will  be the end of that."

Finally, once they agreements had all been made, the drank and ate at the inn. It was Underdark food, but perfectly edible. Billi tried the cockroaches in cold green sauce. Arahel stuck to the milk, although the milk of what, she wasn't too sure.

Billi talked to some svirfneblin that sat in one of the dark recesses (svirfneblin are Underdark gnomes dear reader) and learned a little of the city. It had once been a drow settlement, but after an event known as the Plagueburst, they were all but wiped out. Now the city was riven by inter faction fighting between the gangs and guilds.

Fenrir also tried his hand at talking to the locals, with mixed results. He tried some dark elves (drow) and brought over a round of drunks,
'We want nothing from you,' said one of them.
'Oh I didn't realise I was talking to lady elves,' said Fenrir cheekily.
The elves got up to leave and one of them whispered in his ear, 'You've not heard the last of this, human.'

Next he tried a table of small blue skinned fellows. He did not know he was dealing with derro, a species of sub-dwarf that are insane to the last man (and woman). They were happy enough to gibber away to him though,
they were part of a gang known as 'The Inheritors' and counted derro, grimlocks and kao-toa amongst their ranks.
The said they would soon control the whole city and had just recently taken control of the south gate.
Fenrir smiled and nodded. He hadn't been awake at the time, but he was aware of what had happened that day at the gate. Eventually he bid them farewell and joined the others.

They also arranged rooms for the night, they would spent the night at the Dripstone Inn.

Angels of Scada

ANGELS OF SCADA

Are you an worker in oil and gas? (Or ex-worker!)
Are you fed up of worrying about the oil price?
Are you in need of a good laugh?
If you are then this is the book for you!
(If not, read it anyway!)

A 'no holds barred' humorous look at life in the offshore oil and gas industry.

Only £2.19 now on Amazon Kindle. That's less than a fruit smoothly at Aberdeen Sport's Village!

Warning though - it's full of sweary words.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01HR1KX92

(G295 25/10/2106 via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ, HK, NG) SS9

(G295 25/10/2106  via Roll20 - AP, JF(GM), MJ, HK, NG) SS9

DAY 273 (8th Nightal)(December) cont ...

At the entrance of the Barrow of the Forgotten King Cavu bid the brave adventurers farewell, explaining that he would stay behind and tidy up all the loose ends. Primarily he would attempt to fool the Vanguard that nothing had happened and make sure that Kingsholm remained unmolested by the 'big players'.

He also said, 'Just to refresh your memories, agents of the Vanguard of Sertrous raided this tomb two years ago and took the bones of the Forgotten King. They were led by a yuan-ti called Xeron. A band of adventurers tried and failed to stop this, but at least they did stop them from stealing some of (not all) of the magic items in the barrow.
There is an ancient prophecy associated with the bones and the Vanguard seek to either prevent it or pervert it to their own wicked ends! Follow the trail, old as it is, find the bones and put a stop to them.'

And with that, into the Barrow they went. Billi lead the way, once they had worked out their light sources. After the initial empty barrow chambers they found a tunnel that lead them down further into the earth.

Finally the roughly hewn tunnel widened into a terrace, about 20 feet wide and long, with a ceiling that rose to 8 or 10 feet. The porch had no far wall, instead opening into a great, echoing hollow.
This close to the cavernous rift, the air seemed charged as if a great storm was imminent. The walls of the opening ascended and descended, moving closer together as they rose into darkness, forming a wider space as they went downward. Three humanoid figures lay unmoving near where the terrace dropped off into the hollow.

Two of the figures were statues, on a wide eyed female goblin and the other a young man dressed in leather armour. The corpse was of hafling who had once worn robes and who still clutched a message in his hands. Durz took it and showed it to the others but it was in a language that none of them could read.

They descended into the depths of the cave by Fenrir carrying them down one by one.

The hollow's smooth floor was roughly circular. The air was alive with energy and thick with the smell of developing lightning. Small holes punctured the walls near the floor, opening into a dozen small tunnels that ran off into lightlessness. Dull dust was thickly heaped around the edges, thickest near the holes.

Billi was just about big enough to walk down one of the small tunnels at a crouch and he went to take a look. He disturbed a huge swarm of cockroaches though that heaved out into the chamber and quickly covered the floor. Larger ones arrived, then some truly giant ones. Arahel turned into a Will-o-the-wisp and began zapping at them. Fenrir took to the air and went up to the ledge to start making some bombs out of oil and jars. The others fought them off as best they could.

Despite the amount of cockroaches and the unpleasantness of it all, the large ones were easy for such veteran warriors to dispatch. The swarms of smaller ones were much harder to get rid of.
Durz's axe did nothing, as did Billi's arrows and Arahel's zaps.
Fenrir arrived though, with his bombs, and incinerated enough of them to discourage the rest and the last of the cockroaches skuttled back down their burrows.

Once the fighting was all over Billi had another rummage around in the tunnels and found the old corpse of a drow. As well as some gold, he also found a jade statue of a spider in its possession.

Arahel had noticed something about this place, this Earth Node, it spoke to her on a magical, primal level. Billi felt it too, but since he always floated an inch from the ground it was less intense.
She felt her magic power strengthening, but not only that, somehow she knew that if she waited to attune to the place she could activate the nodes power and transport them magically to another node linked to this one.

They discussed the matter and all agreed that even if they were teleported hundreds of miles away this was only way forward for the quest.

They rested for a while and as it approached noon outside Arahel announced she was ready, gathered her power and activated the node.

The next thing they knew they were in a large rock crater with a rim that obscured everything from view. It was dark too, the only light source was their own.

Fenrir flew up, and the others followed, beyond the crater opened a wide Underdark vista lit by pale light shining through enormous columns that marched into the misted distance.
The benighted waters of a sunless sea meet a pebble-strewn shore a half mile or so away.
Across that dark water, a city glimmered around the base of the nearest column.
A cobbled road, which emerged from an opening in the dimly glowing cavern wall about a quarter mile to the left, passed within 10 feet of the crater and continued on to the right.
It finally connected to a narrow but elongated stone formation that spanned the shadowy sea, reaching more than a mile to the city.
Just across the road from the crater, a strange covered wagon sat. A broad and dusky dwarf, bald but with a while beard, stood in front of it, smiling. He wore a thick, leather coat and gloves that have gold piping. Two large grey lizards stood idly nearby.
The grinning dwarf called out in a deep baritone in perfect Common, "Node travellers, and unless I miss my mark, surfacers too! I am Bruthwol Coalhauler, a humble merchant! Perhaps you would like to see my wares?"

They approached the dwarf in a friendly fashion and stocked up on supplies. He then told them a little about the area, that they were in a giant cavern known as the Great Grotto and that yonder was an underground lake known as the Sunless Sea. The city they saw in the distance was called Pedestal and was a den of scum and villainy.

Thanking Bruthwol, they headed towards the city, crossing the sea on a span of rough hewn stones that hugged the southern wall of the cavern.

On a section of bridge that was half fallen into the water they were attacked by four aquatic humanoids. None of the party knew it, but these creatures were skum, powerful aquatic humanoids, the favourite slaves of aboleths.
And indeed, as Durz engaged the first of the skum on the bridge a large tentacled creature immerged out of the ink black water and started to try and dominate them with its sinister mental powers.

Arahel turned into a beholder and moved to attack. Fenrir started blasting at the aboleth and Billi peppered it with psychically enhanced arrows. The creature did not seem all that concerned.
Durz took on the skum and chopped them down one by one. The aboleth reached out with its mind and after attempting Durz and Arahel managed to snare Fenrir.

The warlock then lifted off and flew across the water to join his new master. By now Billi and Arahel had worked out they had just been attacking a projected image but it was too late, the creature was leaving, having never broken the surface of the water.

Luckily for Fenrir, Arahel quickly opened her middle eye and he was hit by the anti-magic effect.
He plopped into the water. He was now drowning, not being a strong swimmer, but at least he was free of the effects of the aboleth's domination.

Coughing and spluttering he eventually managed to swim to shore and haul himself out of the water.

'I can't just keep my big eye on you all the time,' said Arahel.
'Maybe the domination is now broken...' mused Bill.
'There is only one way to find out,' rumbled Durz.
'No, wait a minute!' interrupted Fenrir but it was too late, Arahel closed her eye and he
took off once again. Arahel opened her eye and Fenrir took his second dip of the day.
'Right,' he groaned dejectedly as pulled himself out of the sea again, 'Just tie me
up and take me to the city and find a magic user. Better gag me as well ...'

There followed some banter about using Durz's loincloth as the gag. It was base manly talk that Arahel didn't understand.
'It's just the right size, we have no better bits of material!' laughed Billi.
'No thank you,' replied the warlock firmly. 
'Do you want front or back of the cloth in your mouth?' chortled Durz.
Fenrir tried not to vomit in his mouth at the last remark and then with resignation said, 'Oh, just knock me out then!'
'Okey dokey mate,' grunted Durz and smacked him in the head with the pommel of his axe.
Fenrir went down like a felled tree.