Gwen Kirsten Tyra Quinn MacGlowcken – blogpost 6

I had to stay in our base to defend the fort and welcome our helping mages. So, Farryn led some mages to our base, including Elaara and Thaddius from Mistra. They easily passed through the portal. Two more mages, Selina and Alleric, showed up. Turns out, Alleric wants Jaf’ar to join his party, and they’re knowledgeable about Nethereese stuff. More mages arrived, and the party got bigger. Jaf’ar laid out the plan – we need eight mages to cast “disintegrate” on the phylactery at the same time. The journalists were curious about the spell, and Jaf’ar explained it. The debate about examining the phylactery was short-lived; it needed to be destroyed. They formed a circle and cast eight “disintegrates” on the box. It resisted but eventually crumbled. Halaster showed up, nodded approvingly, and talked about keeping the portal code secret. Selina wanted to check on her sister, and everyone recorded their experiences. I stayed behind and talked to the reporter some more to describe what happened. The rest decided to go back to Jaruk. 

I described the awesome deeds of our mages as such to the Deep News. 

When Farryn and the rest come back to the base again, they tell me all sorts of stuff. The White Mage looks very unhealthy… dead even…

Farryn quickly tells me the whole story:

As we descended, Urm looked uneasy, and then we were attacked by Jaruk and some Boulders. Two Medusas joined in. Grond and Farrýn got petrified, and things went south quickly. Haste was cast, and Farrýn and Xenji fought hard. Jaf’ar got knocked out, and Boulders kept coming. The Medusas were tough, but they managed to take one down. They defeated the Dao and the second Medusa, but Jaf’ar stayed unconscious. We tried healing him, but something was off. The price for undoing the contracts seemed steep. Farrýn inspected the Dao’s remains, and it seems the deal is off. They found some valuable items, but the mood was grim. 

Morning, all! After those interviews, my voice is a bit worn out. We wake up to dim light everywhere. Farryn’s busy summoning Patience, and he’s got news: Jaruk vanished, the phylactery’s gone, and, surprise, the contracts are still lurking.

Jaf’ar steps forward, looking a bit worse for wear. The cloak’s black, but he claims to feel better than before. Now, the White Mage’s the Dark Mage. What’s that transition about? Wearing a black cloak, looking dead, but feeling stronger? It’s a bit of a head-scratcher, but hey, who am I to judge? Xenji’s keeping his distance.

The White Mage found Mohan’s cloak, put it on, and is now talking at lightning speed. Farryn’s impressing me, fixing up the Dark Mage’s shield with his FF mark. The craftsmanship is exceptional.

Dark Mage suggests a visit to the myconids, thinking they might appreciate the Ezzat destruction. And hey, Urm’s here, with a mural and a poem as a thank-you. Pretty thoughtful.

In mud, I lay concealed,
Imprisoned without sight.
Now flows the new morning,
In the mud, I find light.

We make our way to Skullport through the Shadowfell level, and everything looks unchanged, no mist in sight. Entering Wyllow Wood, a beautifully lit forest, I secretly wish we could linger a bit longer. The Dark Mage insists I stick close and not wander off.

Approaching a hobgoblin border, it’s a “PAPERS, Please” situation. The Dark Mage advises invisibility, and I stealthily navigate around them. The hobgoblins spill some updates about Skullport – heightened guards, and the drow are back on this level, particularly the Auvryndarr family. The Dark Mage remarks on our prior involvement, and my annoyance grows as he reveals it was merely to pass through. “YOU WERE INVOLVED?” the hobgoblin mutters, “only to get through the level, otherwise we just killed them.”

Restlessly, I wander about, but nothing extraordinary catches my eye. The Dark Mage negotiates a deal for a drow base – initially offered at 75 gp, we decline, insisting on a better rate.

Continuing our journey to Skullport, we decide to stop at Guts and Garters, a tavern with Carla, a gravelly-voiced lady behind the bar. Farryn orders Wyrmwizz for everyone, and as I sip mine, a large chunk threatens to choke me. My first “HOLY SMOKES” echoes as deeply as Carla’s voice.

Farryn inquires about the resistance, and we learn that another party has a stronghold in Skullport with more resources. The sisters, Violence and Turbulence, are safe in a different, more secure location. Checking the logbook, we discover that those we spoke to before have met unfortunate ends. The party discusses regrouping and considers the suspicious absence of the Golden Cauldron’s temporary delegation.

After our conversation and a round of ale, we bid farewell, with Farryn tossing a platinum piece onto the bar. Exiting the tavern, Farryn expresses a desire to visit the sisters Violence and Turbulence, housed in a small residence described by Carla.

The Dark Mage knocks on the door, and after some commotion inside, it opens a crack. Farryn urges, “child, let us in.” A tiefling opens the door, expressing surprise at our early visit. 

“Wow, what happened to you?!” a tiefling opens the door.

“Uhhhh, who is there so early?!” Another voice says.

“JUST QUIET.”

“Oh, uh, hello. Sorry, what are you doing here so early? You could have sent a message?” Another tiefling says.

Farryn thought you might know each other – here is Patience.

“What a racist,” says the tiefling on the bed.

“Yeah, right,” says Patience.

“How’s it going? What happened?” she looks at the Dark Mage.

“Upgrade.”

Farryn introduces us, Turbulence and Violence.

“Why are you looking like shit]? The moral fight for Skullport… whooo!”

“Can we help you with some magic?”

“Yeah.”

“URM, I think I found someone who is more depressed than you.”

“Oh yeah, let’s put on a facemask.” Urm says happily.

A message from Patience advises me to focus on healing, as they are deeply engaged in a significant struggle. We learn about a person named Laura, indebted to the Zhentarim.

We aim to pull off a heist on the Zhentarim to strip them of their funds and prevent them from causing trouble for the current party. The Zhentarim are holed up in a castle, and unfortunately, we lack a map of the fortress.

The manifest mind can infiltrate the stronghold, but it emits light, making invisibility impossible. I suggest covering it with a cloth to make it invisible, but the intelligence of the party seems to take a slight dip.

“Hey! I was chosen by Farryn Flamel himself.”

“Oh, really… okay…”

Farryn reports that he doesn’t hear anything interesting. The dark mage decides to visit the map shop, and Farryn declines to join, citing the dark mage’s need for money.

“I have money,” I chime in, earning a facepalm from Farryn. “Let’s go to the map shop!”

 “Gwen, tell me how it smells there,” Farryn says before we leave.

The dark mage and I head to the gnome map shop. Upon entering, we encounter a large table, and the aroma suggests a mix of sweat, onions, and vanilla. We express our interest in maps of deeper levels, specifically a combo deal for levels 1 to 20.

“We can arrange something. It’s secret info. We can procure it,” says the gnome.

“What’s the asking price?” I inquire.

“Well, 10,000 gp for level 21.”

“No, we want an honest deal.”

“This is honest. It’s not that often that members of the Disruptors come into our shop.”

“We want the map, an honest deal. We want to get some disruptors…”

“Yeah, or we can get rid of some annoying gnomes.”

The dark mage intimidates them, his demeanor growing darker. The gnomes get nervous.

“Make a deal with me,” says the dark mage. The gnomes stutter, mentioning they need to show some money.

“There are no maps of 23,” admits one gnome. “But can I help you, Mister Mud Mephit?”

The dark mage instructs me to give 4,000 gp to Urm. The gnomes assist Urm and attempt to sell the maps. An additional 2,000 gp needs to be paid.

The dark mage arranges for Urm to receive the maps, with one gnome creating them and the other assisting. Almost making a blunder, Urm is silenced with a warning. Urm gets the maps, and the dark mage safely holds onto them.

Storming out of the shop, the dark mage and I pretend to be angry.

“We’re very angry! Don’t come to the shop, evil Disruptors! Special price or NOTHING!” the gnomes yell at us.

We head back to Farryn, and I dive into the story in hyperspeed. Farryn seems very skeptical. The fine print on the map mentions that if Urm kicks the bucket, the maps need to be returned. Farryn hands Urm a red necklace, a periapt of wound closure, and helps him attune to it.

I summon a beast to deliver the money to the gnome maps. Farryn hands me the cash, and I tie it to the wolf hound, sending it off with Urm’s signature to the gnome maps.

The wolf hound returns with a note around its neck, and the money is accepted. The quest for Auvryndarr, the hobgoblins, is still in transit as we pass through on our way back to the base. Paperwork needs to be sorted out. We’ve got to get back; we’ll meet Xenji again in half an hour.

At the base, we find Xenji chilling with Cloud. Urm greets Xenji, revealing his triumph: “Hey, Xenji, guess what I have? A payment account. No, a payment ruling.” I correct Urm, saying the payment is already settled. 

I ask Farryn for my money back for the maps, and he hands me 300 platinum, promising the remaining 1000 gp later. I’m pleased to have my money returned promptly, so I inform Farryn that the additional 1000 gp is for the party.

Xenji shares that he visited several temples but couldn’t find what he was seeking. However, he did return with hope and a paper – the REPORT ABOUT THE DISRUPTORS. We decide it’s time to descend back to our base. Farryn seems quite pleased with the paper. Of course he is, because I mentioned him a lot during my interview. 

After reading the article. Farryn walks next to me and says: “Hey Gwen, let me tell you what happened. Jaf’ar struck a deal with Shar, a blessing that he sees as positive.” There’s a sense of familiarity that Farryn couldn’t quite put his finger on.

We decided to head to level 20, starting with informing the Myconids. Farryn was getting ready to attune with the Belt of Cloud Giant Strength but decided not to activate it just yet. Meanwhile, Xenji took a trip to Waterdeep to check in with Valen Brightspear. It was around midday, and his sister was nowhere to be found.

As we ventured toward level 20, the sounds of golems still echoed. No new information surfaced. Heading south, Urm, flying overhead, heard a maniacal laugh over a strange chasm. Farryn couldn’t fly across it and had to take the long way around. During his walk, Farryn heard Golems nearby, one even taking the form of Hallaster, strolling along.

I decide to inspect the golem sounds, invisible. After a while, the party returns. Farryn reports that in the southwest, the cave appeared more collapsed than indicated on the map. The manifest mind spotted a neatly arranged old dwarf colony in the extreme southwest. There was a stalagmite resembling a crypt, possibly belonging to a vampire. Moldy skeletons filled the niches, and an altar dedicated to Laduergar, the duergar god, displayed various coins, gemstones, and treasures. On a tapestry, a shadowy figure held a load of gemstones. Investigating the stalagmite, Farryn encountered a mummy lord, leading to a chaotic battle resulting in everyone perishing to a massive fireball from Jaf’ar. In Dwarvish, Farryn heard the mummy lord speak of desecrating its resting place. Despite the grim aftermath, Jaf’ar pressed on, and Farryn found a considerable amount of loot near the altar.

Heading towards the southern skull, we encounter another golem. Farryn attempts to investigate a crevice, but the stonecloak golem returns. As we approach the southern skull, Farryn, Grond, and Snitch were ensnared by tentacles, suffering acid damage. Farryn fights back, hitting a tentacle with Dwarven Thrower, but two more grow in its place.

Luckily, they get out of it, and they are on the opposite side. They yell that they found a Golden Snail. The Dark Mage and Farryn chase that wonder, and leave Urm, Xenji and me in the bigger cavern. I turn around. 

A stone Halaster stands before us – he is ginormous. I take aim and shoot three arrows from the shadows, each finding its mark. Riding on Grond’s back, I remain invisible. Xenji steps forward, engaging the stonecloak in combat.

A fire bolt streaks past me, courtesy of Farryn joining our struggle. Grond charges the stone golem, and in my surprise, I shout, “OHHHH AAAAHHH STOOOPPPPP.” Grond retreats but is met with a crushing blow to the head. Urm vows to help him and starts throwing punches, but it seems ineffective. Another stone golem appears on the scene.

I target the nearest golem, aiming for the crack in its head, and witness it crumble before my eyes. Xenji takes on the other one, channeling his divine smite for a powerful attack. Farryn and The Dark Mage seem to have disappeared from sight. Grond readies for another assault.

Shifting my hunter’s mark to the new stone golem, I let loose two arrows. Xenji follows up with another divine smite. The stone golems are defeated.

Xenji signals the manifest mind. “Hey, where are you guys?” They update us about a dangerous golden snail they’ve dealt with. Curious, I approach the manifest mind to inquire further.

I get too close and suddenly find myself ensnared by tentacles. “Shit!” In a swift move, Xenji pulls me out, relieving the pain. He promptly heals my injuries. Xenji attempts to reach for a stone in the middle of the room, but a mage hand beats him to it.

With Xenji and Urm, we start exploring. Water trickles down an eroding east wall, revealing artwork depicting a man picking up a staff and being threatened by a blue dragon. Although I don’t know the story, it captivates our attention.

Xenji touches the water, and we receive a note from the manifest mind/dark mage: “In the north, two stone cloaks.” Xenji and I continue scouting.

Suddenly, a deep voice commands, “STAND STILL.” We encounter a figure questioning our presence, suspecting us of thievery. Denying the accusation, we slowly back away, leaving the encounter behind. 

In the expansive cavern, Grond seeks Xenji’s attention. Xenji, drawing his sword, gently taps Grond with it in an attempt to mend the creature. Despite repeated attempts, Grond remains injured. Undeterred, Xenji persists in his efforts to heal the creature.

A message from the dark mage informs us that the others are dealing with a quarter of the giant snail. The urgency prompts us to return to the cavern with the water.

Taking to the air for a closer look, I observe that the water is naturally pressurized, flowing from various sources. No secret doors or compartments catch my attention. Meanwhile, Xenji engages Urm in a conversation about mud.

I turn my focus to the stone cloaks, conducting an investigation but finding nothing of note.

I observe a Duergar appearing in front of Xenji, Urm, and Grond.

“There’s an old dwarf here,” Xenji notes.

“Old? Young!” the Duergar corrects.

“I’ve never seen such a type of dwarf,” I whisper under my breath.

“I am the superior dwarf; there is a wreckage in the south, a lot of corpses,” the Duergar explains. When asked for his name, the Duergar remains silent. He mentions that our party touched a stalagmite, leading to the emergence of many mummies. The altar in the south has been claimed, and they are searching for the treasures associated with it, believing the adventurers took the treasure.

“All treasures are under the control of Fazrian. All treasures need to be given to the Duergarr,” he declares, finally introducing himself as Muzgardt, the high Duergar.

Xenji hands over a diamond, and we call for Farryn and the Dark Mage for assistance. Farryn instructs us to tell the Duergar to approach. We say to the Duergarr that it’s not wise, because of the black tentacles. The Duergarr agree to wait for the rest of the party.

Concerning the mural, we are advised to ask Fazrian. The Duergar clarify that they are not from the Ironeye clan but are also working for Fazrian.

We inquire about Fazrian’s authority over the treasure of this level. Fazrian is the leader of the level, a green giant with wings. The Duergar are here for the shrine but are officially assigned downstairs.

It turns out the giant snail Farryn and the Dark Mage found is Fazrian’s property. Fazrian is considered honest and fair, particularly toward Hallaster. However, the species of Fazrian remains unknown, and he is not a dragon. The Duergarr got here after Fazrian conquered the deep mines, keeping only the worthy.

Xenji exhibits Aasimar traits in an attempt to force some reaction: he shows his wings and angel-esque physique, and I inquire, “Does Fazrian resemble this? Are they alike?” The Duergar appear impressed and guide Xenji away from me.

Attempting to intervene, I insist they not take Xenji, but it seems Fazrian wishes to meet like-minded individuals. In an unexpected turn, both Xenji and I find ourselves in the custody of the Duergar as we are taken down to another level.