19 July 2019

Give us a Floater

The day starts out with the Irregulars at the docks of Gracklestugh, getting themselves ready for the journey to the city of the deep gnomes. Before departure the folding boat needs a christening and be trained the commands to deploy and fold back up.

Keeping the warning of Errde in mind that the boat will listen to any one we decide that the we will use languages that would be uncommon in the Underdark and use both Bree's halfling and Ezri's druidic. Even with these languages we thought of words uncommon to be spoken in regular conversation.

The command given that will deploy the boat will be "Give us a floater, [boat]!" in halfling. Whilst the collapsing spell is "Pucker up, [boat]!" in druidic. I have to admit that I had to think hard on what that would be in druidic, most of the language is focused on nature and its doings, however bodily functions are not commonly described. Both Bree and I spend some time to teach the rest the words, albeit phonetically, so they can command the boat as necessary. Except Caius, who has put in a bit too much effort in showing off at the inn last night, as bards do *sigh*, and lost his voice. Bree and I will teach him later.

We deploy our boat and it's presented to us as a small sailboat, I think I recall one of the fishermen in the taverns of Waterdeep to call this a cat boat. It's a little larger than our previous vessel and it actually has a sail. Which will make our traveling a little more comfortable -Not that I mind the workout of rowing, need to keep in shape mind you!- However the winds are not kind to us to day and the sail would be useless, so we head out with Autun at the oars and Shuushar taking his familiar role as guide at the rudder. I take it easy for now, still a little exhausted and even a bit sore after my goodbye with that Drow seamstress.

Meanwhile I see Bree with a book, I believe it's the book of spells we got from Nerrick's chest. Whilst I see Kais performing some sort of spell. Out of the dark suddenly a bat comes flying towards us. I hear some flapping and see the shadow circle around the boat a couple of times before it settles itself hanging upside down from the boom.

After a couple of hours it's time to relieve Autun of his rowing duty. I make Caius take one oar, while taking the other myself and start rowing. Rumpadump then grabs Caius's drum and starts drumming something that has to be a rhythm, jumping up and down in order to hit the skin hard enough. Cute as the little guy me be, his sense of timing is off even more than that the of the bard who is silently rowing by my side. Autun helps by clapping and giving both Rumpadump and us some useful guidance.

The day and night go by uneventful. It's promising to be another long journey on the dark lake. I'm wondering how big is this Underdark anyway? It's way too big to be a regular cave and this Darklake is more like a dark ocean.

The second day Kais sends out his bat. He explained that the spell he performed yesterday is a ritual called Find Familiar and conjures a spirit that takes the shape of an animal. Which explains the bat lounging on our boom. Kais tells the bat will obey his commands and the will also be able to see through his eyes and hear through his ears. I reckon it's somewhat similar to my wildshaping abilities where I gain all the senses of the animal I turn into. Though Kais just connects telepathically with the bat, his own body will still be his own Elven self. After a little while Kais and his bat tells us that the waters are clear for as far as the bat could fly.

At the back of the boat Bree is starting to look more and more distressed. Suddenly she starts speaking in tongues. Audibly none of the Irregulars is able to understand any of what she says, but Bree is panicking more by the second. Through Rumpadump it becomes clear that she is screaming for help and it requires all of Autun's strength to hold her down and calm her. In the process Autun notices that Bree's shoulder that has been burnt by the angry dragon back in Gracklestugh now has scales instead of skin

When Autun finally has calmed Bree down enough that she regains her composure she starts telling us what is going on. Apparently her patron was rather unhappy about us upsetting a dragon eventually resulting in his demise and decided to punish Bree for her part in this. Her patron turned Bree in part halfling part draconic sorcerer. I wonder, would that make her a quarterling then?

"I don't need any of this any more!" shouts Bree as she starts doffing her armour and undressing herself. It shows that not only her shoulder but about half her body is covered with dragon scales. I also note that she is wearing some pretty underthings that look suspiciously like what Urmedara was wearing during our last night in Gracklestugh (well at least she started the evening wearing those things...).

"Hey, did you steal that from my girlfriend!?" I call her out. Kais intervenes and says that Bree probably bought herself some nice things in the market. Jimjar again is puzzled and mutters something about 'girlfriends doing girlthings'. He clearly has no clue about love and a girl's needs.

Meanwhile Bree has covered up and it's suggested that I put my skills to use making some leather armour for Rumpadump, giving the little Myconid a little more protection from the dangers we're bound to encounter. It'll also give me something to do, Shuushar reckons that it will take us about three ten-days to get to the city of the Deep Gnomes.

As night falls we set up watches and get ourselves as comfortable as we can for the night. When I wake up I notice that the sail has been deployed. Bree tells that she woke up Shuushar to help with that Earlier in the night, as the wind picked up. I spend some more time fitting Rumpadump his armour while Autun tries his luck at fishing. But the only thing he catches is some seaweeds, or more like lake weeds actually, that Shuushar calls dazbood weeds.

On it's scouting flight Kais' bat, and Kais with it, sees a boat not far from our own. Kais tells us that this boat is likely to be a bit larger than ours and has somewhere between 4-10 creatures in it that are more or less average sized. Bats are apparently no good at math, or denomination of species. I have bad feeling about this. We turn the boat in the direction of the other vessel and make haste Autun takes the oars, Kais uses Mage Hand giving the boat an extra push.

"You know what is about a foot long, made of leather and sounds like a sneeze?!" Rumpadump suddenly pipes up in our minds. "A SHOE!!" Shh! I can't help but laugh, so do the others, even as it is the corniest joke ever. Even the drunken sailors in the worst bars of Waterdeep tell better jokes. Even though it takes us all of our self discipline to regain our composure. As soon as we are able to stop laughing I hear the typical swooooosh followed by a twoingngngng of an arrow hitting our boat, by the looks of it, it is Drow. I've got a bad feeling about this..

Having hostiles coming closer we act fast. Bree casts a spell enabling all of us to walk on water. I touch Autun to give him darkvision, wearing the darkvision goggles myself. Leaving Rumpadump, Shuushar and Caius in the boat, we set foot on water and make our way towards the other boat.

I'm not having any of this and start the fight by casting a Lightning Bolt straight at the port side of the ship, where I see three Drow holding crossbows at the ready. I see the bright lights shooting from my fingertips. Speeding towards the boat with a roaring thunder, that even on this vast open space seems to echo. The bolt hits and passes unhindered through the hostiles on the port side. In the last bits of light I see three clouds of ashes slowly swirling towards the deck. Right before my feet I hear a faint splash of something hitting the water. I'm sure it's another arrow from that archer.

Bree seems to be of the same mind as I am, as I see her performing a spell and instantaneously a big ball of fire appears above the remaining two Drow, setting the sails alight and killing the last crossbowman. The one with the longbow still remains standing, not looking harmed by the fire. Autun is able to knock and loose two arrows from his longbow. The first one misses, but the second one does find its target. But still the archer remains standing up. It takes two more arrows from Kais and Jimjar to visibly hurt him, but still he remains standing upright.

I want to make this fight as short as possible and decide to cook the guy. I cast Heat Metal and see his armour starting to glow. Even without the goggles I see the breastplate turning dark yellow first, turning to the colour of cherries and ending up bright red within seconds. Then the Drow jumps overboard, resulting in a big cloud of steam coming from the water with the loudest hiss I ever heard steel make in a quench. I sigh and relax, if being roasted, steamed and boiled didn't kill this guy then surely he would drown in the Dark Lake, being weighed down by all his armour.

But then, a figure rises from the water and keeps rising until it is about 20 feet in the air. This guy ain't dead, oh man I hate all this magical shit where you can't even trust someone to be dead and stay dead. Immediately I see Autun loose two arrows at him. In his haste, and probably because he is surprised as I am, only one arrow lands on target. From my other side I see a blast of energy originating from Bree, she must have cast an Eldritch Blast. Both bolts hit and I hear a horrendous sound of bones breaking and tearing through flesh and skin. I see the Drow turning inside out and turning undead. He has turned as far from being a living Drow as possible. Kais and Jimjar shoot another couple of arrows. It's Jimjar's final arrow that does him in. I see one arrow hitting straight between the eyes, pushing the now undead head against the mast. Closely followed by a second arrow splitting both the first arrow from knock till tip and the skull in two, spilling the zombie's brains all over the place. Finally he is really dead.

Getting closer to the boat Bree shapes some water to put out the fires. Kais searches the boat for loot, whilst Autun inspects the undead body. Upon closer inspection he determines that the being is not a litch as he first thought when it turned inside out. Ezri goes back to get the Irregulars boat before it drifts to far off. In the boat the group find a length of rope with a grappling hook attached. A couple of vials of poison potions for dipping arrowheads in. A golden ring that bears the insignia same house as Ilvara, the Drow priestess that kept the group captured in Velkynvelve. Then there are some sundries in coin, crossbow bolts and arrows.

As I return with our boat, rowing it together with Caius, to the Drow vessel I see that they are finishing up looting and inspection. Kais says that he believes we are hunted and that these Drow where after us. So we decide to leave no trace of this fight for other to find. After getting everything of interest in our own boat we scuttle the enemy vessel and dispatch it to the bottom of the Darklake.

"Ezri," Autun motions me, "here, I found this amongst the belongings of the Drow, I think you will appreciate it." He hands me a necklace, made of fine silver and adorned with silver spider fangs. "Awww Autun. I love it!" I cannot suppress a little squeak of joy as I take the necklace from the big guys hand and put it around my neck. I've been missing my torque ever since we were taken capture and put in that Velkynvelve cell, without it I always feel a little naked.

The Irregulars head out again in the direction indicated by Shuushar. When the day reaches its close the group encounters a sandbank sticking up from the waters. In the middle of it there stands a low, stone wall arranged in a u-shape. Some of the stones have come loose and have fallen away, leaving the impression of a ple of rubble at a casual glance. The Irregulars decide to go and inspect what is there...

We beach the boat and get a better look at what turns out to be a well-made dry-stone wall. In the middle of the U-shape we find a set of doors embedded in the ground, set at a slight angle from the sandbar on which we stand. They remind me of the kind of cellar door one would expect on the outside of a large house outside of the city above ground. I inspect the doors and figure out these are not dwarven-made, the craftsmanship is excellent, the doors almost seamless. But where dwarven doors would be plain and pure function, these are adorned with intricate patterns. "Look at all these carvings! no dwarf has made these. But who else in the Underdark has such skill and eye for beauty?" None of the Irregulars has an answer to that.

"Let's go in." Autun is determined to pull open the doors, only to be stopped by Kais. The Elf is as cautious as always. "We don't know what is down there. And all these Underdark dungeons we've come across have contained threats." Stopped in his motions. "I'll knock first." And the big guy's fist hits the door. Except for a loud thump we hear no sound emerging from below.

"Pucker up, [boat]!" We fold the boat and Autun pulls the doors open. We head down the staps and find ourselves in an 8 sided room where the wall go out from the floor at an obtuse angle and - after some ten feet - come back in to meet the ceiling. In the wall opposite of us there is another set of double doors. However three of the rooms sides are adorned with engravings, each with a brightly colored bench in front of it.

The first facet has a deep blue bench and an engraving depicting a bald gnome with a long beard. Judging from his clothes and pose this must have been an important gnome. In his hands he holds a blue gem. The gem is seems to be glowing.

On the second wall-facet there is a bright red bench, with above it a depiction of a short, slightly stocky figure. Again, it looks like a gnome. This one is holding something that looks like a toy, which is glowing red.

On the opposite side of the room, just next of the new set of doors there is a plaque.

On the left wall the engraving above the vibrant green bench depicts a sprightly, light-built gnome with especially long ears. She is holding a green bird. Which I find strange - I haven't seen any birds down here. And I doubt that there are any birds at all. So why would there be a picture of a gnome holding an bird?"

Jimjar reads the plaque on the far left wall.

The earth is the heart and soul of the Forgotten Folk. From its nurturing embrace spring forth the children of Garl, on its surface and amid its tunnels and caves they dwell in life, and beneath its silent shroud they rest in death. Preserve and protect the natural world that lies beneath the roots of those who dwell on the surface. Dig burrows, tunnel, and explore, for the Badger welcomes all gnomes into his domain. Ware the evil that ensnares those blinded by the avarice and destructive impulses of the Crawler Below, and the Lord of the Burrow shall protect those who dwell in his demesne and live in harmony with his teachings.

Dogma of Segojan Earthcaller, Lord of the Golden Hills

As soon as Jimjar finishes reading the doors in front of us open and the doors behind us close softly.

Caius tells us that the Garl referred to may well be Garl Glittergold, who is the main deity of the gnomes. He also shares and that the gnomish pantheon is referred to as the Lords and Ladies of the Golden Hills.

We head through the newly opened doors and head down another set of stairs. At the bottom of we find ourselves in another faceted room with walls that go out and then come back in. This time I count ten facets rising out of the floor. They go out some 20 feet before coming back in. In some of the incoming walls, almost near the ceiling of the room there are round ports, I see a total of six port. Once we are inside, the doors close gently behind us. Out of each of the ports a Carrion Crawler emerges. Kais casts an illusion of a rock which he hides behind, together with Jimjar. Given how intelligent these wormy creatures are I figure that they will actually be dumb enough not to fall for sudden rocks appearing in a room. I see Bree in the motions of casting faery fire and setting two of the crawlers aflame with a greenish glow.

I figure out quickly enough that these creatures will be out of range of my quarterstaff and Wildshape into my spider form. I crawl up the wall as quickly as I can to the nearest Carrion Crawler and drive my fangs into his body, delivering a dose of venom. He responds by biting back. A sudden rush of woozyness flows through my head, but I can shake it off. Damn, these ugly monsters have venom of their own. I need to stay clear of those fangs. In the corner of a couple of my eyes I see a few arrows flying from behind the illusionary rock. While Autun's axe swings at another monster.

Suddenly a bright flash of light straight in front of me. That must have been one of Bree's, hitting this creep in front of me. Still not dead, I bite again. I feel my fangs sinking in the flesh and pull with all my might. I hear a the noise of skin ripping and flesh tearing. I pull away and rip the crawler's head from his body, throwing it across the room, followed by a gush of blood and go. Some of it hitting Caius.

In my throw I see Autun getting bitten and standing still on the spot. He must not have been able to shake off the venom of the crawler he is engaged with. Immediately I shoot a web at his foe. Constricting the crawler and protecting our big guy. Action goes fast. Spells are cast and crawlers die from arrow, blades and magic. Autun seems to be able to get through the poison and chops the head of the restricted crawler with his axe. As soon as the last carrion crawler dies, they all vanish into thin air. Were they magic? An illusion? Regardless, the pain and venom were real.

Another set of doors open and we head into the next room. This room alternates straight and curved walls. Each curved wall is adorned with a large painted mural. In turn, they depict a cave filled with tiny glittering lights, a mountain scene and a forest landscape. A sight I never thought to see again. Even if it is just a painting. On the ground in front of each mural sits a an onyx bowl in the shape of two cupped hands.

Inventory

Gained

• Myconid leather armor (Rumpadump)
• A necklace with silvered spider fangs (Ezri)
• 100 feet of silk rope with a grappling hook
• 2 Vials of poison
• Silver bracelet worth 5 gp
• Gold ring with the insignia of Ilvara's family
• 60 rations
• 70 crossbow bolts
• 15 longbow arrows
• 55cp 215sp 143gp

Lost

• Halfling leather armor (Bree)
• 2 magic +1/+1 arrows (Autun)
• 1x spell components for Find Familiar

Party inventory (excluding Gained and Lost items above)

cash

• 50cp 744sp 1632gp 19pl -cost of rooms -cost of Ezri's companion of negotiable affections -cost of Bree's surface coin
• misc gems worth 19gp
• 7 gems x 2gp each
• 3 amythysts worth 10gp each
• 2 rings from Wurtz (value?)
• 12 small gems worth 1 gp each (held by Jimjar)

personal items

• all of our original possessions, except disposables

magic consumables

• Potions of Greater Healing x3 (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 x2
• diamond worth 300gp x2
• 3x spell components for Find Familiar
• 23 pygmywort mushrooms
• 16 bigwig (embiggen) mushrooms
• 2 potions of greater healing
• Potion of fire breath
• 8 ampules of poison
• A jar of salve (5 doses of aloe)
• 2x potions of Alchemist Fire
• 4x Vials of Acid

magic and other special items

• A magic box that turns into a boat on command.
• Boots of Elven Kind (Kais)
• Stone Speaker Crystal
• 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
• hobbit-sized walking stick (Rod of the Pactkeeper)
• pendant in the shape of a scroll (Pendant of Messages)
• A spell scroll (gentle repose: now copied into Bree's spellbook)
• A note from Droki addressed to Nerrick

misc

• a large pouch of incense worth 10gp
• 6 perfumes worth ~2gp each
• 12 pouches of potpourri containing surface flowers
• bolts of velvet, silk, and linen worth 5gp each
• a feather of some unknown bird
• 5 furs worth 3gp each
• 1 ball of amber
• a pouch of surface coins. The pouch of coins seems to correspond to the coins in the notebook for the last week or so.
• notebook with documentation of objects retrieved by the obelisk
• detached hand of a deep gnome wearing a 2gp ring (hand to be returned to Blindenstone)
• A book with 3 wizards' spells
• A chest with a key
• 1 surface coin (carried by Bree)
• a hairy belt from an unknown surface animal (worn by Kais)
• snuff box with bits of incense (~1gp worth)
• a surface leather belt (worn by Caius)
• portrait of Ilvara, the drow priestess
• some crappy poetry about gemstones
• insignia from the dead drow priestess (3 headed flail?)
• book on drow heresy
• one set of bone dice (carried by Jimjar)
• 5 drow insignia
• recipes for Alchemist's Fire and Acid
• fishing tackle x4
• 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)
• some rope: mostly hemp + 50 feet silk rope

armor and weapons

• plush purple velvet cloak (worn by Autun)
• 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)

ammo

• about 22 +1 arrows
• a lot of arrows (around 150)
• some spears (around 10)
• some crossbow bolts (at least 20)

food and firewood

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

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Prior: 5 July 2019, All: Play_Sessions, Next: 16 August 2019