Gwen Kirsten Tyra Quinn MacGlowcken – blogpost 4

“That’s quite intriguing,” remarks the white mage. “But, Gwenneth, it might not be the best idea to venture there just yet. If you look at the map, you’ll notice a tower in that direction, and it’s highly likely that the lich resides there. Our current priority is to reach the myconids.”

With this decision in mind, we set our sights on the path leading to the myconids’ location. Patience reappears, seemingly reassured by our choice.

As we progress, we encounter a profound chasm with a deep ridge. The white mage takes advantage of his manifest mind to explore the depths below and provide us with valuable information.

“The lower levels are inhabited by fire beetles,” he relays to us.

Curiosity piqued, I express my desire to see these creatures up close. I’m equipped with my winged boots, and the white mage mentions having a similar item. I propose descending to observe the fire beetles in their natural habitat, emphasizing that I pose no threat and that they are known to emit light rather than aggression.

I’m a bit disappointed but also understanding when Xenji reminds me of our agreement not to venture downstairs on our own. However, my enthusiasm doesn’t wane, and I make a persuasive case for us to explore the fire beetles together. After some deliberation, we decide to proceed as a group.

Xenji speculates that this path might lead to the next level, while the white mage considers it a potential sanctuary for the myconids, ruling out the fire beetles as their primary concern for now.

We still choose to first visit the myconids, that are not in the cavern – says the white mage. During our walk in search of the myconid circle, the white mage takes the opportunity to ask about my age. I react somewhat defensively at first but then engage in a conversation about his estimation of my age, which he places at 20, though I reveal that I am actually sixty years old. The discussion shifts to Farryn, who is eighty, which surprises me.

As we continue our journey, the white mage shares a shocking revelation with Xenji about having been a tortoise for a thousand years. This elicits a barrage of questions from my end, such as what he ate and how he managed communication during that time. 

Quaggoths at the entrance, centipedes and fire beetles scattered about… The quaggoths acknowledge us but remain silent as we approach.

“Good day,” the White Mage greets them before walking past.

Once inside the circle, we’re guided northeast, where we meet the sovereign of the myconids.

“Greetings, adventurers,” the sovereign addresses us. “What brings you to this beautiful place?”

“We were looking for creatures that can tell us something about this level,” I reply.

“Our beautiful circle,” the sovereign remarks.

“Indeed,” Farryn continues. “We saw some beautiful creatures in a cavern nearby. Can you tell me more?”

“We don’t wander outside our area because of the rock devils everywhere and the danger they pose to the prosperity of our circle,” the sovereign explains.

I can’t help but think that the “rock devils” are the stone golems we encountered earlier.

The White Mage proceeds to introduce our group, and Farryn impresses the sovereign with his knowledge of myconid circles.

“Good, a friend for the myconids,” Floot says, offering Farryn two potions as a token of their newfound friendship.

I decide to get a closer look at the sovereign, Floot. I’m utterly amazed by the giant mushroom figure that’s not only alive but exudes spores all around. It’s not slimy or sticky; instead, it’s teeming with vibrant life.

Amidst the captivating display of spores and fumes, I turn my attention back to the conversation.

“Do you know Ezzat? We’re here to find the undead lich,” I inquire.

Floot, the sovereign, responds, “Undead is not possible here. We are in the center of life within this circle, and we haven’t seen this wizard.”

“Everything in nature has to be in balance,” Floot continues, emanating contentment with their current home.

The White Mage assures the sovereign, “We will make sure the stone devils are stopped as much as possible.”

Farryn, ever curious, inquires, “Have you seen things in the forest that don’t seem natural?”

The sovereign admits that they haven’t ventured outside the circle in a long time.

“Mister White Mage,” I interject, “isn’t it better for us to leave this place so the myconids aren’t tainted by your condition?”

The White Mage contemplates for a moment. “Maybe they can help,” he suggests.

“Do you have a solution?” he asks the sovereign.

“We haven’t seen this before; this is unnatural. I don’t know, friends. I don’t know,” Floot responds. “I’ll think about it with the whole circle.”

“We’ll leave the circle, so we shan’t unbalance it. Only Farryn and I are influenced,” the White Mage offers, and Farryn hands a strange blue mushroom to the sovereign as a gesture of goodwill.

Floot explains that the mushroom culture lives alongside the walls. I can’t resist the temptation to examine some massive shrooms, particularly the ripplebark, which appears brown and intriguing. As I reach out to touch it, Floot gently reminds me, “You know you shouldn’t touch, only look.” I apologize for my curiosity and heed his advice.

As we discuss our next steps, the question arises: should we confront the lich and declare ourselves as enemies of Hallaster, and asking how he could help us? 

We cautiously proceed towards the blue light source. I’m rewarded with two healing potions. In the heart of the blue light, I spot a tiny blue dragon, a pseudodragon, gracefully leaping from pillar to pillar and the ground, seemingly searching or collecting something.

As I watch in awe, the dragon suddenly changes course, and a bolt of lightning streaks from the blue light, striking it. It appears the dragon must dodge these bolts continuously to avoid being hit. Unfortunately, it’s ultimately struck, and a new bolt of lightning hits the ground. The dragon vanishes from sight, along with the manifest mind, which had approached the blue light source earlier. Above the stalagmites, we discover a blue crystal that’s the origin of the intense blue light.

Patience attempts to cast a spell, but Farryn urges caution and diplomacy, advising against attacking. He suggests using a mage hand instead.

I search for the tiny dragon, but it’s disappeared. Farryn decides that it’s time to go and talk to Ezzat. He proceeds with Grond, and I’m still riding on his back. Patience diligently introduces Farryn and extols his great deeds as requested.

“Ezzat, if you’re here, we want an audience with you,” Patience announces, but there’s no immediate response.

“Who stays silent, approves,” Farryn asserts, walking toward the door. Before entering, he turns to us and offers some parting words of encouragement: “This is the moment to never say: ‘Don’t be frightened; it will be okay.'”

We pass through the door, and I feel something probing my mind. “No, no, Ezzat, lich, we can talk; you don’t have to read our minds,” Farryn implores. On the door, we see the words “Go away” and two gems.

Farryn takes matters into his own hands and touches the gems beside the door handle, boldly stating, “GO AWAY” and attempting to push the doors open. However, they remain stubbornly unmoved.

Patience decides to knock on the door, and in response, a skeleton wearing a hooded robe appears. It’s the head of Ezzat, looking much the same as before, with the message “GO AWAY” still present.

Farryn persists, shouting, “Ezzat, we want to talk about Hallaster!”

The skeleton reappears, now with an air of inquiry. “WHAT?”

“Just as Patience said,” Farryn continues, “the disruptors here, Hallaster is a common enemy. Maybe we can help each other.”

Ezzat responds defiantly, “I don’t need help.”

Farryn presses further, asking if Ezzat has already defeated Hallaster. Ezzat doesn’t provide a clear answer. Instead, Farryn calls for the white mage, referring to him as someone who knows Hallaster thoroughly due to their past connection.

The white mage steps forward but then retreats slightly as Ezzat’s skull appears again.

Farryn then reveals a startling revelation: “Guys, this is not the lich reading us. This is Hallaster.”

The white mage steps forward once more, and Ezzat’s skull reappears, asking, “What?”

“We’re here to find out if we can help with something,” the white mage explains, “as it seems you have a problem.”

Ezzat retorts, “I have a great place here to study; I don’t need help.”

Farryn suggests finding a private place for communication, but Ezzat claims he’s private where he is. The party expresses concerns about Hallaster eavesdropping on their conversation.

The skull head of Ezzat finally relents, asking, “Tell me, how are you going to help me?” The white mage insists he doesn’t want to talk to a closed door, prompting the skull to disappear.

Ezzat, now that we’re asking the right questions, how can you help us reach the same goal? Farryn inquires, eager to find common ground.

The skull responds, “I could’ve studied under him, and I know a lot.” It goes on to share valuable information about Hallaster, describing him as extremely powerful and constantly casting spells. Ezzat reveals that he’s preparing for a battle with Hallaster.

Curious about what they can do for Ezzat, the party listens intently. Ezzat simply requests “peace and quiet.”

“Can I talk further?” Ezzat asks, but before anyone can respond, a fireball comes hurtling from the top of the runestone, aimed at the party. They brace for impact, but the fireball strikes a wall of force instead. “We’re talking; we don’t want to be disturbed,” Ezzat sternly states.

Farryn shifts the conversation, inquiring about the dragon they saw. Ezzat confirms it’s his dragon, named Ipsus. Farryn then asks if Ezzat knows where they can find a dragon of their own. Ezzat remains silent but continues with his explanations.

He warns them that the most concerning thing is that dead adventurers come back to roam Undermountain. Finally, he cautions them to watch out for the robe Hallaster is wearing, as it can see everything. Furthermore, Ezzat knows that Undermountain always needs a master – and wants the leadership for himself when Hallaster is gone.

“Any tips for achieving immortality?” Farryn inquires, genuinely curious.

Ezzat contemplates the question for a moment, his skull-head betraying no hint of emotion. “Immortality, my dear Gnome, is a realm reserved mostly for spellcasters. It demands years of rigorous study and practice,” he responds with a hint of wisdom.

Farryn’s impatience finally gets the best of him as he takes his hammer to the door, pounding it relentlessly. I plead with him, my voice laced with concern, “Please, Farryn, this isn’t the path we should tread. How would the Golden Cauldron look upon such reckless actions?”

Ignoring my words, Farryn continues his relentless assault on the door. “There’s no reasoning with this.” he mutters stubbornly. “Ezzat, let us face each other.”

With a mighty blow, Farryn smashes the doors and gemstones. A thick plume of black smoke billows out, filling the chamber. I stand my ground, my loyalty to Farryn unwavering. Fear has no place here, not now, not ever.

From the swirling black mist, two vampires materialize, their menacing presence immediately felt. One of them lunges at me, attempting to sink its fangs into my flesh. I deftly evade its bite, but it follows up with a slashing attack. Showing a touch of bravado, Farryn retorts, “Farryn Flamel, nice to meet you, but biting is a bit impolite, right?”

Farryn, now fully engaged in the battle, aids our cause by casting a blinding ray of light that strikes one of the vampires. Sensing the danger, I adjust my aim and unleash a barrage of three well-aimed shots. Though the final one misses, the second shot finds its mark, delivering a sharp hit.

Farryn and Grond make a dash for the door, their intent to force it open clear. Meanwhile, Xenji conjures a spiritual weapon—a radiant, glowing sword. I maintain my focus, casting my hunter’s mark on one of the vampires before firing three shots. The final shot goes wide, but the second one lands true, penetrating the vampire’s defenses.

With the door opened, Farryn and I rush upstairs riding Grond, my hand firmly gripping his waist in order not to fall off. The chamber beyond reveals a scene with a staff suspended near a table. Suddenly, the staff springs to life, unleashing an ice storm upon us, pelting us mercilessly with hailstones.

“GET THE LICH!” Farryn’s cry reverberates in the chamber, a plea for guidance. Determined, I shoot at the staff twice, both shots connecting with their target. Farryn’s frustration mounts as he realizes someone is toying with them. In a bold move, he hurls his dwarven thrower at the staff, causing it to plummet to the ground like heavy raindrops.

As we regroup, an echoing voice fills the room, admonishing us as tools of Hallaster. Farryn seeks my counsel on their next move. I make my decision, wanting to prove myself to Farryn. “Let’s wait for the party. Together, we’re stronger and have a better chance of survival.”

Farryn accepts my suggestion and calls out to the party, urging them to make a decision—either approach the lich or deal with the vampires. Beyond the door, I spot a peculiar sight: a flaming, monkey-like form, a polymorphed white mage, surrounded by celestial spirit guardians that fiercely attack the vampires. With a renewed determination, I fire another shot at one of the vampires while the fiery doppelganger of the white mage takes on the other.

Grond, with Farryn and me clinging tightly to its back, charges back outside in pursuit of the fleeing vampire. The vampire, desperate to escape, bolts away from us. However, we don’t let it go easily. In unison, Grond, Farryn, and I seize the opportunity to strike back at the evasive creature.

I quickly draw my blade and thrust it into the vampire’s back, causing it to recoil in agony. “Let’s head back inside; it’s safer in there,” I suggest, concerned about the dangers lurking outside.

Farryn, however, has a different perspective. “No, we need to finish this,” he insists, determined not to let the vampire escape. “Otherwise, there’s another vampire roaming free in Waterdeep.”

Grond, obedient to Farryn’s command, dashes forward to catch up with the fleeing vampire. But then, inexplicably, Farryn turns on Grond, attacking the loyal construct with a forceful strike. The clashing of metal against metal reverberates loudly, and I can feel the tremor ripple through Grond’s entire frame.

The chase continues, and just when it seems the vampire might evade us, Xenji unleashes a guiding bolt that strikes true. The vampire is engulfed in radiant energy and dissolves into a mist that lingers ominously in the air, a chilling reminder of our recent confrontation.

“Alright, everyone, let’s head inside!” Xenji attempts to grasp Farryn’s leg, but he releases it as Grond charges forward.

“Let’s go to Ezzat; we need to confront him!” Farryn urges us, and we follow his lead. I can see the White Mage in his monkey form vigorously attacking the runestone at the tower’s peak where Ezzat resides.

However, Grond abruptly halts about 10 feet from the entrance, which strikes me as peculiar. Farryn is quick to react. “Grond, what are you doing?” he calls out, perplexed.

Grond’s nose is pressed against an invisible barrier, preventing him from entering. “GWEN, jump off Grond! I think something is wrong with Farryn!” I’m torn; how could something be wrong with Farryn? He’s merely pursuing adventure, isn’t he?

Xenji keeps his spiritual weapon near Farryn and gazes intently at him. I’m left feeling bewildered, torn between helping the White Mage in his current form or sticking by Farryn.

“What should I do?” I inquire.

“Come with me to Ezzat, or stay behind,” Farryn replies. I dismount Grond, attempting to maintain a neutral stance between the two conflicting choices.

Patience intervenes, using his powers to draw both Grond and Farryn back. “FARRYN, resist the LICH!” Patience shouts, his voice laced with concern. It dawns on me that Farryn is indeed under some external influence, something I failed to notice earlier.

Meanwhile, the transformed White Mage struggles to squeeze through the door in his enlarged monkey form. It’s evident that he’s too large to pass through.

“Hallaster wants to eliminate Ezzat. He’s inside my head!” Farryn shouts, his distress palpable. Without wasting any time, he runs off in the direction of the myconids, prompting us to follow.

“Everyone, come on! We need to regroup and devise a plan,” Farryn calls out urgently.

Xenji intervenes, pointing his sword towards the monkey-like White Mage and dispelling the magic. “Stop, Jaf’ar, we’re retreating,” he declares.

“Gwen, what are your thoughts?” Farryn asks, his voice filled with frustration. “The White Mage is already inside, potentially taking my idea. I don’t think we can go in there; Hallaster is causing a commotion.”

I share his frustration, responding, “Yeah, I understand. We were just there; it’s incredibly unfair.”

Farryn continues, “I can’t go in there; I’m considered an enemy by Ezzat. YOU must go.”

I dash into Ezzat’s lair and am immediately greeted by a commanding voice, “SPEAK.”

“Why are you here?” Ezzat inquires. Xenji and the White Mage are already there.

“We believe we can assist you. Our party member is no longer in control, so he stayed behind,” the White Mage explains.

“How?” Ezzat probes.

“The Mad Mage is the root of the problem. We can help you with that,” the White Mage offers.

“I’ve provided all the information,” Ezzat replies.

“Thank you, but perhaps we could have aided each other,”

Our conversation shifts towards a paladin who met an unfortunate fate upstairs, with Ezzat claiming the paladin’s soul for himself. “Knowledge is power,” Ezzat remarks. “You’re alive because I spared you. Leave before I change my mind.”

Xenji rushes forward and attacks Ezzat with a battle cry. “Go away. His soul is mine,” Ezzat declares.

The White Mage uses dimension door to enter the force cage where Xenji is held captive. “Go away, Gwen. I’ll help Xenji,” he instructs.

“Xenji! I want to help you!” I plead.

“Help by living!” Xenji urges.

Reluctantly, I make my way outside.  I hear a voice say, “GOOD CHOICE,” just before the door slams shut behind me.

Once I’ve put some distance between myself and the lair, I spot the manifest mind of the White Mage. The manifest mind leads me to a rope trick, and I climb up when Farryn allows me in. “Oh gosh,” I mutter.I recount what happened to my companions to him and Patience, and we watch as the manifest mind continues to circle below us.

Desperate to reach Xenji, I try to contact him using the sending stone, but there’s no response. The White Mage assures us that he has a plan, likely involving teleportation.

Eventually, we exit the rope trick and follow the manifest mind, which leads us back to the myconids. We see Xenji and the White Mage there. I rush toward Xenji and give him a tight hug. He had wanted to protect us, but things went terribly wrong.

“What the hell happened?!” Farryn demands.

“That’s an excellent question,” the White Mage chimes in. “Why did you attack the door?”

“Posessed by Hallaster,” Farryn explains.

“OH GOSH, REALLY? HOW AWFUL,” the White Mage exclaims.

“We need to be cautious. Perhaps it’s not wise for you to be riding Grond all the time, Gwen” Xenji suggests.

“I can make those decisions myself, Xenji!” I retort, feeling a bit belittled.

“Why did you dispel my monkey?” the White Mage asks Xenji.

“I wanted to bring you along, Jaf’ar. Farryn broke free from his possession, and I wanted the full party together,” Xenji clarifies.

“My monkey isn’t foolish. It might not be brilliant, but it’s still intelligent, and I’m much faster,” the White Mage asserts.

“Thanks for rescuing me from the force cage. I owe you,” Xenji acknowledges.

“You did teleport, right?” I inquire.

“Yes,” the White Mage confirms.

“Nice.”

“I think we should leave Ezzat alone,” Farryn suggests.

“But then we can’t help Urm,” I counter.

“Nor can we assist Patience in breaking his contract,” the White Mage adds.

“I’m feeling something. I think someone is checking up on us,” Xenji says, a hint of unease in his voice.

“I think someone is listening to our conversation,” I add, my suspicions rising.

“The gnomes of Gnome Maps?!” Farryn suggests sharply.

Xenji walks off to create some distance and begins to pray, seeking guidance or protection.

Farryn decides, “Let’s move to our base.”

We make our way to level 19, intending to reach the portal. On our path, we encounter Xenji once more. “Don’t say a word. The only thing I can say is that the Lich gives me grace and tries to make me leave,” he whispers urgently.

Xenji proceeds to draw a symbol on the ground: a skeletal hand holding some sort of balance. It’s a signal to wait and remain quiet for the next ten minutes.

Once the allotted time has passed, Xenji assures us that we can talk freely. He reveals that he informed Ezzat that we’ll return and that our party is stronger than the Lich might believe. There were runestones in Ezzat’s chamber that could potentially bolster his power.

While we continue to make our way back to our base, we discuss our options. Farryn suggests the best course of action would be to lure Ezzat out of his lair.

Upon reaching level 19, we find Urm waiting for us, eager and excited. “You did it, huh?! Where is it? Who are you going to help?”

However, we must disappoint him with the truth. “We need to give you the bad news,” Farryn begins. “We were overpowered by vampires and Ezzat. We did, however, gain valuable information about the Lich, and now we can formulate a more solid plan.”

In essence, what we mean to say is, “Sorry, we failed, but we’ll return to try again.” I summarize.

Urm takes the news surprisingly well. “Oh, no biggie. I’m used to disappointment,” he replies with a shrug.

We have a brief conversation, and Urm expresses his hope that we’ll return quickly. “But yeah,” he adds somberly, “hope often brings disappointment.”

“Sorry, Urm. See you in two days,” Farryn assures him as we prepare to regroup and strategize for our next attempt to confront the challenging foes of Undermountain.

Back at our base camp, we make preparations for the night. The White Mage is eager to learn spells from a spellbook but needs funds to do so. There’s a brief discussion about where the money should come from, and I mention casually that I have 6500 gp on me, earned from various quests and chores during our travels.

Farryn reacts with surprise, “WHERE DID YOU GET THAT?!”

I respond, “On my travels. I did some quests and chores.”

Farryn decides to provide the money to the White Mage, who then distributes some funds to Patience. I can’t help but ask, “Farryn… I did good, right?”

“Yeah, yeah, you did fine,” he says, not giving much away.

As the evening progresses, there’s talk about dividing money and everyone attending to various tasks. I decide to check where Farryn plans to sleep and try to secure a spot near him. I start moving my belongings there, and to my delight, Farryn joins me in setting up our sleeping area. He introduces himself as SimuFarryn, which initially makes me quite enthusiastic. However, I’m slightly less impressed when I realize he’s a simulacrum of Farryn.

As I lie down in my bed, I reflect on the events of the day, thinking about Captain Tentacleface, Ezzat, Jaruk, Ichygluck, and the council. These thoughts lead to a disturbing dream. Suddenly, I’m jolted awake with a hand on my chest, and the voice of Hallaster echoing in my mind: “KILL THE LICH.” 

My heart races as I feel an overwhelming sense of purpose, a single thought repeating in my mind: “KILL THE LICH.” Luckily, it was just a dream…