Spelunking and Black Puddings
After taking Aerisi's spear, Jarlier also took a torc, four rings and a diadem from where she fell. The Adventurers donned the cultists robes and ventured down the stairs, finding the cultists in the great hall were no longer floating and meditating. They asked the party what had happened to Aerisi before one of them spotted that Jarlier was carrying Aerisi’s spear.
The party now found themselves at a t-junction but could see both paths were dead ends. On investigating this section of cavern they stepped into a puddle of black ooze that bubbled and rose up, forming two large malevolent blobs that lunged at the party. In the ensuing fight, the party found melee weapons that struck the creature became corroded and damaged, as did armour when the creatures struck back. Ranged weapons damaged the creatures but also melted into they bodies. Smiley ingeniously took off his robe and doused it in oil, Skonn then lit and threw the now flaming mass at one of the oozes, setting it alight. From a distance the party whittled down the lifeforce of the creatures, Drowyn landing a spectacularly effective magical attack, until they melted away. Baphomet's rapier, and Drowyn's armour were damaged in the fight.
After some healing the party passed back through the mushroom forest finding another chasm, this time a constant gale bellowed across the ravine. There was a thin path at the edge of the chasm which Baphomet and Smiley took but were blown into the depths below. They featherfall cloakes slowed the 100ft drop to a safe descent.
Eventually, the party all made it safely across to the other side where they found nine cultists engaging in a strange ritual. Jarlier interrupted them and gave a very shaky explanation of how he came to wield Windvane which the cultists suspiciously accepted. Jarlier commanded that they make a map of the caves for him and everyone searched through their belongings for a scrap of paper. Luckily one of the cultists produced a stick of charcoal, sketching out a detailed map, marking where the party had already been.
They continued on to the prisoner holding area, finding two female humans tied to columns of rock. The women, Nerise and Deseyna, explained they had been taken from their homes in Yartar and believed the cult wanted to sacrifice them. They just wanted to get back home. Only then did they remember to warn The Adventurers about the invisible demons that guarded this place.
Perhaps it was already too late.
"Look, he carries Windvane."
"The heir of the air," another exclaimed, "tell us your bidding oh Lord."
Jarlier, confused at the outburst, asked why they were here and what was down the shaft in the middle of the room. They did not know as only the fully initiated cultists went down there, though they never came back.
Skonn and Baphomet jumped down the shaft with little hesitation. Their fall was slowed by both a strong upward gale of air and their Featherfall cloaks; the descent seemed to take an age. The others eventually followed finding themselves in a cave with gory body parts strewn around and a hurricane of red mist nearby. Exploring the caverns they crossed a frozen pool seeing dead deep gnomes encased in the ice. They passed a chasm with localised changing weather.
Continuing deeper into the caves they found a pile of dead creatures, amongst them a dead drow with sapphire encrusted daggers and elven mail on her corpse. Baphomet stealthily approached and took the daggers but found that he could no longer breath. He returned to the party but the effect continued and he began to suffocate. Drowyn unsuccessfully attempted to heal him then took Baphomet's bottled breath potion and forced it down his throat. Instantly Baphomet could breathe freely again. Onwards they ventured, finding a 100ft shaft high. It looked climbable but they decided to head back to the chasm and cross it and after a few twists and turns the tunnel opened out into a mushroom forest. Sorin recognised some useful ingredients.
Through one of the tunnels the party could see a glowing pool of water and headed towards it. They found a pillar in the center of the pool with a casket on top. Baphomet drove his pitons into the pillar and climbed up. There was an inscription on the casket but it was covered in yellow mould and could not be read. Baphomet was unable to move the casket so Skonn joined him and lowered it down. Opening the casket, amongst the dust and bones Skonn found a glowing shortsword which he took. As the rest of the party waded further across the lake, Balderich swiped one of the arm bones.
Jarlier, confused at the outburst, asked why they were here and what was down the shaft in the middle of the room. They did not know as only the fully initiated cultists went down there, though they never came back.
Skonn and Baphomet jumped down the shaft with little hesitation. Their fall was slowed by both a strong upward gale of air and their Featherfall cloaks; the descent seemed to take an age. The others eventually followed finding themselves in a cave with gory body parts strewn around and a hurricane of red mist nearby. Exploring the caverns they crossed a frozen pool seeing dead deep gnomes encased in the ice. They passed a chasm with localised changing weather.
Continuing deeper into the caves they found a pile of dead creatures, amongst them a dead drow with sapphire encrusted daggers and elven mail on her corpse. Baphomet stealthily approached and took the daggers but found that he could no longer breath. He returned to the party but the effect continued and he began to suffocate. Drowyn unsuccessfully attempted to heal him then took Baphomet's bottled breath potion and forced it down his throat. Instantly Baphomet could breathe freely again. Onwards they ventured, finding a 100ft shaft high. It looked climbable but they decided to head back to the chasm and cross it and after a few twists and turns the tunnel opened out into a mushroom forest. Sorin recognised some useful ingredients.
Through one of the tunnels the party could see a glowing pool of water and headed towards it. They found a pillar in the center of the pool with a casket on top. Baphomet drove his pitons into the pillar and climbed up. There was an inscription on the casket but it was covered in yellow mould and could not be read. Baphomet was unable to move the casket so Skonn joined him and lowered it down. Opening the casket, amongst the dust and bones Skonn found a glowing shortsword which he took. As the rest of the party waded further across the lake, Balderich swiped one of the arm bones.
The party now found themselves at a t-junction but could see both paths were dead ends. On investigating this section of cavern they stepped into a puddle of black ooze that bubbled and rose up, forming two large malevolent blobs that lunged at the party. In the ensuing fight, the party found melee weapons that struck the creature became corroded and damaged, as did armour when the creatures struck back. Ranged weapons damaged the creatures but also melted into they bodies. Smiley ingeniously took off his robe and doused it in oil, Skonn then lit and threw the now flaming mass at one of the oozes, setting it alight. From a distance the party whittled down the lifeforce of the creatures, Drowyn landing a spectacularly effective magical attack, until they melted away. Baphomet's rapier, and Drowyn's armour were damaged in the fight.
Eventually, the party all made it safely across to the other side where they found nine cultists engaging in a strange ritual. Jarlier interrupted them and gave a very shaky explanation of how he came to wield Windvane which the cultists suspiciously accepted. Jarlier commanded that they make a map of the caves for him and everyone searched through their belongings for a scrap of paper. Luckily one of the cultists produced a stick of charcoal, sketching out a detailed map, marking where the party had already been.
They continued on to the prisoner holding area, finding two female humans tied to columns of rock. The women, Nerise and Deseyna, explained they had been taken from their homes in Yartar and believed the cult wanted to sacrifice them. They just wanted to get back home. Only then did they remember to warn The Adventurers about the invisible demons that guarded this place.
Perhaps it was already too late.
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| Map of the cave complex |
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