The Dungeon of Graves: Session 7
General Summary
Hello Bees
Report Date
22 Nov 2020
After easily dispatching the ghouls in the western mausoleum, the adventurers were sorting through the items that the followers of The Master were entombed with. The entire area smelled like decaying flesh and fresh earth. Closely looking at the tatters of clothing that the creatures were wearing it was easy to spot the The Master’s symbol; a rod with a horned skull at the top being pierced by a spear. They were either made into servants before or after death. As the group was sorting things, Sinestra approached from the bottom of the stairs. Mogg and Keartas had been standing guard on the stairs still being protected by Tumeti’s spell. The group greats their companion with sass, trading jabs. She had been away in the wilds of the forest connecting to nature over the last day.
Looking over the area, they discuss what they should do next. The druid’s spell would last a bit longer and so they decided to make their way across the sunken area to another smaller mausoleum that mirrored the one they just examined. Walking through, it is hard for them not to tread on graves as the area was littered with so many, with or without gravestones. Nearing the structure they could see the same similar unfinished look of the building. The stairs seemed to be more sunken into the ground on this one than the others but other than that the two smaller mausoleums were the same. Mogg and Xantrix investigate the large reinforced iron door noting that there were no traps and a very similar lock to the other. Unlike the last time; however, they waited and scanned the group making sure everyone was ready. Lothar had been wounded in the last battle and needed a moment to heal himself.
The rogue unlocks the door and lets one of the sturdier adventures push the iron doors inward. A rush of decay and rot push out from the exposed interior. The mausoleum had a similar eight sarcophagi lining the walls but in this tomb there was a ninth one in a place of honor at the far end of the stone structure. The corpse on the far sarcophagus looked to be a humanoid creature clutching a holy symbol of the Master. The other corpses seemed to be ghouls with two of them being more potent with brightly glowing eyes and stronger repulsive smells emanating from them. The eight rose with the door opening and a battle once again commenced. The group's second skirmish on the 8th of Zhira and it wasn’t even half way through the day.
Nam, one of the party’s clerics, was standing with Acacius as a frontline for the group when the ghouls advanced. The mighty goliath weathered many blows before becoming paralyzed. While he stood stuck in place, the group worked as a team and started to slowly take the ghouls out. However, it wasn’t to last. Nam had fallen and laid frozen on the ground. Sinestra moved up from her safe distance on the stairs to heal the fallen cleric. He was now breathing in the smell of rotting flesh but still paralyzed. Lothar drags his fellow cleric out of the way from further onslaught, still honoring his words “If I live, so will you.” Finally seeing an opportunity the druid foolishly rushes into the building, managing to slay one of them and taking a few hits but keeping her feet under her. The group continues to work together taking the others out.
The team starts to methodically investigate the mausoleum, looting the corpses of their riches. Lothar seemed to be distracted by a rather plain bag of gold. Some of the adventurers had wondered if the corpse that laid upon the ninth tomb would rise but it did not. They did find that the corpse had some interesting treasures. Mogg and Tumeti determine that the fingernails of the ghouls could be used in some poisons and that some of the flesh could also be useful, if only to sell to Inako back at the Landing. Tumeti wrapped the strips in some of Mogg’s cloak, used her rope to wrap that and emptied her backpack out and used her staff as pole to keep the rotting flesh away from her as possible as the group gathered their loot and headed east towards the coast for rest.
During their rest, Keartas and Xantrix take a closer look at the items they collected. After identifying the magical items, Xantrix hands them out to his companions he believes would benefit the most from them. During the rest, Tumeti offers what the Shrike of Czira has on her as the topic of everyone’s “deals” with their benefactor is often brought up but has yet to be discussed. Apparently the Shrike has the soul of her daughter in his employ and the druid wants her freedom. Mogg shares that he found himself in a sticky situation and now is stuck with the Shrike. Sinestra has been tasked to find two eggs of her Patron and the Shrike either has them or knows of their location. Xantrix explains that he wants to speak to his deceased sister and the Shrike can help him. Keartas is working for the Shrike to make a name for himself and to be the first archeologist to explore the dungeon. No one else shares what they are indebted for but Acacious wishes them all well.
They all agreed that they should restock and gear up before entering the dungeon as the fight with the gargoyles left them scared. Determining the best way to do this was to return to Inako, sell the items they have gathered, and purchase more items, they head south to where they group scouted some fluffy bees the day before. The hills are high and the cold wind is biting as they travel into the low valley they warm a bit. Traveling the area, they were having some trouble locating the large number of bees they had seen. Sinestra offers that the group should take this opportunity and gather as many resources as they can for crafting or selling and the group agrees. Taking longer than they had originally wanted, they finally find a cliff that has some honeycomb. Following the gentle ravine, they find a cave emanating a low deep bassy buzzing. As they had traveled they discussed that if they did not have to kill the bees then it would be for the best and that the two druids might be able to accomplish this.
The group quietly approaches the cave, as a bee emerges scouting the general area outside their home. They notice small amounts of whitish material, some seeds and pine cones on the giant fluffy bee. The druids descend a rope into the darkness. The cave looks to descend gently for five feet before it dramatically steepens. In the way back of their vision Sinestra and Tumeti can see wiggling larvae on honeycomb. On the walls and the ceiling, the cave was covered in the honey. Just inside the cave they see eight large fluffy bees. The two druids were able to not cause the bees to become angry or hostile. Large palm sized amounts of honey fell from the ceiling onto the druids, they decided that was what they were coming for and it seemed like the bees did not mind them touching this honey and they used whatever means they had to take the falling honey back up the rope.
If they had communicated with the group waiting at the top of the rope, they would have been able to gather waterskins, but instead the druids use their two waterskins, the back of Tumeti’s shield ( a rather silly idea) and Sinestra’s backpack to hold the 25 doses of honey up the rope. Just outside the cave they seemed to be ready to continue on but Lothar and Nam suggested they take some time and investigate the honey before leaving the area completely. They settle on moving a little bit away from the massive amount of bees to investigate. The honey seems to radiate abjuration and evocation magic and that whatever effect it has should leave in about 24 hours. All they know is that it is able to heal some wounds and think that it would be an ideal ingredient in ointments or healing potions. The adventures continue south to the river to camp for the night. The druids finally clean the honey that had fallen on them in the cave, well, whatever was left on Tumeti as she had slowly consumed the honey on her arms.
Their campsite sat across from Baron Simrath’s tomb and the forest dead zone. They would need a fire tonight as the two who had bathed in the river needed to warm their clothing. Before sleeping, Nam offers to take some damaging spells from his companions to test what else the honey could heal. Tumeti hits the cleric with blindness while Keartas causes Nam to fear him. The honey seemed to make his blindness fall but not stop him running from fear. During the last watch, the group believe they see a small group of 10-20 people traveling across the bridge heading north and quickly leaving their line of sight; about eight miles to the west. They discuss what they should do and who the people could be before the last of their companions rises for the day. Tumeti quickly talks Sinestra into joining them as they plan to investigate the group heading north and meet up with the party at the bridge. She turns into a riding horse and Sinestra jumps on and they quickly travel west leaving their party to pack up camp and follow.
