The Darklake Trading Outpost (Recap from 3-3-23)

The Darklake Trading Outpost (Recap from 3-3-23)

Mantol-Derith

(Da’Leysen the 26th of Fessuran) On the 9th day of underdark travel the Theurgeme continues to make its way through the dark waters of the subterranean sea known as Darklake. The sea is calm and glassy with no current or waves, the cavern roof hidden a thousand feet above only pinpricks of light from colonies of glow worms and bioluminescent lichen growing on the ceiling sheds an eerie blueish glow creating a false alien night sky.  There would be no sunrise eight thousand feet below the surface world. Dark shapes could be seen swimming in the waters beneath the ship, some very large others smaller seemingly following the ship. The crew, shaken by the encounter with Juiblex the demon lord, was on high alert keeping watch over both the way ahead for dangers yet to be faced, and astern for signs of pursuit. The Crew educated the Adventures on the use of the ships arcane cannons and conducted some readiness drills.

Near the end of the day cycle, the engines stopped as the craft slowly drifted toward a coven of three sea hags demanding an offering of 1000 gp to allow the ship to pass safely. They had six sea spawn with them flanking the ship. After a brief exchange the Captain tossed a chest containing 1000 gp into the water. One of the sea spawn grabbed it and disappeared into the darkness, the leader of the sea hags thanked the Captain and dived beneath the surface.

As the night watches began, The crew that was sleeping had unsettling dreams, while the subterranean sea became more turbulent. During the first watch of the night, the ship encounters a very strong rough current, the waters here churning violently. The members on watch fought to keep the Theurgeme under control. The vessel was rocked violently but didn't take any damage, and the crew avoided falling overboard. Just then four Dark Mantles attack out of the darkness. The sounds of alarms and battle awoke the rest of the party, and a short battle began. After a frantic melee the group vanquished the Dark Mantles,and looted:

• Eight Darkmantle Tentacles. Which some cultures consider a tasty delicacy worth 1 gp.

• Four Darkmantle Otoliths. That can be used to create hearing devices worth 2 gp.

• In their stomachs were the undigested remains of past victims and 26 sp and 5 pp.

(Miresen the 27th of Fessuran) After a rough night onboard the ship the morning watch began, and the crew on deck navigated the ship around some rocks jutting up from the water that had fallen from the ceiling. Fortunately for the ship and crew the damage from hitting the rocks was superficial. The crew stayed on high alert, after they heard a Massive battle going on far away from the southwest. The sound of screams and of some massive creature yelling in Abyssal echoed across the darkness. The party, figured that some monstrous demon was destroying some settlement along the shores of Darklake, possibly Sloobludop, slowly the sounds faded.  

As the night watch took their posts the ship arrived at Mantol-Derith, the Darklake Trading Outpost. The crew dropped Anchor just offshore, the captain recommended having a good night's rest before finding the contacts for offloading the cargo in the morning.

(Grissen the 28th of Fessuran) The crew had a much needed rest after having the traditional feast for arriving safely to their destination. After a hearty breakfast of questionable ingredients, the group disembarked and headed ashore. There they found an elf with long red hair, wearing a backpack, sitting on a ledge overlooking the vast water-filled cavern. The elf was dressed in the finest attire and was dipping his bare feet in the murky water. "Care to join me?" he asked with a wry smile. He then offers the party a bite to eat pulling a rotting dismembered arm from his pack offering it to the party before munching on it as if it were a succulent leg of lamb. It is quite clear he is quite mad, foreshadowing what the party found while they explored Mantol-Derith, most of the inhabitants of the outpost were completely mad. 

Shortly after finding the Myriad contact, the group found the cause of the madness. It was a large precious gemstone worth approximately 50000 gp. The gem had a Demon Lord trapped within, causing madness in any who touched it or even came within five feet. They received a “locate object” compass from the Myriad operative, Ghazrim DuLoc, and a “greater restoration potion” to give to Rystia Zav, a possible ally, who is a bard of the Golden Grin that could very much aid in addressing the madness gripping the town. (Though Ghazrim didn't really know what she looks like or where she might be.) The party also found out that the demons did indeed destroy Sluuberdoop, as insane refugees from there have been showing up requesting sanctuary.

The party visited the svirfneblin and duergar markets clustered on the east side of the trench and found a duergar merchant who sold them a silver, lead lined, box to contain the demon gem. He also gave them directions to the duergar warehouse where he thinks the gem might be found. They made their way to the warehouse and found the crate with the gem inside. Malik  succumbed to madness when he tried to open the crate containing the gem, and had to be physically restrained. Svela summoned an echo, and retrieved the gem though the echo, then she had the echo put it in the lead lined box. 

Next they sought out an open space away from everyone and had Svela’s echo remove the gem from the box  so they could try to cast banishment on the gem thus sending the gem back to the abyss where it belongs. Next they sought out a tavern and found out from the tavern keeper that Rystia Zav was last seen camping in a tent on the western beach. The party went in search of her. They found someone had pitched a small tent on the pebbled beach overlooking a vast underground sea. Above the sound of water lapping at the shoreline, they heard a soft, feminine voice humming an unfamiliar tune. The voice came from inside the tent, which was illuminated from within. As the party feared, she was mad, and believed that everyone she encountered was out to kill her. Grok charged in and grappled her, while casting remove curse from the “necklace of remove curse” he had acquired. When she came to her senses she told the party what she knew about the events leading up to the wave of madness, and said that she would go into the city and try her best to help as many people as she could. She thanked the party for helping her recover from the demon induced madness.

The party returned the compass and potion to Ghazrim DuLoc, who then told them where to find Gabble Dripskillet the Svirfneblin chief negotiator and buyer. Teams took the deep gnome negotiator to the ship where the captain haggled over prices for the goods, settling upon 59,084 gp worth of rare gems in return for the Grimgolir cargo.  That night they all returned to the ship for drinks and some food accompanied by the now cured Sladis Vadir, Rystia Zav, Gabble Dripskillet, Ghazrim DuLoc, and Captain Griliggs Firehorn who had the cook break out a cask of fine dwarven fire ale in celebration. 

Kobold Mining Profits for the second week of the third month, 1400 gp worth of Mithril ingots, less the mines operating expenses of 325gp grants each party member 179 gp (Also there were six more Kobold eggs laid in the lair).