Session 23: Acid Trip Report

General Summary

The companions had slept for a time in the dwarven chapel recovering, somewhat, from the mind-control of whatever spirit or creature stalked Durgeddin’s halls. They entered the Great Room and were discussing their options when a reptillian roar thundered from below and an old acquaintance, Whastle Fletcher, stumbled into the room and fell to the floor. A medallion rolled from his hand. At the same time, Qira and Mi'tsuru'gi found a secret door on the east wall behind the dwarven throne.   Whastle’s story first: he had been in the forest collecting botanical specimens and viewing landscapes for poetic inspiration. One early evening, his small camp was attacked by lizard-like humanoids with a stench Whastle had never known. During the attack Whastle was just beyond camp collecting pinecones and he watched in horror as his guards were slaughtered and the camp destroyed. Somewhat disorientated, he spent the next day or so following a river and eventually entered a cliff face from which the water emerged. Crawling along the subterranean river ledge, he emerged into an immense cavern filled by a lake with a small central island. Using a last bit of flint and tinder, he struck a light (his guards had taught him this skill, much to Whastle’s delight) and illuminated the island. It seemed to be a treasure hoarde. Quickly swimming out Whastle picked up the first thing at his feet, a medallion with a grinning skull (the sign of Iuz), but at the same time he heard the sound of a large creature coming up the river inside the cliff. Whastle swam back and ran away from the approaching creature along the lake edte and climbed a cliff face drenched by a waterfall from whence he stumbled into the Great Room.   The secret door: in the Great Room a hidden door revealed a small adjoining chamber with a table, a door in the opposite wall and a single Duergar guard, who immediately banged his fist on the door. But that was his last act as an arrow from Mitsu pinned his head to the doorway. A female Duergar called out from beyond the door and the companions began to negotiate with her. As before, she asked them to leave (see Session 21: Duergar Redux Report), but the companions demanded to know of possible portals below and what creature may guard them. The grey dwarf was ambiguous -- what the companions sought could be found below, but its guardian may be too great for them. Without a way to pass the bared door and and bring the negotiation to a forceful conclusion, the companions descended to the caverns.   A harrowing climb down the river-sprayed chasm (up which Whastle had climbed) led the heroes to a vast underground lake. They crossed two stone bridges and traversed several ledges before they beheld the island of treasure that Whastle had seen. Within moments, however, the companions noticed movement in the black waters. Something lurked below. Mitsu and Brimble Knackles hid amongs the stony crevices while Dak and Qira took up positions to fight. Whastle hid behind a bridge.   With a reptialian roar, a young black dragon erupted from the water, its head and neck in the air spraying acid upon the hereos. While some dodged this fury, Daktarin Stren suffered mightily from the dragon’s breath and fell to the ground. Just before the dragon submerged, Mitsu was able to launch an arrow into the beast’s neck. Then came a waiting game as the dragon reamined underwater while the heroes took defensive positions (well, at least Mitsu, Brimble, and Whastle) and Qira ran to aid Daktarin. She was able to bring Dak back from death, but still he lay unconcious. As the dragon emerged again to exhale acid doom, Brimble and Mitsu attacked with magic and arrow, but Qira, injured from previous battles and caught in line with Daktarin suffered the full force of the dragon’s breath. Both Qira and Daktarin were killed, the flesh melted from their bones. The dragon suffered too from the relentless arrows and flame magic of the elf and gnome. The drake did not rise again and seemed to escape from its cavern lair through the underground river.   The treasure upon the island was considerable, but small consolation for the loss of their friends. With Brimble’s mage hand and Mitsu swimming back and forth, the companions, Brimble, Mitsu, and Whastle began the three-day journey back to Steigs Stand, laden with coin, magical weapons and a potion.   Just before reaching the village, the heroes (and Whastle) searched the area where they had hidden the Libre Mortis (Session 20: picking up the pieces Report). Something had exhumed the evil tome, its whereabouts now unkown.

Rewards Granted

1 x Duergar: 200 xp
1 x Young Black Dragon (not killed, but driven off): 1400 xp   Total xp per surviving PC: 800