Session 1 Report

General Summary

We begin in the town of Termalaine. Shar and Rys disembark from the cargo ship Solace Driver (stops in quarterly and is continuing South) and are immediately met by a child (did we find out the child’s name?)offering a quest. He informs them that the speaker (Oarus Masthew) is offering 50gp per person to retake the gem mine from the ‘monsters’. A few miners have gone missing and Cobalts have definitely taken up residency. The gem mine is the main source of income/trade for Termalaine and the economy is suffering. The child leads Rys and Shar across town to the East side Inn. At the Inn we meet Ifrea Tarnet and Savari who are also interested in the quest. We question the innkeeper, Marta, who is very helpful and informs us that the speaker couldn’t enlist townsfolk for this quest and doesn’t even have support of the town’s militia. Shar tips Marta after buying raw and cooked meat. We decided to immediately head to the gem mine (30 minutes walk NE) Entrance to the mine has large sign that says “Cobalts Only” Silence around the mine, no signs of life anywhere. Inside the ground shows tracks; human, reptilian, and rodent. We follow the rodent/reptilian tracks to opening with underground river. (Underground river = instant death, do not get swept in, we’ve been warned) 2 halfling sized rodents immediately attack. Both are subdued, and Ifrea takes damage but heals himself. Upon inspection the rodents appear to have minor scars and signs of previous skirmishes with the cobalts. Shar cut off one of the rodents' tails. Party returns to entrance and takes path upwards. It opens up into gem processing room. Picks and tools strewn about and broken lanterns showing signs of hasty departure. Still no signs of life. Shar finds a small stone statue of a dog with tourmaline eyes and keeps it. Rys leads as they exit the room and come into one that drops down to another instant death. The river-turned-waterfall empties into the darkness. It’s very loud and hard to hear. Rys observes two cobalts holding on underneath the wood scaffolding and using saws to cut into the supports. Rys attempts to engage the cobalt in conversation. He looks scared. Is not forthcoming with information but indicates his name is Scorp. He acts very jumpy and nervous but is almost bribed with cooked meat from Shar. He says we are not supposed to be here and “Trex” will be upset. Mentions Trex is smart and knows more (may have said something specific about how Trex talks or speaks differently?) Trex wants the mine. Scorp begins to scramble away and Rys can’t convince him to stop. Ifrea steps in and kills Scorp. We then remember to ask where the second cobalt is and discover he has already escaped. We carefully make it across the wood scaffolding, checking its support, holding onto a rope, and hearing some creaking/weak noises when the heaviest in our party is crossing. Enter next room to find a lift that Ifrea cranks and lowers each of us down in turn. Lift takes a full 10 rounds (1 minute?) to get us down one level. Not a quick escape route. We observe one path with one set of reptilian prints going in and none returning. Like idiots we follow that one. The other path has multiple sets of tracks going both directions. Ifrea sets his trap by the path with multiple tracks. Enter a room with a massive brain that has a beak. Things on walls looking like thick ropes. Tentacles all over the floor. Session closed