The Icers, Lava Boys and 'Nat 1s

 30th of Coldeven

Our heroes had just avoided an untimely death of Corrin by these rotgrub leeches. Fast work by Skrit and Vencer had saved the bard, but burned him badly in the process.

“Oof. I’m feeling pretty woozy after all that. Thanks for your help for the most part. I think I may need to take a short rest after all that.” Corrin says as he holds his head, swaying on his feet.. his words slightly slurred..

A medicine check by Skrit  tells more of the affect of the secretion from the leeches, it seems they are attracted to blood, burrowing into a hosts body right to the heart. Corrin seems to be exhausted and tired. It seems as well, during this ordeal his changeling face reverted in colour - gray - to his base creature and the party members could see this.

Corrin tries to deceive the party, Vencer knows he is lying though. No one else seems to make mention. Skrit is able to create a salve from the excretions and his medical supply kit that helps Corrin somewhat.

Skrit advises the party that kobolds are cunning and use creatures like this, stinging insects, and other
types as a trap or weapon against enemies. Irakul finds some clay pots and the party working together - Vencer's mage hand cantrip being key are able to secure some of the rotgrubs in 2 sealed clay pots. Each one has a thick string attached - ready-made missile weapons.

In the mean time, Pyra is engaging with her new pet ghol and decides to name her Avalanche.

Leaving the sealed barrel alone - a symbol of many legged creatures on it - the party moves on across the bridge. "Centipedes..? Millipedes?" Pondered.. the adventurers decided to leave this barrel, after their experience with the rotgrubs.

(DM: Corrin goes up a level while the party rested)

Carefully moving forward, alert for any dangers as the mephits are very cunning and can hide easily as smoke, lava or a patch of mud.
The party moved onwards across the bridge over the river of lava, Pyra's good perception skills (with the help of Avalanche) allow her to find the weak points in the stone bridge. 

Safely to the other side without mishap, they once again feel a cool breeze from down below. Perhaps there is another exit to the mines there?

Pyra hears voices and screams echoing up as if a group of these mephits (?) seem to be shouting at each other from the slowly ramping passage.

The party finds some rooms, as well as broken and cast aside mining carts for the track. Searching the area, they find little until Vencer, Irakul and Pyra detect something along the one wall. The stone there is not quite right. A secret door.

Pyra investigates and is able to figure out how to open but needs some assistance and Irakul moves up to push the sliding rock. Irakul summons his echo on the other side and then swaps places with the echo. And is in the room. A moment later, a wisp of smoke appears behind the warrior and indignantly orders Irakul out of the room. "This is my private chamber. This is unacceptable! These are my belongings. You must leave!" 

Irakul, with a grin replies, "Why was there not a sign? The door was left unlocked? There was nothing stopping us coming in.

Pyra the rogue chimes in as she walks in, "yea.. very bad security." 

Back and forth they talk. "He will be upset at you!" 

Irakul tries to deceive the mephit, but the smoky creature seems to doubt this. Pyra and Irakul keep the mephit so confused and then corrin casts suggestion on the mephit and as it succumbs to the spell, Corrin is able to get the mephit to divulge many secrets. of the path ahead. They learn more of the stone giant prisoner. "The Boss" is getting the stone giant to build the gate. To the mephit's home plane, but this part is not the regular elements. 

It seems the Boss is able to make the mephits able to work together - normally they are quite combative against other types.

They learn the mephit is called Zimblaa. 

Vencer realizes he thinks that mephits if destroyed in this plane depends on if they were summoned or through a gate will decide if they can return once they are destroyed.. The mephits were summoned by the Boss, through multiple gates..?

Vencer puts the thoughts of revolution in the smoke mephit's mind.. while this goes on, some treasure is found in the broken chest as well as a table with papers, a book - all covered in dust.

Incense, a 3 pronged miniature trident, and a glass globe 1/2 filled with sand and water. Seems to be Divination magic. A tome is found that at 1st Irakul keeps but after prodding by Corrin may allow him to read it. [Book: To Cheat A Devil: The autobiography of a man who tricked dozens of minor devils, and even a few archdevils into doing his nefarious bidding.]

It seems a scroll is covered in cold magma.. so the party tries to  come up with ways to recover the scroll with 2 spells.

******

Web Orb

1st level evocation  (wizard)

Components: V, S 

Casting Time: 1 action 

Duration: Concentration, up to 1 minute 

Range: 50 ft.

Area of Effect: 1 creature Saving Throw: Dex / negates effect

You project a small, gray glob of fluid from your hand at a creature you can see. The creature is struck by the glob unless it makes a successful Dexterity saving throw.

When it hits its target, the glob expands into a small net of stick}* webbing as strong as fine steel wire. A Large or smaller creatine struck by the net is restrained. A restrained creature can use its action to make a Strength check against your spell save DC; if the Strength check succeeds, the webs burst and the spell ends.

A thin line of webbing trails from the net to your hand. As an action, you can make an opposed Strength contest against the restrained creature. If you win the contest, you pull the creature 10 feet closer to you; otherwise, it remains where it is. In either case, the creature remains restrained.

Sacred Champion

5ih-level transmutation Cleric, Paladin

Components: V, S

Casting Time: 1 action

Duration: Concentration, up to 10 minutes

Range: Touch

Area of Effect: 1 creature

Saving Throw: None

For the duration of the spell, one creature you touch has tactical advantage when it makes an attack roll against a fiend, and fiends suffer tactical disadvantage when they make attack rolls against the sacred champion.

********

The mephit continues to discuss, looking at the smaller passage. The one tunnel leads down to the level of the lava river. But there is only one way down, the ice cavern and then darkness and then into the main chamber where the gate is being built.

Wishing the party "Elemental god speed in destruction of the "Boss", Zimblaa realizes what it said his eyes get really big and he flies out of the room racing toward the North end of the bridge. 

Heading down the long ramp, the party hears more shouts and screeches from ahead and then a blue faint glow ahead.

The party sees into a mist, snow sleet filled room. in swirling eddies. The party can only see about 15 feet in any direction.

The party can hear ice mephits and magma mephits shouting and calling out to each other. It seems the ice mephits and the magma mephits are at odds, and it seems none seem to like the 'lava boys'.

Back and forth they yell and call out each other, while the adventurers come up with a plan to assist with one side - the ice mephits. All in the party are feeling the effects of the unnatural cold except Irakul and Skrit to their respective heritages.

The party stealths up to try and meet one of the ice mephits.

An ice mephit flies by trying to avoid the magma mephits, while Irakul and Corrin try to persuade it, a magma mephit appears and asks why to help the "Icers". Undeterred, both Corrin and Irakul side with the Icers, so the Lava Boy breathes burning magma on the two.

Combat. 

The battle rages back and forth, the breath weapons of the lava boys as well as when the mephits die the explode whittle down the hit points of the party. And then the lava ooze appeared...

A flowing live blob of burning lava it struck out at Vencer and Pyra at first and the lava ooze has the initiative. Irakul swings the Giant hand ax - a gift from the stone giant - a massive two-handed ax for Irakul.

[DM: the party have never rolled this many natural 1s - some bad fumbles!]

The guiding bolt of Skrit, The Handax of Irakul, the buffing spells and bardic inspiration of Corrin, the orbs of electricity from Vencer's wand and Pyra's sneak attacks finally bring the magma ooze down, Irakul's ax getting the killing blow - but the blast of magma hit all and many in the party are covered in burning wounds and magma.

Pyra  a near perfect shot kills to finish off the last magma mephit engaged with Poet.

A final magma mephit flees , possibly hit by a bolt by Pyra. The magma mephits are defeated. It seems only one ice mephit is left there alive now..?

The party finds an encampment where there is a human and dwarf - no fully frozen. Skrit determines that this was formerly a dwarvish/gnomish temple. It was probably much different room before the mephits came here. It was possibly more shaped and chiseled. The mephits probably the magma mephits changed the actual stone walls and shape of the room. 

Using a torch, Corrin starts to melt the ice and clothing of the 2 bodies while Irakul looks at the chest.

Poet is aghast as Corrin burns and tries to warm the body to acquire any possible treasure, but tries to deceive Poet that this is for a religious reason.

Vencer chimes in agreeing with Corrin but Poet still is adamant at this and walks into the swirling snow. Corrin looks for Poet and tries to cast message but is unable to locate her and she does not reply. Irakul opens the chest in the camp and acquires some additional treasures.. - a finely made bearskin fur jacket and a bag of coinage and gems, bandoleer with 3 throwing daggers, 

The party takes a breath and next time.. the Boss?