The Chair in Darkness

The camera switches.. to the RedWater Fellowship.

Gothi Looks for evidence of the Foreclaimers and with assistance from Lukann, is able to research that there may be evidence in the large lake at the mountain pass to Enstad. The massive dragon.. in the frozen lake.

Kantif looks to find out information on the Raven Queen and also some extra training, hoping to see if Doc Holliday can train the monkish rogue with a musket. While talking to a number of refugees, he comes across a young human male - Angelo D'Carn (3rd level wizard). The young wizard is a member of the Guild of Arcane Lore - which had persecuted Lukann. 

 Kantif devises the idea to train the young wizard, with Lukann. Giving a false name for Lukann - "Nakul". Thinking this a way to put his differences aside. Lukann, though was offended when the suggestion was for the wizard to disguise himself. 

"I.. Lukann, a high wizard whom studied under Leomund?! I will not lie and beg and stoop. to some.. some initiate. I can snap my fingers and he will be dead! I will NOT do deception." Turning on his heel the wizard storms out of the Flying Tower control room.

Cedric trains a unit of light infantry. 14 refugees sign up - 7 humans and 7 dwarves. - minimal equipment. hide, padding or piecemeal. Some of the dwarves seem to have heavy armour experience. A veteran Sergeant - from the Green. Duchy of Ulek Army. Sergeant Sandrina  - will lead the unit under Cedric.

Doc Holliday starts work on an advanced musket - BadNews - using a variety of ingredients to enhance(?) the weapon:

• Ground up Demon horn and Yeti horn
• Melted down drown elvish chainmail (+3)
• Mithril bars

At one point during the work to melt down the metals to an alloy to start the creation, Doc realized it was pulsing with a strange energy, but was able to use his skill and expertise as a gun-smithy and tools to complete forging the bar of metal which had a spiral swirl of dark adamantite (from the chainmail) and light (mithril) which he thinks will create quite an unique pattern along the barrel. 

We return to the 2nd crew deep in the Drekarr Mines.

With a wisp and pop of hot air, the final elemental - a "mephit" Vencer had advised - is now a small puddle of melting rock on the ground.

The party feels a warm breeze then strangely cool wafts of air as they stand in what appears to be a set of rooms - perhaps guardroom or central worker areas. an area where there once was a wall looks out

over the river of lava a few hundred feet below.. A variety of smashed and broken chairs, tables and small beds are littered in some areas, burnt and blasted as well as some covered in mud.. assumedly the mephits have been active in this area..

Vencer thinks back, he recalls a lesson or study going on for smaller form intelligent elementals - well possibly intelligent. Then recalls his teacher was a dwarf whom spent most of the lectures reading from dry/boring tomes. While Vencer spent more time teleporting an orange from his desk to his friend's Laria and back again.

What he does recall.. Mephits are small elementals a combination of various elements 

Mud - which splattered Corrin: earth and water

Magma - fire and earth

Etc..

Other than that they can be annoying and persistent.. That is all the wizard recalls.

Corrin recalls a late winter night in Greyhawk. He had taken up with a group of other Urchins. They called themselves the Nights of Greyhawk. (not realizing at time how to spell Knight). The Nights were hired by an dwarf to follow a human named Spydarr. Seemingly a mage.

At one point during this Spydarr in a graveyard attached to an abandoned temple summons a group of similar creatures.

They did not have the same accent ALSO the 3 were different types which immediately attacked each other until Spydarr waved a glowing hand to entrap all 3 in glowing chains. It seems different elementals NORMALLY do not work together (as these are the adventurers fought)

Spydarr then blasted 2 of the 3 elementals with bolts of energy and they exploded.. Killing the 3rd.

You hightailed it out of there then..

Sidenote: the job to follow Spydarr ended when he boarded a ship leaving for Fax in the WildCoast.

Vencer sifts through the furniture and lumber, Corrin follows suit.. commenting,

“I wonder what these Elementals could have been using this room for. Do they use like how we use them?”

Corrin pokes around a little but finds little so far. The piles of debris are primarily broken timbers, some loose bricks, rocks, and some broken furniture (stools and small table). A dented metal mug with a broken handle was the greatest find..

Pyra hears a rattle of chains and carefully - after nearly falling over - see a cage at the bottom of a long chain. Using his roguish skills of acrobatics, is able to climb down and sees a furry creature which seems to be part armadillo and a badger with plated armour and fur. Looks very hurt blasted with lava, steam, smoke and mud by the mephits. Good part of the small creature's fur and plates are gone.

Pyra easily is able to release the creature - a ghol from a nature check by Skrit - is a pet of the grey

dwarfs whom live in the underdark. It has 6 legs that end in long claws that are good for digging.  

A globe of darkness 5 feet in size holds a strange chair a throne. As soon as Corrin sits, he realizes he has been transported somewhere or some.. when? A vast chamber with 2 thrones. 2 sets of doors, 1 to left and 1 to right. The left side were locked the right.. open with a  gentle touch and the sounds of a massive, smithy, armoury furnaces and more. the shapeshifter looks out over a vast room where a multitude of dwarves work on a variety of metalwork.

Corrin is pulled out of the dream/vision/view by Vencer as the wizard pulled the bard from the chair. Still in darkness. Perhaps it teleports.. or is a vision of another time..?

Corrin goes in again, and tries to interact with a dwarf smith but the bard's hand passes right through the dwarf's shoulder.. exploring more he is still unsure of where or when he is.. and returns again as Vencer pulls the bard out of the chair.

Pyra agrees to go and is able to unlock and remove a trap on the other set of doors. Once unlocked they open with a touch - dwarven workmanship it seems is excellent.

The area seems to be sleeping chambers for royalty nothing can be moved or removed.. Then the rogue is brought out by Vencer.

While this goes on, Skrit starts a ritual to cast identify on a buckler they found.

Battle Lords Buckler shield. +1 shield.

• Battle Insight 1st  level ability: +1d6 to initiative rolls
• Battle Master - 2nd level (3 times per day) use can use a bonus action to give the 1d6 initiative to another comrade

As the party deliberates on what to do with the chair a shadowy mist appears with 2 glowing eyes.. and one of the mephits.

"Why are you taking my chair..? That is very rude." The mephit exclaims [in an English accent].

Vencer replies "I will take your life as well." as the wizard wipes his wet face.

That is even more rude! I don't believe it.." and combat was started.

Additional mephits fly up and engage the party. One attacks Pyra, and the ghol attacks it ferociously with four claw attacks. With Pyra's sneak attack they make short work of the creature.

After the battle, the heroes decide to take a long rest, retreating back up the stairs to the small way station. 

The next day now the 30th of Coldeven, the party more resolute and head back down to find the your stone giant.

Once again at the bridge over the river of lava over 100 feet below, they decide to explore the steps up to the left where one of the mephits - mud - had retreated into darkness. A room is explored where a smashed chest holds some treasure. Vials that seem to have a minor regeneration capability.

Then on the opposite corner sat 2 barrels one 1/2 full of water(?) and the other sealed. Corrin decides to check if it is water by dipping his hand into it and immediately feels biting pain as 2 somethings start to burrow into his flesh!

As the bar tries to pull one of the pale green and tan leeches or slugs or.. whatever they are, the other continues to burrow up his arm. In great pain, Vencer decides to use his wand of orbs - blasting Corrin in doing the damage to the creature - even as Corrin tries to dodge while trying to wind a rope around his arm... Then Skrit is able to light a torch. burning Corrin near to death but able to FINALLY kill the
leech.

Skrit is able to do some surgery and remove both creatures from Corrin, keeping him alive, but realizing that Corrin is either poisoned or diseased by the creatures.

The heroes then hear something swirling around in the barrel.. and realize there are more of the leeches...