10 May 2019

"From the journal of Caius of Reckenmark, date unknown"

The Corrupt Myconids and we go our separate ways, we decided to bring Rumpadump with us. The Zuggt’Moians didn’t even seem to notice. We went right where they went back to where we came from, we decide to make haste as our guilt over setting the mushroom forest ablaze is still strong. A short trek in we find a bridge over foul smelling water, it reminds me of the Darklake… Though Gracklestugh‎ is not much of a haven, I can appreciate the dwarven hospitality over the endless darkness of that mere…

Going on, the air grows fouler still. The stench of death and rotting meat invades my senses. What we find was a scene of nightmares. The floor was littered with gore and bones, bodies in various states of decay, arranged in some form of spiral.

In the center sat a figure, one I had previously said my farewells to. Buppido, that mustachioed Derro! But something was different, wrong… I could see pieces of flesh missing from his face and parts of his skin looked dissolved. He spoke to us, welcomed us and stated he was glas we were ready to receive the truth from him.

Before I could act, Autun rushed forward and viciously attacked him! I was quite taken aback, such fury is not something I would attribute to that oft gentle giant. Autun cleft him in twain with his axe… Such savagery. Just before he was struck, the undead Buppido cried out, "I am the god Diinkarazan! I will be avenged!"

I illuminated the cavern to find out what was going on, just in time to see two insectoid creatures carrion-crawling our way. But we managed to quickly take care of these as well. I believe that they are letting off some steam after having to show restraint earlier.

Bree loots Buppido's body and finds a mysterious rod amidst his undead remains. In a pocket of the shredded clothes she also finds a portrait of the drow priestess Ilvara done on Black parchment with white paint in typical drow fashion. And a note; Dwarven poetry about gemstones, it’s not that great..

“Mine shining eyes, glitter glamour gleam.
Hacking though the ground, look at what I’ve seen.
Harder than rock but my face does beam.
Blue and Red and Clear and Green,
Oh joyous riches, I can just scream.
I pick them up, I count Nineteen.”

Things went quickly from bad to worse when we heard a bloodcurdling scream coming from behind us and we rushed back to investigate. The corrupted Myconids were under attack by a pack of Drow. A set of twins under the command of a priestess and a duergar in the rear. We decided to not interfere and instead retreated back trough the gory shrine chamber. Rumpadump was understandably upset that we left his previous fellows to their fates. I tell him that it’ll soon be over and that they probably won’t feel pain on account of them being mushrooms and all, but Rumpadump failed to see reason. Forgetting that I was dealing with a child, he was soon bribed with an offer of riding on Spider-Ezri’s back… Go figure..

Wading through that filthy room once more, we made our way past to an intersection of sorts. Figuring that left was the way towards the city, we headed in that direction. After some time of walking, we decided that perhaps it would be best to take a short rest. Not knowing where we would emerge in the city and having a drow hunting party on our heels are things best faced ready and rested.

It was not long after we had settled down that we heard those same drow arguing in the distance. It appeared that they were looking for us! As we were able to spot them before they noticed us, an ambush seemed the best course of action. Autun and I stood in the center of the tunnel, appearing to be distracted while Bree, Kais and Erzi hid themselves along the rough tunnel walls.

I must stop underestimating Bree, though small of stature and fickle in nature, the destruction she can bring forth is awe inspiring. A trio of crackling lighting bolts all but tore apart one of one of the drow twins in an offhanded display of power. The Drow priestess must have heard my hesitation, for the insults I casted her way did not provoke her as I had hoped. Instead of doubt, she responded resolutely, bolstering the remainder of the Drow warriors. Kais and Jimjar were able to draw a bead on them though and sent some arrows their way to devastating effect. The final Drow warrior was felled by Ezri as she dropped from the ceiling right on top of him in a fury of legs and fangs.

Though our ambush was a success, we were not able to capture the duergar that was escorting the hunting party… I suspect that this was not the last we have seen of him.

On the body of the female drow we find a pendant in the shape of a scroll, a book on drow heretics and what they believe, a pouch of spell components. and a purse heavy with coin. From the bodies of her companions we locate quivers, in themselves not special but equipped with small compartments containing vials of poison compartment, 8 in total. We also find a set of bone dice, as well as more coinage.

Weary of bloodshed, we emerged from the cave in the Derro slums of the West Cleft District. This place looks even worse than the city, such poverty and decay, the streets are strewn with filth and the houses seem decrepit.. After all we had just been through, we did not feel safe at all and quickly made our way back to our inn to digest what we had learned that day.

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Prior: 3 May 2019, All: Play_Sessions, Next: 24 May 2019

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The Riddle:

I am a lonely thing, wounded with iron,
switten by sword, sated with battle-work,
weary of blades. Often I see battle,
herce combat. I forsee no comfort,
no help will come for me from the heat of battle,
until among men I perish utterly;
but the hammered swords will beat me and bite me,
hard-edged and sharp, the handywork of smiths,
in towns among men. Abide I must always
the meeting of foes. Never could I find
among the leeches, where people foregather,
and who with herbs would heal my wounds;
but the sores from the swords are always greater
with mortal blows day and night.

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Prior: 3 May 2019, All: Play_Sessions, Next: 24 May 2019

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Inventory

Gained

• hobbit-sized walking stick (Rod of the Pactkeeper)
• portrait of Ilvara, the drow priestess
• 127cp 55sp 27gp
• 3 amythysts worth 10gp each
• some crappy poetry about gemstones
• insignia from the dead drow priestess (3 headed flail?)
• pendant in the shape of a scroll (Pendant of Messages)
• book on drow heresy
• spell component pouch
• 5cp 60sp 311gp
• 55cp 127sp 77gp
• 8 ampules of poison
• one set of bone dice (carried by Jimjar)
• 5 drow insignia

Lost

cost of rooms (?)

Party inventory (excluding Gained and Lost items above)

• 64cp 503sp 127gp 19pl -cost of rooms
• misc gems worth 15gp
• 7 gems x 2gp each
• 5gp of gems

• all of our original possessions, except disposables

• Potions of Greater Healing, 1 each (4d4+2)
• 2 potions of healing
• 2 gourds of antitoxin (gives 1 hour of advantage on saving throws against poison)
• 1 flask of holy water (carried by Autun)
• 11 unicorn hooves (goodberry)
• spell component pouch
• diamond worth 300gp
• 2x spell components for Find Familiar
• 23 pygmywort mushrooms
• 16 bigwig (embiggen) mushrooms
• 2 potions of greater healing
• Potion of fire breath

• bag of holding
• scroll of Protection From Fiends in a box of surface wood
• one pair of spectacles of darkvision
• a Quiver of Ehlonna (carried by Kais)
• Bree's Book of Shadows
• bag of magical rubies for delivery
• recipe for Alchemist Fire with ingredients for 2
• recipe for Vial of Acid with ingredients for 4
• an incriminating letter

• thieves' lantern (carried by Kais)
• pouch with incense (worth 5gp)
• a Dwarvish recipe book
• a Dwarvish poetry book
• a bone flute
• a strange hourglass (worth 2gp)
• bracelet (silver) worth 6gp
• silver hand mirror
• small wood box
• silver headdress
• 3 rings with gems (from dead drow)
• 2 longbows (one kept by Kais, one kept by Autun)
• necklace with 3 headed flail
• decorated quiver (5gp)
• drow underwear
• a bunch of hairpins (fished out from between the teeth of the elf-Quaggoth)
• fishing tackle x4 (4gp)

• plush purple velvet cloak (worn by Autun)
• shield (carried by Caius)
• silvered sickle (carried by Ezri)
• 1 studded leather armor (kept by Kais)
• 1 bag of pitons (kept by Kais)
• 2 short swords (kept by Kais)
• 3 daggers (kept by Kais)
• 1 hand crossbow (kept by Kais)
• 1 bag of caltrops (kept by Kais)
• some rope: mostly hemp + 50 feet silk rope (1GP & 10GP)

• 24 +1 arrows
• some arrows
• some spears
• some crossbow bolts

• 200+ rations
• a lot of salt
• a lot of fish
• blue cap mushroom spores
• water orbs
• shambling mound debris (tinder)
• fire lichen

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Prior: 3 May 2019, All: Play_Sessions, Next: 24 May 2019