Session 02
General Summary
After recovering from their ordeal with the blood ooze, Nex Pervenio bravely continued deeper
into the Underdark. The oppressive perpetual darkness began to take its toll and spirits dipped.
Bugman recognised the onset of �Underdark fever� as he called it and did his best to help
morale.
Then Mika recalled rumours of an Underdark troglodyte fortress called Hraak Azul. It�s made of
fungus rather than stone and can regrow after being damaged. Most strange of all, it slowly moves
through the Underdark. No one knows why it moves or where it�s going. Fortunately the fungal
debris seemed pretty old and shrivelled so hopefully the troglodyte fortress was not in the
immediate vicinity.
Then torchlight was spotted ahead. It looked to be a party of dwarfs likewise inspecting the
fungus. Nex Pervenio cautiously approached, encouraged when Bugman thought he recognised
the dwarfs, though he said to be careful and that the dwarfs would probably be suspicious. The
two groups eyed on another carefully and decided they could get along. The dwarfs were heading
from Forgehome to the surface to trade, the first time they�d made the journey. They exchanged
news of the tunnels ahead and speculated on the fungal fortress. The dwarfs mentioned they�d
seen some grell down a side tunnel.
Intrigued, it was decided to go and see what these grell were up to. After an hour�s travel down a
highway tunnel, a short side tunnel led to a small cavern. The floor near the entrance was covered
in sticky tar-like goo. Deeper in, a grell philosopher could be seen studying a strange phenomenon
identified as a font of psychic power. Another grell lurked nearby. These strange creatures were
floating, and looked like a beaked brain with tentacles.
Shinobi and Dash edged further into the cavern while the others held back around the corner.
Hoping these grell might have some valuable treasure, it was decided to launch an attack. Dash
began with a volley of arrows, causing the grell to drop back into corners of the cave behind some
stalagmites. Shinobi advanced, hoping to draw them back out, to great success as a third grell
emerged. Two grell attacked Shinobi while the philosopher launched a psychic storm at the bulk
of the group, dazing them. Shinobi dropped back, bringing the grell with him who switched to
target Mika. Meanwhile Valun and Riya were doing a great job of reinforcing their comrades and
Dash kept pumping arrows into the grell. Mika and Shinobi took a beating but so too did the grell
and they soon dropped. At this, the philosopher dropped some gold coins to distract the
materialistic surface dwellers and retreated back into the cave. In rasping common, it requested
Nex Pervenio leave him to his research. Although they felt they could easily have defeated the
philosopher they were aware of how much further was still to travel to Forgehome and took the
opportunity to depart without further depleting their resources.
The long march to Forgehome continued into March 27th. Bugman warned of another large
cavern crossroads area ahead, though he said it wouldn�t be necessary to cross it, they could sidle
down a wall and out the very next passage. The floor of the tunnel was covered in thick slime
which gave Bugman a bad feeling when suddenly, across the far side, a horrific monstrosity was
spotted � an aboleth. These alien beings originate in the Far Realm and lair in the deepest parts of
the Underdark, though some can be found closer to the surface, often surrounded by enthralled
minions. This aboleth had a few minions, mostly kuo-toa and orcs although one in particular drew
a gasp of recognition � it was Rutu, a fellow gladiator they�d adventured with previously,
though his glassy eyes and vacant stare showed no sign of recognising Nex Pervenio.
It was time to launch an assault and free Rutu! The aboleth looked on complacently as the
gladiators advanced, waiting to see how things unfolded. Then it sent a wave of minions in, Rutu
charging in fighting with his bare hands and teeth, orcs with axes and kuo-toa with sickles.
Previously hidden kuo-toa wizards emerged from behind stalagmites and blasted from afar. Still
the aboleth sat and watched. Dash created a dust cloud to envelop and protect his colleagues. The
aboleth advanced ominously, the area around it becoming soaked in slime making it difficult to
move. With a mighty smash, Rutu hurled Shinobi out of the dust cloud but he nimbly dodged the
aboleth�s grasping tentacles. All the while, the orcs and kuo-toa were taking heavy damage and
falling one by one.
The fight is finely balanced. Most of the aboleth thralls lie dead. Thus far all have resisted its
attempts to dominate a gladiator and get them to change sides, will they be able to continue their
mental resilience? The good news, with all going well, Forgehome is now less than a day away.
Report Date
11 Apr 2024
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