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
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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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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
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
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
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.
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.
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