Delving into Mol'Higek Report

General Summary

Deep down below

Shades of Blue composed themselves after dispatching the Kobolds and prepared to head into the mining outpost below.     The tracks lead into a large, open room with a track interchange in the center. Randuraas Thombo recalled similar devices in other Dwarven mines he had spent time in, pointing out where a lever should be to unlock the mechanism to spin the device. Further, when the tracks aligned with those to the east leading to a portcullis, the bars should unlock and lift.   The party also happened upon a small goblin encampment in the northeastern corner of the room. They appeared to have been caught unaware and were slaughtered in their sleep. Anduro Quoumo and Hinto Honiahaka Otaktay Qaletaqa investigated the bodies, with Blue performing a ritual to reclaim the bodies to the earth.  

A surprising discovery

Heading to the south, the party encountered Eikellan Von Cuthburt, a young noble from the city of Gilsa. He had been captured along with his steward while travelling south across Loch Joldunsteinn. He said Gnolls being led by the creature Ikeltek had brought him to Higek for some nefarious purpose, the details of which he did not know.         During the brief discussion, Magnus discovered Dust Mephits and the party engaged in a brief combat to bring them down. An excerpt of the encounter by Anduro Quoumo:  

Magnus wandered off while Randuras and I attempted to help this new acquaintance, when we suddenly heard a swoop from his general direction and were confronted by a bat-like creature with an ugly visage and supernatural abilities. Neoon fell asleep when squaring off with the creature, either suddenly afflicted by narcolepsy or an enchantment by the enemy, while the rest of us prepared ourselves to fight this monstrous foe. Neoon clattered to the floor and her torch soon became our only light source to defend ourselves. After a brief scuffle, we dispatched our dusty detractors, and we collected ourselves to find a small misty cave waterfall, spritzing our faces and giving us a chance to wash the dust off of us from the previous battle.

— The journal of Anduro Quomo - 1st Cithrel, 6th of Kasabiel, 151 LB

  In the small cave with a waterfall, the party discovered the body of Eikellan's steward. Eikellan was distraught and requested the opportunity to bury his friend, and that he would clean up and wait here for the party to return. The party continued further into the outpost, having found a suitable lever to unlock the interchange platform and unlock the portcullis, but not before Anduro accidentally caused a rockfall on himself.  

Fetid pools and glowing shrooms

  Further down the excavation tunnel to the east, the group came upon a fetid pool. Flotsam and rotting algae floated on the surface with a layer of pond scum. The room was damp and sticky. Feeling uneasy, they continued further down the primary tunnel, discovering another small pool in an alcove filled with the fetid water. To the north, however, a room gave off a strange blue glow. Glowing lichen and mushrooms covered the floor of the cavern. The party investigated carefully, as something had appeared to be excavating a portion of the room to the north. Inadvertently, they angered an earth elemental, that turned to attack.     After a fierce battle where some party members began to choke on the burning, poisonous spores that permeated the chamber, they were able to bring down the creature. They quickly retreated back into the hallway to catch their breath, while Magnus quickly sifted through the remains for anything of value. Anduro attempted to take one of the mushrooms for study. After an eruption of spores burned his nostrils and throat, he decided it was better the mushroom stayed. He took it and threw it into the fetid pool in the other room. The algae and scum on the pond reacted much in the same way people did, recoiling away from the intruder. Anduro managed to spot a tunnel below the surface after some of the scum had been cleared away.   Magnus swam beneath the gunk and discovered the skeleton of a creature clutching a chest. He continued through the tunnel with the skull of the creature and the box, and found himself at the small pond across from the lichen room. After shaking himself clean, Randuraas identified the skull as belonging to a Dwarf. One that likely was stuck within the tunnel or room the pool was in, trapped under water that slowly drained over the centuries. The finely made chest appeared to be water tight, and the group opened it to discover a bundle of arrows, a cloak, a potion, and a journal.      

Answers and Omens

Randuraas reviewed the findings in the journal and discovered it to be a log of an expedition to discover what happened at Higek approximately 45 years ago. The dwarf had logged findings, attempted tunnel exploration, encounters with the lichen growing in the cave, and other mundane information about the operations of an expeditionary force. However, one of the later entries stood out to Randuraas:  

After fixing our noses and mouths with damp rags to fend off the toxic spores, we explored the room further. We found embedded in the lichen a glassy shard, the size of two coins side by side. It glowed with a soft, green light when we approached it. When Koltag retrieved it, the color shifted to an amber hue. We are certain we discovered something fascinating. Koltag will return with it to Utancia at once for further study.

— Journal entry of Hugen Gristlebeard. Dated 4th Vulen, 32nd of Fhelohk, 106 LB

  The party gathered their things, collected Eikellan, and headed to the surface. When they arrived at Tal'Higek, they saw another object on the spike where Randuraas had impaled the gnoll leader's head. Upon closer inspection, they found it to be the head of a young human male, probably 16 or 17 years of age. Stuffed in his mouth was a note.  

Maribelle's soul was only the first

— Ikeltek