The Red Devourer in the Mines

by Groht Arautok (Bighill)

We met with the strange orc in Parabor and headed for the Cairgon Ranges. We did not know what to expect in the mines, but the word on the Master's map, fire, made my mind race through all the possible challenges we could face. Was it a hint for a puzzle? Would we be facing a fire giant, or worse, a dragon?

As we scaled the hills, the strange orc seemed to be so preoccupied with keeping tabs on us that he didn't watch his step. Ha! The fool. At that point, I realized we were not dealing with an assassin and I calmed down a bit.

When we arrived at the entrance of the mines, to our surprise, there was a guard keeping us from entering. He seemed to be quite upset about the things living in the mine. As we presented the documents we got from the mining guild's guildmaster, the guard let us pass. We attempted to gain some more information, but the guard knew little of the actual creatures.

The mine had been evacuated, quite recently it seemed as some food lay rotting, left by the miners. I took point, sensing the flow of air with my beard, and marking the walls with the chalk I bought. I did not know what we would be facing, but I sure knew that I did not want to get lost in some shabby mine.

As we made our way through the tunnels, we came across a stack of barrels, and at that moment a terrible red devourer appeared out of nowhere. I had heard tales from the miners that braved the Underdark. "Whatever you do, do not let it get close to you!" I shouted at the others as I ran to flank this aberration. But it was too late, the child, ravaged by fear from seeing this disgusting creature, ran towards the exit. The lizard was able to strike it with a thrown axe, and the orc started to cast what I can only describe as blood-fuelled magic. I had never even heard of such a feat, let alone seen it in person. I need to know more about this technique, it might be able to help me better understand the power of runes.

The red beast came for me, gibbering in a nonsensical ramble, I paid it no heed as I yelled back at it. I could feel it was trying to confuse me, as it had with the rest of the party, but I refused to let it break my mind. My shots singed its flesh and my strikes made it bleed, the lizard's axe nearly cleaved the beast in half, but it was the blade of the orc that brought the foul red devourer down.

It had been unable to land a hit on me, but the rest of the party was gravely wounded. We had spent our energy on this sudden fight and needed to catch our breath. I knew that there wouldn't be any other beasts nearby, as this aberration would've devoured them all.

Then it struck me, we were looking for an eye. Did the Master put this disgusting beast here as a test? I quickly checked all the eyes, but no, each eye was part of a matching pair. I claimed one of its teeth as a trophy.

When the rest of the party had regained some of their strength, we decided to head deeper into the mines. For the entire time we had rested, there had not been any sounds apart from our own. The mine was clear for the time being.

As we moved deeper in, the child suddenly stopped and said he saw a wooden structure up ahead. Frustratingly, he had better vision than me, so I was not able to see it from this distance. When I came in range I pulled out my crossbow, ready to burn the wooden structure down at the sign of anything strange. We were lucky to have survived the aberration, facing another threat could've been deadly.

I sent the lizard ahead to investigate, keeping my aim trained on the door. But the lizard stopped, he heard a noise from within. The rest of the party moved in while I kept my distance. They could not come to an agreement on a plan of approach. Tired of waiting, I took the most logical action and use Ori to knock on the door. A response came, but I could not hear it. The lizard talked to whoever was behind this wall, somehow convincing it to come out.

And when it did... I saw its sickly gray skin. A fucking Duergar.

Continue reading...

The First Lesson
Unsday, 12th of March, 1799

The Master's Funeral
Eyday, 5th of October, 1799

A Beggar
Unsday, 8th of October, 1799

The Hermit Dragonborn
Unsday, 8th of October, 1799

Spirit of the Woods
Unsday 8th of October, 1799

Assaulted By Thugs
Abonday, 10th of October, 1799

A Strange Orc Approaches
Abonday, 10th of October, 1799

The Red Devourer in the Mines
Aksday, 11th of October, 1799

The Lost Duergar
Aksday, 11th of October, 1799

They Lost the Duergar
Luxday, 12th of October, 1799

An Interesting Tooth
Luxday, 12th of October, 1799

It Talks?
Luxday, 12th of October, 1799

I Hate That Bastard
Luxday, 12th of October, 1799

Accursed Woods
Primsday, 13th of October, 1799

Filthy Water
Masday, 14th of October, 1799

Trails of Death
Tranday, 15th of October, 1799

Master Dragon
Tranday, 15th of October, 1799

The Journey Ahead
Silday, 16th of October, 1799

On to Tamia
Dorday, 17th of October, 1799

Bandits on the Trail
Vensday, 18th of October, 1799

The Old Lady's Abode
Vensday, 18th of October, 1799

A Weapon Crafted
Eyday, 19th of October, 1799

Into Tamia
Eyday, 19th of October, 1799

A Relaxing Day
Krasday, 20th of October, 1799

Stone Defender - Research Notes 1
Edsay, 21st of October, 1799

The Dragonborn's Cart
Unsday, 22nd of October, 1799

To Palud Vivente
Primsday, 27th of October, 1799

A Strange Introduction
Primsday, 27th of October, 1799

Hunt for the Horn
Primsday, 27th of October, 1799

The Red Devourer in the Mines

Continue reading...

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