Report: The Darkspore Depths

General Summary

In an attempt to demonstrate our value as allies to our new friend the Runidiri elf Tranquil Stone, Patrick, Russell, Aunt Robin, and myself all agreed to enter the fungal infected lower chambers of the temple of Hireek. This was my first time at the spire, and I relied heavily on our companions’ previous venture here to inform the method of proceeding: specifically with the front door. Mr. Russell knew that the solution to entry was a mighty thunder clap, which he did while the rest of us stood safely off to the side, because we knew what was coming: a stream of bats burst forth, which lead to Mr. Russell letting loose another thunderous clap, instantly killing dozens. I shielded Gloria’s eyes, and quite frankly felt that the second clap was entirely unnecessary. With Mr Russell’s bat-killing out of his system, I sent forth Gloria to scout, but was disappointed when only a small amount of distance between us caused me to lose contact with her. It was as if there was interference between our connection. We would have to move forwards uninformed.

Cloudhawk (Tranquil Stone’s apprentice) had come along to aid us in what ways he could. Not wanting any harm to come to him, we all agreed that he should mind our horses, and keep a watch up above, while the rest of us delved below. We began along a spiraling stone staircase. I took great care as the stone was slick, but even greater care was needed as the stones themselves became thick with mycelial mats. The silence as we descended was deafening, it was as if our own thoughts were taking on a life of their own, drowning out our own consciousness.

Eventually we reached a point where the stairs themselves became impossible. In my frustration I slammed my staff into it, cursing the foul entities causing this growth. This was… a mistake. The mass began to writhe, and Mr Russell lost his footing, but was able to land on his shield, sliding down the mat, and landing safely where he could regain his footing. The rest of us forged ahead cautiously, as the voices in our heads turned to passing whispers, shrieks of surprise, and low grumbling of the most eerie sort.

At the bottom of the stair, we found ourselves confronted by a large, but plain stone door. Mr Russell managed to push it open, revealing a room so completely covered in mycelium that it appeared more the inside of some beast, than a chamber built by mortal hands. We entered, cautiously raising our torches, until we noticed movement, and before us rose an abomination words can hardly describe. Suffice it to say that it appeared to be made from scrumbled together bits of elves, mushrooms, and ooze. Mr Russell charged forwards somewhat foolhardily, as he could not find purchase on the shambling mass to be able to grapple it. His fruitless charge was followed by Mr Patrick wreathing it in faerie fire, in an attempt to allow us to better see the monstrosity.

Mr Russell was perhaps afforded too clear a vision, as icy fear clutched his heart, and he ran as a tendril lashed out and restrained me. Not one to be outdone, Robin let loose her swarm, webbing it in place. Despite being restrained, I could move just enough to bring forth the vision of St. Massimo’s sword, whose spectral form slashed at the monster, while I ignited the web holding the monster, causing even greater damage.

Mr Russell’s luck did not change, as the mass began to draw him in. He briefly winked out of existence, and reappeared almost next to myself. Having no nearby prey, the monstrosity smashed through the web, and drew me in. As I felt the digestive juices begin to singe my clothes I remembered Mr Russell’s exit strategy, and replicated it. Appearing next to Mr Russell I nodded, and we all had a grim determination on our faces. Aunt Robin let loose several arrows, piercing deeply, as Mr Russell found his courage and charged. Our close grouping played right into the monstrosity’s strength, and it released a noxious cloud of gas, causing us to gasp for air. My lungs felt as though they were being dissolved. With resolve of iron Robin stood her ground, and continued firing into the beast, until she, too, was pulled in.

I was too far away to do anything to help, but Russell managed to wrest her free of the beast, as Patrick dashed past, ducking a flailing tendril to make for the far corner of the room. The recently freed Robin summoned her whole hive of bees, and their tiny forms managed to push the creature back. With a little more breathing room, came an even greater hail of arrows. I followed this with St. Massimo’s sword taking another swing, and finally the monstrosity fell, writhing, and letting loose a noxious ooze.

We searched about the room, and took a short break to catch our breath, but we knew that this was not the end, but rather the beginning of our trials in this dank dungeon. While we had followed a single path, we now branched out. The first door we chose revealed a ghastly and heretical sight: 3 angels clearly reanimated by parasitic fungus. Russell, as is his way, rushed in and immediately began striking at them.

Unfortunately for us, these angels retained some of their divine strength, as the archer drew back his bow and skewered Russell, immediately taking him out of the fight. Robin engaged the archer in a deadly duel, while I dashed forwards to wrench the divine bolt from Russell’s chest, as he breathed a deeply surprised breath. I called out for my own divine help, and a shimmering angel that looked suspiciously like carvings we had previously seen appeared, dealing mighty blows to the mushroom monsters as they attempted to advance on Aunt Robin.

Russell barely had time to find his feet before the greatsword wielding angel struck him down again, and advanced on me. As I raised my outstretched hand a shimmering ray of sparks erupted, turning the greatsword away from me. Celestine was watching over us, as Russell, despite his injuries, staggered to his feet and leaped heavily onto the angel.

Meanwhile the archers’ duel continued, and nearly ended as the angel’s eyes erupted with energy, fully blinding Aunt Robin. Undeterred, she dug deep, and despite being prone, blind, and scared… she loosed an arrow, and hit her quarry.

It was at this point that Russell called upon all of his primal energy, and became the most massive lizard I have ever seen. The roar he bellowed was deafening, but it kept him alive, as the lizard took damage instead of his actual body.

I launched twin guiding bolts, striking true, but not doing as much damage to the angels as I would have preferred. Nevertheless, the angel wielding the greatsword exploded with a bright light, further sapping Aunt Robin’s energy. There were further flurries of blows, as we all fought desperately, and shortly thereafter the angels were lain to an eternal rest. We all agreed that we needed a rest, and returned to Cloudhawk, who utilized his impressive healing abilities to restore Aunt Robin’s sight.

Our next door was luckily not filled with mycelial horrors, but instead intricate carvings.They first feature a large image of an elf, from the torso up, although it’s face has little detail. From below the waist his body turns into a tree trunk, and it’s roots spread out across the room. At the terminus of each root is a depiction of an animal, with what appears to be a word in sylvan script accompanying it. The animals are as follows: moth (Naya), monkey (Hanama), wolf (Moro), bat (Hir’eek), fox (Vulpir), boar (Nago), eagle (Akil’zon), leopard (Sabar), mole (Kretek), toad (Jira), stag (Ceranos), owl (Noctus), otter (Tiltup), bear (Artos), lynx (Lugh), owlbear (Pumox), elephant (Hathi), barracuda (Torus), squirrel (Ratoka), centipede (Sepa), crane (Spados), octopus (Taki), crab (Tamoa), musk ox (Heimfyr), scorpion (Nox), antelope (Torc), and griffon (Lothar). Several withered Runidiri bodies line the floor, curled up in corners, nearly mummified.

This room was by far the cleanest we had seen, and we took great care to seal it as we left, so that we had a safe space if we needed to retreat. If the last room was the least infected, the one we ended up in was by far the most infected. Patrick recognized our first obstacle (a large chartreuse mushroom) as one containing toxic spores. Utilizing fire and caution we blew it up, which only revealed the first layer of a dense mushroom maze filled with dangers:

• Egg sacks filled with mushroom zombies
• Exploding mushroom stalks
• Writhing pseudopods
• Poisonous spore clouds
• Sometimes even something nice like a pearl!

We moved slowly, and carefully developed a system that allowed us to clear the room without incurring too many injuries. We eventually uncovered two doors: One entirely overgrown, and one sealed with a divine locking spell. We dispelled the lock, and found a small treasure trove beyond! Our excitement was allayed when we realized that we must now enter the engulfed door. It was so overgrown that Russell had to stoop, and then eventually crawl. The silence could best be described as deafening, as our thoughts were invaded with the silent whispers of long dead entities that had been drawn into the mycelial masses.

Through the dissonant whispers came a single coherent thought. To this day it chills my bones. “YOU MUST BECOME US”. We steeled ourselves against what was to surely be our final fight against the root of the mushrooms. As is his wont, Russell leapt into the room, revealing 3 writhing masses. He put himself directly between two and let loose a thunderclap, much like he had at the entrance. His speed to act surprised me, but I shook off the surprise and enacted my part of the plan: enhancing the haste of both Robin and Russell. Their extra speed would prove critical, and I knew that from that point on the best thing I could do was not lose my concentration, so I remained back in the tunnel with Patrick, while Aunt Robin also rushed into the room to have a line of fire on all of our targets.

The next moments helped determine our fate, as Russell chugged a potion of maximum power, and let loose with his signature move: Blaze. The two masses on either side began to burn, as they belched forth zombies which were systematically brought down by the rest of us. Things were going well, but we started to flag as Russell and Patrick both took massive damage, and then Aunt Robin is struck in the head by a pseudopod, which remained attached. Fearing what this could mean, St Massimo’s sword sliced the tentacle. This happened to nearly all of us, and for Russell and Patrick revealed strange visions of the past.

While we tried to keep up the damage, the mushroom zombies eventually became too many, and Aunt Robin fell… and without a safe target, they continued to smash at her corpse, until I could almost see her soul pulling away. Tears in my eyes I burst forth, disregarding my own safety. I pulled my single diamond from my pouch, and feel it turn to dust in my hands as I prayed to Celestine for healing. Cradling her head in my hand I felt life flow back into her body. She stood, shakily, but with vengeance in her eyes as she drew fresh arrows from her quiver and began again to down the zombies.

Russell’s blaze finally brought down the two closest, and we all focused our attention to the last mound. Eventually it, too, melted back under the weight of our spells and strikes. At this the other mushrooms began to shrivel, as we had cleansed the rot at the base of the tower. I held Aunt Robin’s hand, as she seemed a bit more skittish in the dark spaces, and the four of us made our way carefully out of the dark and into the light. Cloudhawk was pleased with the success we’d had, and we all counted ourselves lucky to have survived such a perilous adventure.

Scribed by Jene Dark

Adventuring Party:  Jene Dark, Robin Foster, Russell, Patrick

Date: November 6th

Report Date

28 Nov 2022