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..