Troglodyte Troubles

  The RedWater Fellowship D&d5e Campaign Blog

The BETA Crew

Location: Dragonkeep in the Lortmill mountains

Date: 30th of Reaping, High Summer

The BETA Crew [player characters]

Irakul SlyWarrior - Goliath male, Fighter [played by Braydin]

Pyra - Tiefling female, Rogue [played by Jake]

Vencer Astorio - Human male, Wizard [played by Connor]

Faust - Warforged, Warlock [played by Devin]

Valoran - Elf male, Ranger [played by Campbell - not at this session]

NPC: Skrit - Kobold [male] Priest of Istus - town mayor of Dragonkeep

Pyra's map

The BETA crew prepare with mining gear and "dungeoneering" equipment while looking over the map from their excursion way back to defeat the Cursed dragon goddess. After she was killed much of the tunnels and former dwarven works collapsed due to the earth quakes. Since then work by Pyra and her kobold miner crews had done extensive work clearing out some areas and opening new silver veins to be mined. The rumour was the troglodytes were centered in the old dwarven forge works and had come from deeper in and down..

The party nor Pyra and her kobold miners had not been that far in, a smaller collapse had blocked the tunnel to the dwarven forge works and the Tiefling rogue had focused her crews on the new silver veins discovered recently. 

Vencer had been doing research on some new spells, and had acquired some new alchemy supplies so brought along some key ingredients that may prove useful.

Hester, needed to bring his familiar back a spirit that came in the form of an imp - the warlock called it, Mephisto. Hester had also being researching his creator, talking to new refugees as well as reading any books or tomes he could find. Talking to the people - refugees - Hester chatted with a elderly draconian who had to leave the city of Wayberry. The neighborhood he had resided in was dealing with a great deal of noise and arcane lights and sounds at night. It seems Guild of Arcane Lore has returned to Wayberry! [Graxxuzzazz is a member] so there could be some information there. [DM: please see Blogpost for more on the Guild of Arcane Lore]. 

Honey Mead

Hester also learned more of another lead, found a tome in a small shop - recently opened up. Read 'n Mead, run by a young 1/2 elf woman named Elsyrra. As well as books she has a small honey mead production going as well as other drinks such as ale and fruit potent drinks. 

The tome that relates to a human wizard who worked in a college in Wayberry then moved to Enstad that did extensive work with war-forged. It appears he may have been on contract with the elves at the time of the Great Deliverance [where the vast majority teleported to the Bright Desert] It does not say anything about post-elvish rule for Enstad.

Valoran, the elf ranger was out on patrol so would not be joining the crew, although if he returned in time he would assumedly try to find the party in the mines.

The party heads towards the first switchback mine entrance, which was not pulverized by their stone giant allies during the siege. Guards have been posted since the troglodyte scare, now at all three entrances (the other two are caved in.

Pyra the rogue tiefling, takes the lead, her lithe form fading into the shadows as she moves ahead of the lanterns carried by the party. She comes to a small side tunnel where the shale rock is cracking and crumbles at a touch. The area has a small pool is forming. she recalls the kobold miner foreman, Zeegtrelk, had recommended shoring up the area with support timbers and possibly investigating further or blocking off the area.

Prya had noted boot prints recently, probably dwarf, she had become an accomplished tracker working with the scouts, outside but even better in the tunnels. The prints were heading in, but no similar pair heading out.

The rogue comes out of the shadow momentarily and gestures to the area for the party to be careful. The adventurers had a number of hand signals that allowed good communication as needed.

The group continues without incident further in, going over 200 feet down a narrow tunnel. These had been made by dwarves and gnomes and then later by kobolds so most in the party had to stoop over. Irakul most often or he would be banging his seven foot tall frame - head into support beams and rock outcroppings. The warrior, an echo knight continued to manifest an echo of himself ahead of the party, but behind Pyra. All were now used to this illusion he created that could attack as he did and do real physical damage

It was quiet too quiet.. Pyra had got used to the sounds of the miners working away on the silver ore, but now, no sounds except the drip of water, echoing down the tunnel or the slight scrape of a boot or clink of metal on metal from the warriors in the crew a ways behind her. She grimaced they were loud. Shrugging, she moved onwards as stealthy as ever.

The party reached a four way intersection: north to new mines, left to a collapse, and right to the Cursed
Goddess - the former dwarven complex where the cursed dragon goddess had perished. Pyra had been careful up to now and scanned the floor. 'Strange' she thought, the boot prints went to the North, an area they had started to excavate and mine with new veins of silver.

The guards hadn't reported anyone entering, frowning again, an interloper. S waited for the party to catch up and then whispered quietly with the rest of the party. Hester summoned his imp familiar, Mephisto, who was to accompany the rogue in the lead. Irakul would have his echo as near as possible as well. They decided to follow the boot prints into the new mine area.

Pyra is moving along and then instinctively stops and at the entrance to a cavern that had multiple mining tunnels off it, she looked carefully around. A glimmer of light came from a recently opened tunnel that had a collapse of shale rock.

There was no sound except the drip of water in the distance now. Mid step into the area she froze as she saw it. A wire was strung across the mine entrance about a foot above the ground. Easily caught by someone not looking. She kneeled down and carefully traced out it crossed the entrance and was looped around an outcropping on one side. Following the other way the wire attached to a clay flask wedged into some debris. Hitting the wire would pop the top off the clay
flask and assumedly something bad would come out!

Skillfully, with Mephisto perched on her shoulder giggling, she disarmed the trap, taking the wire and the clay flask. "May come in useful," she murmured.

Mephisto flew up and telepathically advised Hester the rest of the party could move forward.

The glimmer of light flickered appearing to be a lantern light. Sneaking forward with Mephisto circling silently, Pyra peers down the tunnel and sees a dwarf huddled over something near a lantern sitting on the ground. The dwarf is humming softly some unknown tune, and looks to be wearing BlackRune armour, as well as carrying a blunderbuss flintlock musket.

[DM: BlackRunes. One of the Fellowship's arch enemies. normally wore by dwarves - beardless -  part of the BlackRunes, a slaver clan/empire that had an iron grip on the Wild Coast but had recently been pushed back on all fronts by Overlord Romack's forces. Now in an uneasy truce.]

The party moved up slowly at Pyra's signal but Lady luck did not smile on them as Faust kicked a rock and it skittered echoing across the cavern floor. 

A clay flask [similar to the one Pyra disarmed from a trap] rolls out and bumps into a pillar in the room, breaking, it explodes in a cloud of acidic gas cloud and blinds both Mephisto and Pyra at first.

Then a voice calls out, "What are ye doing in my mines? Leave now!" After some parley, it appears this was Daross Neglichar. One of the original mine delvers from before the time the kobolds had taken over the mine. The dwarf had returned and was under the assumption the mines were his now.

Vencer smoothly stepped up and negotiated with Daross to have him be an ally instead, offer him a position as head of their mine operations, a place to live in DragonKeep, and ask for his assistance with
the troglodytes. The dwarf grumpily agrees, suggesting a percentage for him for all mining profits as well, being an advisor not the head of the operations. Coming to an agreement for now, the party take their leave of the dwarf, heading off to deal with the trogs down the eastern tunnel - as noted by Daross.

Daross

The party with Pyra in the lead still head to the dwarven forge Works. A massive chamber that had a river of lava flowing through it.

As they travel the tunnels the walls become worked stone and floor flagstones, fitted closely and expertly. The stench of troglodytes becomes overpowering, some in the party gagging and coughing from the overpowering odours.

Mephisto takes a short rest in Faust's pocket dimension, as the acid/light bomb had done a fair bit of damage to the familiar.

As they near the forge works, a green and purple light pulsed into the tunnel. All gripped their weapons resolutely and moved forward. No noise now, not even the drip of water.

The group arrives at the Old Dwarven Forge Works, peering out onto a wide balcony that overlooks a vast, ruined forge complex. Below them, mining tracks crisscross the dusty ground, leading to shattered smithies, broken forges, and rusted machinery, all long abandoned and covered in dust. The western

Dwarven Forge works

section of the forge has completely caved in, with rubble and debris piled high. To the east, beyond the ruined works, a glowing river of lava flows slowly, casting an eerie red light across the scene. The atmosphere is heavy with mystery and the remnants of a once-great civilization.

Ropes are strung across a broken bridge over the river of lava, the the once magnificent bridge, in ruins.

30 feet ahead on the landing looking over the vast cavern, the purplish-green light emanates from a 5-foot diameter sphere  floating about a foot off the ground  in the middle of the area. Boxes and supplies looked to be smashed and strewn across the area.

All see this sphere as a menacing danger.

Irakul sends his echo out to slash at the sphere, but his giant's hand Ax passes clean through it causing purple sludge to spray out and ooze down the sides to drip on the tiled floor.

At this moment, the walls erupt with hidden troglodytes, using their chameleon like power to hide and attack the unwary. The party were in battle!

The purple sphere continues to pulse as the troglodytes press the attack on the party, separated now by
the sneaky creatures hidden near the walls. 

The oozing sphere pulses again and a form starts to push out of it stretching the blob like surface, a massive face appears and then the rent that Irakul's ax had cut tears further as a massive clawed hand pushes forth. Something was coming and it was big. Very big.

A humanoid massive hulk pulled forth from the shaking sphere which collapsed as the 11 foot tall monster stepped on to the balcony. sores and pustules across its skin oozed purple sludge as it attacked Vencer. The immense troll's bite and claws rending the wizard who had fortunately just cast haste and was able to move away quickly!

Pyra dual wielding rapier and dagger stepped in and sneak attacked the troll her sword piercing deeply into the flank of the troll, it roared in pain and whirled on her but she disengaged and dodged back out of the creature's reach.

 Mephisto and Faust attacked, the warlock blasting the troll with twin blast of eldritch energy.

Vencer casts Haste and Magic Missiles, and Irakul attacks the large creature.

The party finish off the troglodytes first while keeping the troll busy. Vencer's fiery chromatic orbs stopping it form healing. The large creature aggressively attacks no thought to defense, dealing significant damage and having an necrotic aura and effect with claws and bite which deal extensive damage to the heroes. Vencer using a new spell actually has it hit itself at one point!

The Beta Crew successfully defeats the troll, as it falls the large creature's guts spill out, and start being pulled back into the deflated purple sphere.

The sphere starts to pulse again and gain shape! The party unload all their attacks on it. Pyra's sword, Irakul's giant hand ax, Vencer's chromatic orb and Faust's eldritch blasts damage it until there is nothing left but a smoking stain on the tiled floor.

The troll and troglodytes nearby dealt with, the party see figures moving amongst the old dwarven machinery. Pyra uses her crossbow to kill three fleeing troglodytes who attempt to cross the lava river, including one who falls into the lava. Her expert shots even reach over 300 feet to take two out that were clinging across the ropes and they fall into the lave, their screams echoing around the large cavern.

Some time is taken to heal with recuperate. Meanwhile, Mephisto is sent out invisibly, the imp notes some more troglodytes hiding in the machine works area. Telepathically advising Faust.

Vencer comes up with a brilliant plan. Using a silent image spell creates a image of a small child holding up a platter of raw flesh to entice the ignorant trogs out of cover. The ruse works! A group of seven troglodytes run towards the child image. Only to be engulfed if fire. Fireball cast by the wizard as a follow-up.

Vencer smiles grimly. 

A horn sounds, from across the lave and what looks to be a large archway into darkness. This the party knows went into the main dwarven complex of chambers and halls. Where the cursed dragon goddess skeleton was. It seems there were still more troglodytes to deal with.

The Beta Crew secures the area and moves towards the river of lava, checking the ropes for crossing. They confirm the ropes are frayed but stable.

What next for the heroes?