Underwhelming Underdark

Expedition

The Bonner Boys descend to the Underdark to find and free Leonis Justus.

The party meets up with some of Leonis’s paladins at the entrance to the Underdark. They leave Tillon with them and start the long and arduous climb deep down underground.   Getting a little lost, the party finds a demi-plane room that many people seem to have stayed in and left belongings behind at. In fact, Jett sees evidence of her father staying there recently. Each party member leaves something behind for whoever finds this room next.   Meanwhile, in the Shadowfell, Ludomir goes to check on Indigo. He has kept Emerline on the brink of death for almost a week now and her eyes are completely empty. Ludomir decides to take Indigo off of this for a little and informs him that night is the full moon.   Samson and Helja meet for the circle of the moon. They wonder about Indigo until he appears, looking like his old self. Samson tells the circle that Meriele’s tree is different than the others. It’s made of cold iron, the only substance that can hurt the Fey Lords. Indigo turns on them, knocking Helja out and picking a fight with Samson. The Gnome reminds Indigo that he is an Archdruid, not easily beaten. Indigo reminds Samson he has a dragon and calls Braes in.   The party approaches the Underdark city, but first, they come across a dark elf who offers them safe passage. He takes them to a fancy Drow home lit by bioluminescent plants. His Lady, a high-ranking political figure there, wants to help the party find Leonis so she can use that for personal gain. But first, she says the party needs to slay a special spider for her. Ever since Meriele took the army away, someone claiming to be a spider goddess named Lolth has taken over, and now the dark elves are all about spiders. Having this spider's body could be really good for her.   So the party hunts and kills a ghost spider that can turn invisible and phase.   The Lady Dark Elf takes them to Lolth’s, a web formation in the center of the chasm, in the center of which lies the corpse of Bastion that Leonis was returning when he arrived. Lolth traps The Bonner Boys in the room and sends spider-drow hybrid monsters after them. Their Lady warned Lolth of them while they were on their hunt. Out steps, Leonis Justus, clad in black armor and under Lolth’s sway. The party kills all the monsters then dispels Lolth’s magical influence. She cuts the spider web they’re on, sending everyone plunging into the darkest depths.   The party, Leonis, and Bastion’s body all fall into the water at the bottom of the Underdark. They find a strange tower that’s of the same design as The Last Outpost. Leonis buries Bastion deeper than any other dark elf. Inside the tower, they find strange devices they don’t know how to use, though they do manage to repair Mirian’s cold iron rapier with one before it shorts out. Now they have a weapon that can truly hurt the Fey Lords.   They call Meriele’s The Feyward Tree. Indigo comes upon it standing peacefully in the Druid’s Grove. He shifts into a giant elk and uses his antlers to pry it free from the earth. Braes swoops in and picks the tree up in his claws. He rides with his dragon into the Shadowfell and all the way to Rainfall. A place he had never been before but knew to be significant to the others. Ludomir said it would be ironic. For a few minutes, he steps into the material plane. Cerulean’s lair is well protected now. If he had to kill her it would be best not to try and do it here. He visits the oasis and notes how strong the plant life is here under the constant downpour. Then the hawk finds him. Of all people, Lawrence Aarden has called the next meeting of The Council of Dragons, to occur in the center of Citadel.   The party finally climbs all the way back to the surface and returns Leonis to his paladins. He is as far in their debt as a person could possibly be. Then they get their letters. A Council meeting. Everyone picks up to fly to Citadel.   Indigo tells Ludomir of the meeting. The Moonlit King tells him he should attend, simply because he wants to see what happens.