Brosster Hollow Report

General Summary

Fated Arrivals

Answering the summons of a friend, Maribelle Fenwick , three individuals arrive separately on the Southwestern tip of The Steppes of Galeaha in the City of Wallsard . Each enters the inn late, receiving a key for a pre-paid room along with a note. Upon retiring to their quarters and settling in, they break Maribelle's seal and read:

My dear friend, I appreciate you coming all this way in my hour of need. I fear when you read this letter I will already have passed. I have ventured deep into an ancient labyrinth, Brosster Hollow, and fear that I have uncovered a terrible power. Whatever I have awoken lusts for death, and it may even have power reaching to the inhabitants of Wallsard. Please, find who killed me, and stop the evil I have wrought on this world.

— Maribelle Fenwick

A Breakfast meeting

After a good night's rest, the three make their way separately down to the tavern. Through overheard conversations with the innkeeper Jorund Tokisson , chatting with the barmaid Brangian Laughingsteel, the three adventurers Oriannna , Anteris , and Anduro discover they were all contacted by Maribelle and set out to discover her whereabouts.

Arrival in the Swamp

Stories of Brosster Hollow tell of ancient skeletons and evils that stir deep beneath the burial mounds along the marsh. This place was once believed to be a holy site, containing the bodies of ancient rulers. Over the centuries explorers and treasure seekers, both those with noble and ill intentions, have sought the hollow, but entrances find themselves sunk often beneath the changing marshland.

After travelling for most the day with the assistance of a guide Elziel arranged by Maribelle, the team arrived at the entrance to Brosster Hollow. An encampment was discovered outside, along with the bodies of slain mercenaries. Maribelle was not among the fallen. The group set up camp for some rest before delving into the tomb.

Delving into the Hollow

Ancient families, names eroded away lay scattered about these tombs. Grave robbers or hungry creatures have scoured the tombs and desecrated the bodies over time. Anything of value appears to have long since been ransacked, and the cobwebs weigh heavily on the royalty of old, their only crown now one of dust and stale rot.

The group delved into the Hollow, discovering rampaging minotaur skeletons, shadows come to life and ancient decayed mummies through the halls. They continued to explore the twisting passages and eventually came to a secret room.

As you approach the door, the slight hum of a crystal light source emanates from the other side. Upon opening the door, you barely have a moment to ready yourself as a skeletal creature raises a bony hand to you and begins to growl arcane incantations.

The group encountered a powerful Deathlok and nearly perished at its hands. However, they were victorious. Leaving the body of the creature in the hall, they sealed the magical doors, investigated the lair, and set up for a restless evening of sleep. They did, however, discover a pile of treasure the Deathlok must have discarded from fallen adventurers.

A Deathlock appears to have made its lair here, hidden among the ruins. Some poor soul recently found itself in the clutches of this monstrosity and was dragged below for what could only be horrid rituals. A glowing blue crystal fills the room with a dull light. Arcane reagents are scattered on the northeastern side of the room, and a ritual circle is carved into the floor to the southwest. What belongings the adventurer may have had are tossed into the pile of various items in the southeast corner. A skeleton lies, inanimate, in a cage on the northwestern side.

A companion in an unlikely place

After a respite, the group opened the secret passage into the hall to be greeted by a large, lion-like creature. It had blue and silver fur making intricate patterns up and down its body. There were two short antlers that pointed back from behind the ears, and the ears sported large tufts of white fur. As the group cautiously and calmly greeted the creature, it began to transform. The large, intimidating creature introduced itself as Hinto Honiahaka Otaktay Qaletaqa , or Blue for short.
Blue had been following some strange energy that led him to this place, claiming the trees and land were crying, and he was here to protect it. He agreed to assist the adventurers as it seems their goals were aligned. They continued to delve deeper into the hollow.

An ancient statue stands on the north wall, by luck narrowly avoiding the cave in from the west. While this may have been a larger corridor at some point, the shifting swampland has claimed half this room over the centuries, an ancient centurion forever overlooking the devastation to what once must have been a proud and pious place.

The group continued down ancient, abandoned halls, eventually coming to fresh rubble and an exposed entrance to lower layers.

The remnants of an ancient library lay scattered across the floor. Ancient, crumbling books and shelves lay thick debris. In the northeast corner, a large pile of rubble reveals an exit.

After dispatching of some strange creatures, the team went below to flooded corridors. Anduro, revealing his aquatic nature, swam into the sunken halls to help lead the party through. They came to an Ossuary, lined with skulls and bones. In the center of the room, a long, dark purple and black crystal spun, suspended above a ritual circle. Maribelle knelt near the entrance staring toward the circle. A decrepit, deep purple draconic creature stood over the crystal, performing a depraved, unnatural ritual. When the party began to peer into the room, the creature lashed out with great power, encasing each of the party members in a translucent shell, suffocating them.

I didn't anticipate additional souls so early into my ritual. Nearby towns would have continued to feed the spell for some time, but no matter, your souls will do nicely.

— A draconic cultist

The creature cackled as it continued to choke the life out of the party members. Something on Blue shook and shimmered, however, as a great power erupted from a trinket around his neck, shattering the wooden encasement and tearing through the barrier around him. The small, shard flew toward the crystal in the middle of the room. The crystals began spinning in sync and erupted filling the room with a great flash. The draconic creature took the brunt of the blast and laid at the far end of the room. It cursed the interlopers, stating that other Aethershards had been corrupted, and Nuldrith will continue to ascend. It summoned two creatures and cast a teleportation spell, disappearing from the room.
The party dispatched the creatures, as well as Maribelle. Each creature awoke with a sudden shock before death, disoriented by their surroundings, before their screams filled the room, their souls torn from their bodies in a flash of purple and black. A thin mist was all that remained briefly before they were no more. The explosion of energy destabilized the Hollow. They gathered up the crystal and quickly found an exit to the surface above.

Luckily, upon exiting, they found an exposed entrance to another sinking room. Some ancient vault had found itself surfaced and the group was able to gather treasures of great value before leaving the sinking ruin behind them.

Rewards Granted

Various discoveries

Maribelle's Hairpin
An excavating tool of Maribelle's

Deathlok's Lair

• 2800 cp
• 900 sp
• 50 gp
• Small Bag of Incense worth 25gp
• Painted Glass Ring worth 25gp
• Fine Cloth Choker threaded with Electrum worth 25gp
• Rabbit Fur Coinpurse worth 25gp
• Blue crystal that hums and emits dim blue light at 20 feet

Exposed Vault

• 2400 cp
• 1000 sp
• 70 gp
• Small Bag of Incense worth 35gp
• 2 x Small Vial of Perfume worth 25gp each
• Iron Diadem worth 30 gp
• Pewter Ring worth 25 gp

Magic Items

Scale of the Gold Dragon Details

Medium Armor
AC: 14
Stealth: Disadvantage
Requires Attunement
Attuned wearer gains resistance to fire damage

Leather of the Detective Details

Light Armor
AC: 11
Modifiers: Ac +1
Requires Attunement
Once per day, an attuned wearer may choose to gain advantage on an investigation check

Consumable Items

Dust of Sneezing and Choking
Philter of Love

This report covers multiple campaign sessions, culminating in departing from Brosster Hollow.

Locations Explored

Wallsard
Torstable Mire
Brosster Hollow

NPCs Met

Jorund Tokisson 
Brangian Laughingsteel 
Elziel
A draconic looking cultist

Campaign

Maribelle's Folly

Protagonists

Hinto Honiahaka Otaktay Qaletaqa

()

8 / 8 HP

STR

DEX

CON

INT

WIS

CHA

Report Date

07 Sep 2020