In the Troglodytes Lair (Recap from 8-04-23)

In the Troglodytes Lair (Recap from 8-04-23)

(Da’Leysen the 6th of Misuthar)

After the party entered the small cavern filled with stalactites and stalagmites, They entered an ambush with Ropers and Piercers. The combat was very swift and the party defeated the Ropers and Piercers in less than one round. Searching the cave revealed the remains of a half-eaten male drow lying against one wall. The drow carries a small pouch containing 300 pp and two spell scrolls (shield, and phantasmal force) written on sheets of trillimac parchment. 

When the ropers are cut open, the adventurers find 25 pp in the gizzard of one, and a ring of protection in the gizzard of the other as well as harvesting:

• Roper Tendril (x12) worth 2gp each.

• Roper Stomach Acid (2, vials) worth 5gp each.

The raging battle in the adjacent chambers between the rival troglodytes over the evil looking longsword gave the party perfect cover to slip by unnoticed. They made their way out another worm tunnel and continued their journey toward the worm nursery that had been marked on their map. 

After a few hours of travel they set up camp in one of the wider parts of the worm tunnel, Corin felt particularly moved by the tragic tale of the four rescued dwarven prisoners and gave them each a 1000 gp. On seeing this selfless act, Chardalyn gave each of them another 1000 gp. The group realized these very inexperienced dwarves would likely die in the parties upcoming adventures, so Elmo created a teleportation circle back to Grimgolir to transport the dwarves to safety. The Dwarves, grateful for the rescue, offered to take word of the hucksters Heroes exploits to the King in Grimgolir. After thanking the group they jumped through the circle and back to The Hucksters Heroes Clan Hall in Grimgolir, to soon be reunited with their families.

The party had a long rest and Neheedra created some magic mushrooms and fed the party then on (Miresen the 7th of Misuthar) they set off for Purpleworm nursery However, within six miles of the nursery they came across an unexpected presence in the darkness. 

The remnants of a rockfall have opened up a small vaulted cavern along the passageway. Apart from the occasional glowing insect scuttling along the walls, the cavern is dark. Suddenly, a loud voice booms out all around you in Undercommon: "Turn back or suffer a death so horrible you cannot imagine! You have been warned!"

The voice was actually a minor illusion cantrip. The cantrip was cast by Hanne Hallen, a young drow allied with House Mizzrym. Hanne has the statistics of a drow, with the following modifications:

Hanne's AC is 12, or 15 with mage armor. She doesn't wear a chain shirt.

Her Intelligence is 17 (+3).

Add Arcana +5 and Investigation +5 to her skills.

Add Common to her list of known languages.

Hanne also has the following Spellcasting feature:

Spellcasting. Hanne is a 1st-level spellcaster. Her spellcasting ability is Intelligence (spell save DC 13, +5 to hit with spell attacks). She has the following wizard spells prepared:

Cantrips (at will): minor illusion, ray of frost

1st Level (2 slots): shield, mage armor

Hanne's mother, Zhora Hallen, leads the Dark Hunters—drow explorers who steal purple worm eggs. These eggs are prized by wizards, who use them in various arcane rituals. Hanne was on her first egg run with her mother's team when a passing purple worm burst into the tunnel they were traveling through, separating her from the rest of the group. 

Convinced that her mother and the rest of the Dark Hunters were killed by the purple worm, the headstrong and half-starved young mage-in-training was attempting to make her way back to Menzoberranzan.

Hanne had spotted the adventurers as they approached and tried to scare them away. She's hiding in the rubble along the cavern wall. When the party pressed ahead further she made another illusionary voice shouting in Undercommon again: "Fools! Flee now! This is your final warning!" Once the adventurers entered the cavern, Hanne was seen and threatened the party with her "powerful magic." She tried to perform a spell that she was not sufficiently skilled enough to cast. She makes some incorrect gestures and stumbles over the words as she casts Misty Step very incorrectly. Instead of misty stepping 30 feet farther down the tunnel, her mage robe misty steps, leaving her standing there in just her small clothes. She let out a startled “Eeek!” and scrambled to retrieve her robe. With or without the robe she was not very intimidating, and all her bravado drops with her clothing. In this state she appeared like an undernourished scared adolescent. The party gave her food and water after they had stopped snickering at her display of powerful magic, and her hostile attitude drops as she snickers along with them; later she tells the party her story. 

Since the adventurers were friendly toward her, Hanne wanted to travel with them, for safety, and share her knowledge of the Worm Writhings. As they approached the nursery a 10 foot section of the floor gave way plummeting some members to a cavern below, and access to the nursery. Under Hanne’s guidance the group managed to get a couple eggs. During the process the group ran into Zhora Hallen, and the Dark Hunters getting their own eggs.There was a tearful reunion with mother and daughter, both pledging gratitude to the party as the Dark hunters continued on toward Menzzobrazzen, while the party heads downward to the Vast Oblivion.

The party continued going deeper and deeper into the Worm Writhings until after a two days they reached the first level of the Vast Oblivion greeted by a strange fellow with 10 eyes tattooed on his bald head holding a staff with the varnished eye stalk attached to the end. 

He asked the party why they were there and after some conversation took them to meet “The Great and Powerful Karazikar” godlike ruler of the Vast Oblivion. Karazikar grew tired of the party's talk and retreated to his upper sanctum. The party initiated combat and Shedrak of the Eyes flew up to the top ring and blasted the rope bridge the party was standing on, almost plummeting the party into the chasm. Combat continues on the next session. 

Total Loot:

3284gp, (299gp each member) ring of protection, two spell scrolls (shield and phantasmal force), (Corin and Chardalyn - 4000 gp each given to the dwarven survivors)

Kobold Mining Profits: The Kobolds mining efforts yielded 5600 gp worth of adamantine ingots.  (Subtracting the mine expenses for the week, 584 gp), so each party member gets  836 gp each (once they get back to the Hucksters Lair in Hupperdook). 

(Adventure ended the morning of Whelson the 9th of Misuthar)