Wednesday, 24 September 2025

Victory's Toll

Location: Silver mines, deep under the Town of Dragonkeep in the Lortmill mountains. Located in the world of Greyhawk

Date: 4th of  Goodmonth, end of Summer

***

The Beta Crew [player characters]

Pyra - Tiefling female, Rogue [played by Jake]

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

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

Faust - Warforged, Warlock [played by Devin]

Valoran - 1/2 Elf male, Ranger [played by Campbell]

Notable NPC: Skrit - Kobold male, Priest of Istus - town mayor of DragonKeep

Dungeon Master: Sleet

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In the silent depths of the DragonKeep silver mines, the Beta Crew stood victorious amidst the carnage of their own making. They had successfully eradicated a hostile derro clan that had infested a gnomish complex from a bygone era, and the immediate echoes of battle had faded, replaced by the grim quietude of the slain. With the primary threat neutralized, the party’s objectives transitioned to the crucial post-conflict operations: locating any enslaved survivors who might have endured the ordeal and securing the spoils of their hard-won battle. Yet, the consequences of their victory—both in the logistical burdens of salvage and the unexpected spiritual price of their actions—would soon prove to be a trial as formidable as the battle itself, setting the stage for a haunting and transformative chapter in their history.

Securing the Spoils

The strategic necessity of clearing a defeated enemy's lair is a fundamental tenet of seasoned campaigning. This meticulous process serves multiple functions: it yields vital resources to fund future operations, uncovers valuable intelligence about the enemy's network and capabilities, and, most critically, ensures that no lingering threats remain to endanger the victors. For the Beta Crew, this methodical sweep of the derro enclave would prove fruitful, revealing not only tangible wealth but also a dire, spiritual artifact.

The Trapped Shrine

Beneath the main derro living area, the party discovered a desecrated sanctum, established within what appeared to have once been a gnomish priestly chamber. The room's focus was a finely crafted spear resting upon a delicate mechanism, near which lay a mysterious sphere. This latter object was encrusted with dried blood and covered in a disturbing collection of effigies, twigs, and bones.

A thorough investigation revealed the spear to be the trigger for an ingenious trap—a lever system connected to four hidden holes in the chamber floor and walls. Applying tactical foresight, the party successfully disarmed the device by jamming the levers with metal wedges and rock fragments, preventing the mechanism from activating. The recovered spear was subsequently identified as a Spear +2 of Returning. During the subsequent cataloging of the enclave's treasures, it was also noted that the derro leader, Martana, had worn a powerful magic ring, which was secured by the party.

Cataloging the Hoard

A comprehensive search of the derro settlement yielded a significant hoard of treasure and salvageable
goods. The party meticulously cataloged their findings before arranging for transport.

  • Coinage & Gems:
    • Gold Pieces: 865 gp
    • Silver Pieces: 768 sp
    • Gemstones:
      • Azurite (11 gp)
      • Coral (100 gp)
      • Emerald (800 gp)
      • Golden Pearl (90 gp)
      • Jasper (80 gp)
      • Red-brown Spinel (100 gp)
      • Rose Quartz (50 gp)
      • Zircon (60 gp)
  • Magic Items:
    • Arcane Scroll: Ghost Sound
    • Arcane Scroll: Invisibility Sphere
    • Potion: Oil of Shillelagh
    • Potion: Unguent of Timelessness
    • Armor: Ring of Protection +2 (recovered from the derro leader)
    • Weapon: Spear, +2 of returning (possibly cursed)
  • Salvageable Goods:
    • A wheel-less but finely made Carriage
    • A Pavilion Tent and a Canopy Bed
    • A fine oak dark wood Bench and a fine Riding Saddle
    • 2 Bolts of Linen
    • 1 Box of 20 Candles
    • 10 Racks of Firewood
    • 5 Small Casks of Oil and 1 Small Cask of Tobacco
    • 3 Bags of 10 Pitons, a Hammer, a Game Board, and a 50' Rope Ladder
    • 3 unidentified Casks of black liquid
  • Weapons and armour:
    • 21 small crossbows [basically a light crossbow but smaller]
    • 161 bolts
    • 17 shortswords
    • Master-craft longsword
    • 4 acid-filled clay spheres

The sheer volume and weight of the salvage necessitated a return to DragonKeep for reinforcements. This logistical imperative would not only introduce new complications but also force the citizens of DragonKeep to confront the brutal realities of the world beneath their feet.

The Grim Cleanup

With the enclave secured, the party confronted the grim ledger of their victory. The task of extracting the hoard and managing the carnage required enlisting outside aid. The militia's official involvement marked the first time the citizens of DragonKeep directly witnessed the scale of the subterranean threat, and their horrified reactions underscored the psychological chasm between the adventuring class and the populace they protect.

A Plea for Aid

Faust journeyed to the militia camp at DragonKeep to negotiate for laborers. He presented the militia sergeant with a generous offer: 35 gold pieces per person, supplemented by their choice of any standard weapons recovered from the derro. Recruitment proved difficult, as the townsfolk harbored a deep fear of the mines, specifically the cathedral chamber containing the skeletal remains of what they termed the "cursed dragon goddess." Despite this reluctance, the sergeant’s persuasion and the promise of substantial payment were sufficient to muster a small force: ten militia members (eight men and two women), accompanied by three mules for haulage.

Confronting the Carnage

The Beta crew decided to not let all know of the full carnage of the whole derro clan - including the non-combatants [children and elderly] - and started a pyre of the bodies of those in the former derro enclave. 

Once Faust brought the militia, they met the townsfolk in the former cathedral, itself being a massive

visceral horror with dead troglodytes and derro strewn across the vast chamber. The overwhelming stench of death and the ghastly tableau of the slaughter sickened two of the younger recruits. It thus fell to the Beta Crew to direct the disposal of the bodies. They gathered the corpses—derro warriors and troglodytes all, from the first battle—and constructed a massive funeral pyre from the salvaged firewood, oil and then alchemist's fire. Vencer lit the pyre with a well placed spell: fireball. 

This grim duty had a profound emotional impact on Pyra. As she handled the remains of the derro non-combatants, she was visibly shaken and overcome with sorrow. The stark reality of their actions weighed heavily on her, forcing her to confront what one of her own companions termed a "murderous montage." [DM: see blogpost

The extraction was an arduous, day-long effort but ultimately successful. With the assistance of the militia, the party transported the entirety of the treasure and salvage from the mines. The physically and emotionally draining labor left the entire party afflicted with one level of exhaustion.

A Haunting Victory

In a world where the veil between the material and the spectral is thin, acts of violence carry hidden costs. The party’s brutal efficiency in exterminating the derro clan unleashed an unforeseen spiritual backlash, proving that the deepest wounds are not always physical. Their victory, it seemed, had bound them to their victims in a terrifying and deeply personal way.

Nightmares and Curses

The first night after emerging from the mines brought no respite. All had restless sleep, but Pyra and Vencer were plagued by a shared, vivid nightmare; Pyra experienced the final, terrifying moments of a derro child, while Vencer lived through the death of an elderly derro man—both killed by the party's own hands. They awoke deeply disturbed, the visceral horror of the experience branding their minds and inflicting upon them a second level of exhaustion.

Skrit's Intervention

Recognizing the supernatural nature of their affliction, the party sought aid from Skrit, the acting mayor of DragonKeep and a high-level Priest of Istus. A spiritual examination confirmed that the spirits of the slain derro had anchored themselves to the adventurers, inflicting a powerful curse. Skrit then commenced the difficult rite of exorcism.

  • For Pyra, the ritual was successful. Skrit managed to exorcise the tormented spirit of the derro child. However, the spiritual strain of the process was immense, leaving Pyra with a third level of exhaustion. The tiefling also felt an affinity to children now, and possibly interested in starting a family.
  • For Vencer, the process was more complicated. Skrit removed the spirit of the elderly derro, but its departure severely weakened the wizard, halving his maximum hit points due to four levels of exhaustion.

Faust hypothesized that the parasitic spirits were likely tied to the blood-soaked effigy discovered in the shrine, suggesting it may have served as a spiritual focus for the derro clan. Their victory was now tainted. Weakened, cursed, and haunted, the Beta Crew was forced to reckon with the spiritual consequences of their campaign.

Whispers from the Grave

With the physical threat neutralized and the spiritual fallout being managed, the party’s focus shifted from combat to intelligence gathering. The extermination of the local derro raised a critical strategic question: were they an isolated enclave, or merely an outpost of a much larger subterranean civilization? To forestall future incursions, the party endeavored to understand the true scope of the derro presence by interrogating the dead.

First Interrogation

The party enlisted Skrit to cast Speak with Dead on the corpse of a fallen derro guard. By preparing their questions with care, they extracted several key facts:

  • The derro settlement was named Trello.
  • This was their primary settlement, not an expeditionary force.
  • They maintained no other settlements nearby.

Second Interrogation

While the initial intelligence suggested the threat was contained, the party remained circumspect. The following day, they retrieved a second derro corpse for further questioning. This session yielded alarming new intelligence that broadened the conflict significantly:

  • Trello had been in contact with another derro location known as Furst-Lach.
  • The last contact had occurred "last season," a temporal reference of indeterminate length.
  • Furst-Lach is located approximately a ten-day journey from the mines.
  • The derro had encountered a dire enemy - dark elves - DROW.

These interrogations transformed the party’s perspective. Their local victory was no longer an isolated event but the potential prelude to a wider war. They now possessed actionable intelligence about a deeper, more distant threat, confirming that their work in the Lortmill Mountains was far from over.

Seeds of the Future

As the immediate aftermath receded, the party's focus transitioned from reacting to the past to proactively shaping the future for the town of DragonKeep. The session concluded with a series of events that laid the groundwork for new political alliances, enduring personal changes, and the ongoing management of the mine's grim legacy.

Survivors and Prisoners

Among the derro's slaves, two survivors were discovered: a young hobbit female, found near death but saved by Skrit's divine healing, and an unconscious drow soldier - who they had met a number of months back [DM: see blogpost]. Though Skrit was reluctant to aid a drow, the party insisted, viewing the prisoner as a potentially valuable source of intelligence regarding the region's subterranean politics.

The Escaped Derro: A formidable two-headed derro seen during the battle escaped into a nearby ankheg hole. His whereabouts and intentions remain unknown, representing a significant unaccounted-for threat.

The Political Arena

With peace temporarily restored, attention in DragonKeep turned to the upcoming winter elections. Skrit announced his intention to run for Mayor, while Pyra declared she would seek a seat on the Town Council as the representative for the Redwater Fellowship. These declarations marked the party's formal entry into the political landscape of DragonKeep, a move that would have lasting consequences for the town's governance and the party's own autonomy. The influx of refugees that were not aware of the good works done by Skrit and the kobolds was not evident that the kobold priest may not win the mayorship. Two others were now contenders as well: 

Leetanna town militia [former slave]. 1/2 elf







Brother Darriss, a monk formerly from Wayberry the rumours say. 






The Beta crew - Vencer the strategist - are implementing a new plan to assist with Skrit's run for mayor and Pyra's for council member. The Beta crew can sense that there could be a brewing issue of demographics in the city. Vencer introduces his S.E.I program.

Skrit's Ethnic Inclusion progamme.

Through public works, community events, public investment, creating a sense of loyalty to the city through shared cultural identity and equality, based off of legends, holidays, food culture and communal spaces where groups mingle.


1. Gate and keep rebuilt - 100%
2. New tower built - 100%
3. Recovering farmlands for food - 2 fields ploughed and planted. 3rd will be ready for next Spring
4. Roundtower [with 2 cannons] - at 75% [fixing mechanism to rotate tower is still an issue]
5. Walls at 95% [all walls along main road and grasslands: complete, walls along river nearing completion]
6. 3 mine entrances are now open - two once again being explored by Pyra and her kobold miner crew. Small amount of silver being mined and refined.
7. Fighters stronghold - 100%
8. The mist is cleared from the large crater. Irakul and Cedric has worked to turn the crater into an arena for use by the town, with stands, seats and more. Also for training the militia. [70%]






Lingering Shadows

The events in the mine left indelible marks on the party. Faust, the once-unfeeling warforged, began experiencing what appeared to be genuine emotion. Pyra, though cleansed of the possessing spirit, retained a lingering empathy from the derro child's perspective—a constant reminder of the lives she had taken. The chronicle for this period closes with a candid warning from Skrit, who observed that their actions had cast a "shadow" over them all, a spiritual stain that would not be easily erased.

Wednesday, 10 September 2025

Descent into Darkness - Murderous Montage

Location: Silver mines, deep under the Town of Dragonkeep in the Lortmill mountains. Located in the world of Greyhawk

Date: 27th of Harvester, End of Summer

***

The Beta Crew [player characters]

Pyra - Tiefling female, Rogue [played by Jake]

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

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

Faust - Warforged, Warlock [played by Devin]

Valoran - 1/2 Elf male, Ranger [played by Campbell]

Notable NPC: Skrit - Kobold male, Priest of Istus - town mayor of DragonKeep

Dungeon Master: Sleet

************

The extensive conflict between the Beta crew and the derro began with a planned mutual betrayal known by the Beta crew as the "Red Revelry," or "Red Wedding". 

After assisting the derro in a prior battle against troglodytes, the Beta crew were invited to a celebratory feast in the derro's feasting chamber, a former temple to a gnomish god. Both sides planned treachery: the derro poisoned the food and drink, while the Beta crew planned a surprise attack against the derro leaders, initiated by Pyra the Rogue's sneak attack. Pyra’s assassination of the derro leader went "very well," involving two stabs before Vencer's lightning bolt finished the leader and three sub-commanders, leaving all as smoking corpses. 

The Crew then fought the remaining derro leaders and the leader's son. Although two derro escaped, the Beta crew initially had the enemy on the run until the derro clan realized the heroes were a small party. 

This triggered a fighting retreat by the Beta crew, who were injured, low on spells, and being chased by

screaming derro firing crossbow bolts and throwing globes of acid.

The fighting retreat led the Beta crew back to a cathedral within the former dwarf complex, the resting place of a cursed dragon goddess skeleton. Here, Pyra’s kobold allies (miners) were waiting to spring an ambush - armed with crossbows and shortbows. 

As the derro rampaged forward through the entrance, Pyra's gas trap she had rigged was activated by a perfect shot of her crossbow. This created a poisonous gas cloud, which had minor but still was effective in blinding the derro. Then Vencer and Faust set up a devastating trap just inside the entrance:

Vencer cast web while Faust cast Hunger of Hadar.

The combined webbed and difficult terrain with horror, acid, and cold damage was a killing zone for the derro. The kobolds arranged on the 40' balcony around the cathedral rained down bolts and arrows into the globe of darkness. The area was in magical darkness due to the Hunger of Hadar spell, but cries and shouts of agony could be heard so the missiles were having effect on the trapped and blind derro. Caught in the magical darkness suffered cold damage upon starting their turn and acid damage upon ending it, causing many derro to be screaming, coughing, and covered in webs, acid, and frost.

Two derro were able to escape the killing ground and came right into the giant handax of Irakul's echo
knight wielding it in 2 hands. He cut down both as they struggled and stumbled forward.

A horn blast was heard, and scuttling in the darkness could be heard as the derro retreated. Then nothing. Vencer and Faust removed their spells to see what was coming next.

Valoran - invisible - heads down the passage to see what the derro were up to. Creeping down he passage, the elf feels the ground shake slightly, then nothing.. then again. a tremor and it recedes, but seems to be receding towards the cathedral? The ranger decides to move ahead, comes upon a group in a small room that he knew led back to the derro enclave, as well as two doors unexplored and something new.. a large hole in the ground. There are four derro here, one looking down the passage by the invisible ranger and three are looking down this NEW hole in the ground. One derro is strange looking.. two headed carrying a long staff like prod and jumps down into the hole..

Valoran sees one of the slaver's whips, previously had lightning capability and wanted to acquire, but decides to return to the party and advise. 

Vencer casts a light cantrip at the entrance so, they hear it before seeing—a wet, chittering sound, like bones grinding in a vat of slime. Then the erupting with a shower of dirt rock and floor tiles, a grotesque insectoid horror erupts from the soil. The ankheg’s massive mandibles snap with sickening force,
dripping with viscous acid that hisses as it eats through armor and flesh alike. Its segmented body glistens with a mucous sheen, twitching unnaturally as it writhes forward. The stench of rot and bile clings to it, a byproduct of its subterranean feasting. Victims are dragged screaming into its tunnel lair, their cries muffled by the choking earth. Few are ever found whole—most are dissolved, digested, and left as a slurry of bones and gore. The ankheg doesn’t just kill. It liquefies. 

The Beta crew, ready shoot bows, crossbows and spells with melee attacks as well. The ankheg picks up Faust in one claw dealing extensive damage.

Valoran had cast disguise to look like a kobold so was able to fool the derro a few times to go after more "dangerous" targets while using his bow to deadly effect. 

Pyra continued to stealthily assassinate or sneak attack the derro and ankheg.  

Faust able to break free of the ankheg's grasp with his familiar imp - Mephisto - attacked and cast eldritch blast to deadly effect.

Vencer lobbed spell after spell, the wizards spells hitting with deadly effect. While Irakul, he echo knight expertly brought his echo into range to attack and then move to deal extensive damage on the derro. 

More derro attack at this time, trying to gain the initiative, but the combined attacks of Pyra, Irakul, Faust Valoran and Vencer bring down the ankheg, even as a second of the tunneling horrors busts forth from the hole in the cathedral floor! All are wounded form the spay of acid, but in the end the Beta crew

bring down this second monstrosity, and as well killing nearly all the derro warriors. Only a handful run screaming back into the passage and darkness. 

The adventurers following the retreating derro encounter a trap, but persevere and catch up to the remaining derro. Old and young are trying to get away from the enclave down a passage further into the Underdark.

After some discussion about the right or wrong of it, the Beta crew complete what was to be called a "Murderous Montage" of all the derro that could be found. The underground former enclave of the derro was now under the control of DragonKeep, no longer a threat to the silver mines, and new areas to explores as the legends said that this former


dwarf/gnomish complex had been quite extensive in size and WEALTH. The "heroes" gathered what treasures they could fine and then returned to DragonKeep to rest and recuperate.

In the days ahead some of the Beta crew would have nightmares of the screams of the dying defenceless derro. Others slept soundly in their righteous thoughts of an evil clan of mongrel dwarves fully destroyed.

Legend and rumours said there were more - extensive - areas of the dwarven / gnomish complex to be explored. What other unknown dangers and more lurked in the dark? The Beta crew would delve these in the future..