Subterranean Surprises

General Summary

After our heroes completed a short rest, they continued on their quest to clear out the sewers of kobolds. First heading east, they encountered in a large room a group that had captured three ratfolk. Two of the scouting party were chained, and a third was caged and tortured with storm drain water. After rescuing them, the Party received a general layout of the sewer and some directions to their goals.
Based on the information, the Party went north and found the large room they were expecting. They defeated all but one kobold, who fled through small doorways and seemingly disappeared at the base of the ladder to the street. Barty noticed some rubble and a crack in the wall, and after work with a sledgehammer, they found a passageway deep into the mountain.
The group decided to refrain from delving into the mountain until they finished their task in the sewer, and they collected a large pile of treasure back in the room. They backtracked past the torture room to the large source basin for this level. Drawn by the sight of coins on the other side, they entered the basin room. Unfortunately, Emmalyn stepped on a bear trap that triggered the drop of a flood gate and a rush of incoming water. Thinking quickly, Barty used his spells to enlarge Axelrod, giving him the extra strength to raise the flood gate and rip apart the bear trap. They collected their prize, at the expense of some travel speed for their cleric. Soon thereafter, they used strength, ingenuity, and Hobart's natural swimming ability to break through a grate and retrieve a fancy potion.
The Party eventually returned to the original junction outside the ratfolk's hideout. Moving north, they helped the ratfolk fight off a small band of kobolds. Upon reaching another small room, they found blood and gore splattered around the space, as well as bones and body parts on the tunnels moving onward. Turning back east at another junction and then southwest at a fork, Hobart spotted a large pearl in another basin. Feeling a brush of a creature, a huge snake struck from the shadows. After frequent dodging and mighty attacks, the Party felled the reptile.
At last, the Party reached the northwest of the sewer. The channel they followed dropped suddenly into a waterfall, as the Party found a massive sinkhole had collapsed the floor and some of the walls of a room. Axelrod easily cleared the distance with a jump, and Hobart took a side route with a more treacherous landing. Barty looped an emergency rope around his waste and took the leap, but lost his footing and fell into the hole, dangling from the rope being held by his comrades.
"Hahahaha..." The heroes heard an ominous laugh in the shadows, and a dark and twisted fey suddenly appeared next to Emmalyn. Axelrod let go of the rope to leap across the chasm and help his comrade, but it was a bit too late. The vile barber slipped into Emmalyn's space and struck violently with his straight razor, slicing off her hand and sending her to the ground, her status unknown. The sheer savagery frightened Hobart to his core while he tried to help Barty back up to the surface. Barty struggled to climb the rope as Hobart's feet slid closer to the edge. Just as Hobart's arms were about to give out, he saw Barty's hand appear over the edge.
Axelrod did battle with the fey but struggled. Suddenly, a large earthen hand grabbed the creature and restrained him, as Barty called on his spells once again. Hobart tried to rejoin the battle, but he slipped on his landing and swung into the sinkhole's cliff face. He and Barty struggled with the rope, until Hobart ultimately lost his grip and fell. Barty and Axelrod had lost a second friend...
Until a large roc came shooting back to the surface with Hobart on its back! The fey was so surprised by this sight and distressed by his capture that he did not see Axelrod's greatsword until it was too late. Emmalyn was stable but missing her right hand, and the Party otherwise survived. Using the roc to traverse the chasm, the Party found a magical chime in an empty basin.
After this last battle, the Party returned to the ratfolk hideout to rest before deciding where to go from there. Will they return to the surface since they completed their task? Will they travel into the mountain to find where the kobold was retreating? Find out next time...

Report Date

05 Sep 2020

Primary Location

Mystryl