Session 2: Explore the Underdark Report

General Summary

During this session, the party decided to send a party consisting of Red Mage and the Paladin and the Pugilist to answer the letter that they had received so recently. While the rest of their group stayed behind to secure the area and to continue their building operations. This small party journeyed to a familiar crossroad that had been used as a landmark in their instructions, as they drew near they could hear goblins arguing and the Pugilist overheard their banter about the new presence in the Underdark. However, as they carried on the squeaking of old wagon wheels were heard followed by a loud 'CRAACK' followed by a distinct lack of goblin voices. When the party moved out to investigate it they found the mangled corpse of a goblin that had been torn in half.   The party passed this scene without much investigation and ventured down another corridor before finding what they believed to be a short cut. No sooner had they taken this path then they were dropped upon by two Hook Horrors. A quickly fought battle allowed them to regroup and drive the monsters away though they were puzzled at the small numbers, being more used to the idea of these creatures in large packs. They returned to the main path and traveled until they found a small opening set apart by a large mantle that had been made of smooth marble, this opening was so small that they could only pass one at a time by crawling. Inside they found a pool that was brightly illuminated with white light emanating from crystals, beside the pool was a create that introduced themselves as Kimbleflint. This creature bartered for a signal of safe passage that would allow an approach that wouldn't be challenged or met with force when they wished to trade with the outpost that the party was making. As a show of good faith, Kimbleflint bid them take the crystals from the pool that he claimed to have grown over the course of a long time. This creature was given a gift in kind from the party, a cask of watermelon ale which was gratefully accepted before the creature stepped into the deep pool and suck to the bottom before walking away down a sunken passage.   With five of these light-producing crystals in their possession, the party made the long journey back and arrived in a near state of exhaustion from the length of the travel. Along the way, they passed through the same crossroad where the goblins had been several hours earlier and they discovered that the goblin corpse from before had been turned to stone. They found this discovery jarring and made haste back to their outpost where they began making plans to affix the lights and take a much-needed rest. During their long rest the traveling Xorn returned and bartered information for gold, 500 gold coins revealed much information about their region to include creatures that lived in the immediate area.   Over the next day and night cycle, two events occurred. One was an encounter from the northern tunnel where a Basilisk approached the wall and attempted to turn the watchmen to stone. The second was when an offering was left on the outside of the defensive earthen wall that was partially blocking off the passage to the south-east. A mat made of very old, tarnished dragon scales no larger than a place setting had been left with a simple bronze cup that was filled with ashes. This was knocked over by the person on night watch who assumed it to be dangerous, only after examination by the Rune Mage and the Alchemist was it proven to be a protective or communicative ritual cup that they were able to reassemble and light properly. The smoke that followed showed the shape of a large, dark dragon that faded into the horrific visage of a demonic entity before fading to a trail of sweet-smelling smoke.   The next venture was taken on by the Geomancer, the Rune Mage, and the Dragonborn Barbarian. They left using the large passageway exiting their cavern that led to the south-east and went off in search of what they believed to be a Kobold tribe from the information that the Xorn had provided to them. They called into a few of the small, animal sized tunnels that lined the walls of the wide passageway to no avail. Only when they reached the very end did they change their tactic, relying on the Dragonborn to declare his presence and demand a meeting with the Kobold tribe who promptly responded by providing a gift of 10 platinum coins and a messenger showed themselves to speak with the Dragonborn. From this conversation, the group learned that this tribe had been deprived of the presence of their dragon and had fallen under a sickness because of it, they yeared for the return of their master and feared that their protector (an Ancient Adamantite Dragon named Ozul) had met their end.   It was at this point that the Dragonborn declared themselves to be not only a messenger and acquaintance of the ancient dragon but also a prophet sent by him. His show of confidence and presence baffled the messenger and he was inclined to believe the Dragonborn but pressed many questions to him of Ozul's whereabouts, wellbeing, and when he would return in addition to an explanation of the sickness that the adamantite kobold tribe was facing. During this conversation, the party was able to learn fleeting bits of information such as when the dragon had last been seen, some details about the entity that the Dragon fought in the area with the gigantic abyss at the end of their current passageway. With this information, the party promised to search out Ozul's location and aide in his return to the Kobold tribes so that the sickness could be dispelled before returning to their encampment.