“Vergeten Super Dwarf is best dwarf ever. How can long eared huge? Magic elf doubt the power of super dweerf. Or incinerate shadow demon.  The svirfneblin continue to just look with abject awe upon DonBrapp, the nearest thing to kin in their recent past that appears to have nearly liberated their city.

“Gawdam horde, dwarf.  Light the way.”  Quilro says sliding back.

DonBrapp gives the half-or the side eye.

“Look. DonBrapp.  Mayhap this is a tactful place to consider a retreat.”

“Nay.  This is a test.  A perfect test of the coinfather’s blessing.”

“Unholy union of Celanil and a FUCKING TOAD;  DonBrapp.  Do you have to prove this NOW?”

“I will go with you, Quilro, if escape we must.” Jonleth says to the elf with a full sidebag over his shoulder.

“You are a bad elf, Jonleth.”

“EXACTLY, QUILRO!  They’re not even people.”

Standing up DonBrapp enables a minor healing spell while directing his light at the undead.

“Move toward the stairs!” Kailute shouts, attempting to corral the non-frontline members to the rear.

DonBrapp rears his beam of light toward the onslaught of undead.

Jonleth attempts to coerce Quilro to escape; and the elf emasculates him. He then releases a lightning bolt into the ceiling above the advancing horde.

Draxos levels and releases several bowshot, felling a zombie with two strikes.

Quilro’s lightning bolt does significant damage, ripping the undead monsters to rotten flesh piles before collapsing into the stairwell below.

Although their mindless advance sends many falling down into the stairs, onward they shuffle toward the heroes.

Jonleth releases a series of softball sized orbs of flaming metal, catching several of the zombies and blasting through their rotting corpses.

The dwarf holds both the attenuarium and the holy icon forward and he has both these items in his hand and manifesting from his breastplate is a shimmering blue-white light that appears enhanced by  crackling energy  arcing between the rod and the blue sheath of light itself.  This thick blue line of energy begins to connect with the advancing wall of undead, and as it does a sickly searing sound is heard before the horrid stench of burning putrification wafts from the monsters.  Pieces cooked, falling are pushed forward by the mindless behind, filling the stairwell with offal that would burst a charnel house.

Into Draxos’ head a calm and steady voice speaks “Beware the members of your group who seek overmuch power to themselves.”
The gray gnomes curl in wretched agony as the scent rolls over the foyer of the Treasury.

Kailute shimmies directly into the cleric’s ruff.  “Don’t mind me, dwarf.”

“Really?” Asks Quilro archly, as Jonleth snorts “The proclivities of the lesser races are intriguing underground.  Must be the lack of sun.”

Quickly scanning for threats, the group takes up a defensive position while Kailute and Quilro scout around toward the arena.

“Ve know udder vay out.  Not front door.  Back door.”  The svirfneblin say as the elf and half-orc creep forward.

The sounds of vicious battle in the arena below are heard as the pair creep toward the ledge.  A mixed squad of demons and duergar battle to attempt to subdue the tarrasque;  piles of corpses surround the arena, and the enormous beast looks only mildly wounded, but unable to escape.

“We will return, Kailute.  When we do, we will have the time and resources to employ this abomination properly.”  The dwarf says.

Pointing at the attenuarium, one of the grey gnomes informs the dwarf “As this device provides you information about your planar location; so does it transmit your location to planar travelers.   Be warned.”

0000 30 Hammer

DonBrapp harnessed his connection to the negative material plane and his favor with the Coinfather to unleash a devastating continual light attack from his blessed gem within his breastplate.  The svirfneblin lead the party back from the arena overlook where demons and duergar below attempt to corral a tarrasque.

Signaling toward the south, Kailute asks if there is any reason to believe the passageway is trapped.  The gnomes relay that it was used by servants of the high priest Orcalla, so it is likely that there are wards of protection similar to other locations within the temple.

Unsatisfied with the response, Kailute begins looking for furniture or a barrel to roll down the passageway in front of the party.

“Son of Gruumsh is wisest when he submits his labor; perhaps your kith are best equipped for the lifting and throwing of trash down the hall way.”  Jonleth observes.

“Better yet, with a pike or spear I can have you walk point, Jonleth.”  The barbarian states flatly, and none of the companions speak to negate the proposition.

Quilro steps forward to observe for traps, and Kailute takes a ready position with Draxos immediately behind him, both with weapons ready.  DonBrapp and Jonleth follow from the rear with the orcs taking flanking positions in the middle.

“I take it down here you don’t mind the stench of the lesser beings, Coinfather.”  Jonleth mentions.

“Those of us raised in cities are not off put by diversity, leaf licker.  More vegetables in the city than the forest, ye may find.”

After moving nearly halfway down the passageway, which is again highly polished black stone but not overly ornate, there are glowing infravision globes along the sides of the walls about 8 feet above the floor, about every 30 feet. They only emit light in the infrared spectrum and provide a sort of a purplish to violet to pink glow.  The svirfneblin indicate a pause and they point to the ground below where immediately you can kind of see the wispy traces of an infernal glyph.

Observing the bright beam of his gem piercing ahead through the gloom, and announcing his location and direction, the cleric considers asking the gnomes to tinker on his setting so that it might be adjustable.

An unusual silence cloaks the heroes as they examine the glyph.  Along with unnatural quiet the scent of weapons oil and a foreign leather smell are detectable in the air.

The dwarf recognizes an infernal glyph crafted of the blood of a good aligned creature.  It is possible it could be copied, but any mistake could cause it to ignite.  Upon closer inspection DonBrapp believes the glyph can determine between living and undead creatures.

Jonleth presses forward to stand next to the dwarf.

“I have some literacy infernal…  I assume that is not taught in urban schools?  Step forward an speak MIRAughk!” The elf states, and as he steps over and there's an almost imperceptible pulse of energy, but no explosion.

DonBrapp and Quilro step through speaking the word, however as the orcs move their inability to speak it properly immolates both of them in infernal flames.

Kailute ruefully picks up their spears, shaking his head at the loss.

As the smoke clears it’s evident the party is not alone in the passageway, but nothing is immediately discernible.  Ten feet above and toward the ceiling a distortion of light, not unlike a mirage is evident.

DonBrapp pulls out the attenuator and holds it forth as Kailute uses one of the spearheads to shave his chin intently.  The attenuarium vibrates with the indicator suggesting the entire region is a planar liminal space, a veritable junction point of portals in the mountains and underdark.

At this point, though, the whole the whole building, the area kind of gives another one of those slight tremble and buckles. Although as far South as you are into the passageway, you can't hear anything but you. You suspect you're feeling something coming from the arena below.

Quilro signals his intent to the rest of the party to launch a lightning bolt toward the area of concern.

Kailute signals for the elf to hold, and the party moves under the space, and the svirfneblin instantly recognize something is hiding above.

Suddenly the forms of two levitated drow are revealed, and one begins to descend with hands open, weaponless.

“Hold.  We seek no quarrel.”  The dark elf says in accented common.

Quilro pulls his wondrous wand from his belt and aims it from under his cloak.

“We seek to leave.  Do you know the way?”

Quilro briefly describes the path from the hallway to the arena and beyond, and the two elves float away down the hallway.

The svirfneblin lead the party down the hall to a 90 degree turn to the east before arriving at a door that is ajar.  Pushing through the door, a fairly large landing plaza atop a huge staircase made purely out of stone, clearly of magical design, that that leads down below down below you think you can. Here, sort of echoing murmurs of some sort of discussions and yelling, but it is far too far away and down, reverberating off a circular staircase edged of stone to make any sense to your ears.

The gnomes bring you down and you all can see that the stairs are 10 feet wide, causing some hazard for the smaller demi humans.  The stairwell is littered with abandoned detritus, mostly religious articles of Myrkul, Auril, and the cruel gods of the Gray Dwarves. Many slaughtered duergar corpses are found until the party descends around 140’, where DonBrapp assesses they are on the 1st level, where he remembers the tapestries being located.

Quilro identifies a magical door to the south that opens to a room of sumptuous food piled on every table.  The walls are sheathed in dark grey and red velvet curtains, but what what's peculiar isthe tables in the center of the space are aligned with what appears to be incredibly fresh, freshly prepared, delectable food of every type. Fresh roasted game, salads, fresh vegetables, mushrooms, anything from every type of almost homey nostalgic food each of the heroes recalls. DonBrapp notes a similar energy to the table of plenty, and directs the companions not to eat the food just as Jonleth and the gnomes were about to dig in.

The backhand of the dwarf’s gauntlet sends him away and the two gnomes look crestfallen as they are clearly undernourished; Jonleth looks about to cry.

Quilro inspects the room and finds a curtained nook in the north that contains a pile of discarded adventuring equipment that appears to have sat undisturbed for a long time.

After several moments of introspection, the dwarf agrees to let the elf take a meal. “Fine.  Drink and tell me what happens.”

Jonleth immediately quaffs a flute of wine and smiles, refreshed.  DonBrapp takes a haunch of roast and is immediately transplanted back to one of his favorite festhalls in Waterdeep.

As the group begins to devour the food, clearing the table an audible “pop” is heard, and the food is magically replaced.  Every six minutes or so, new food appears to replace what has been consumed.

Kailute observes, refusing to consume the magical provisions.

“Stop eating.  There is something magical at work here.  Elf, find a way out.”  The dwarf directs, and Quilro continues casing the room, locating indicators of a magic portal in the middle of the western wall.

DonBrapp puts his hand through the wall, surmising a similar magical door exists on the far side of this wall as the party has encountered previously.

Blue Sphere of Annihilation

Ushering everyone out, the party emerges into a mostly rectangular space, unadorned save for the magical rock and a rotating sphere of blue flame levitating about four feet off the ground in the center of the space.  The flame emits no heat nor sound, and Jonleth immediately begins walking toward it.

Before he closes the distance, Quilro fires a volley of magical energy that appears to be completely absorbed by the blue flame sphere.

In return a pulse of magical energy attacks the elf, but his protective spell turning ring defeats the attack before being rendered inert.

Kailute steps forward to attack, and as he connects searing cold damage causes the barbarian to release the weapon as his entire arm is encased with frost.  As he releases his grip, the entire weapon utterly disappears.

DonBrapp unleashes a deluge of water atop the flame.  While the vapor makes an incredible amount of noise, it is rapidly absorbed by the floating ball of flame.  However as the water is devoured by the sphere, thin spots in the blue flame reveal an orb of flat black through the wisping flames.

“FARRRGH!” The barbarian screams in frustration, as Quilro slinks around the walls looking for an exit.

Jonleth yields just a momentary look of confusion before the spellcaster ceases movement; rendered to stone.

“Move away!” DonBrapp yells, fumbling to orient the attenuarium.  The rod hums at a discordant frequency.

The dwarf feels the energy of a magical attack against his mind that is thwarted by his natural obstinance.

Kailute heaves forward in frustration, attempting to smash and dispel the floating sphere.  Again, his arms are encased in frost as his weapon disintegrates in his hands.   Immediately following the barbarian is wracked with the internal contortions of magical transformation;  mind-bendingly painful while somehow his consciousness remains intact throughout.  His vision expands nearly in every direction;  his eyes able now to see things in a much more particular definition;  yet he is unable to express himself in any way other than a large “YYYYYYAAAAAAAwp.”

“Gawdsdammit.” DonBrapp mutters, as Draxos kneels down to collect the barbarian toad.

“Let’s move!”  he shouts, following Quilro through the newly discovered doorway.  The strangely shaped room contains several multicolored fetid pools lying around. Coarse gray mud that coats everything and then in the depressions surrounding the room, are these brightly hued pits of smoking and bubbling festering liquid colored like the mineral deposits that lie in the shallows of a hot spring..

Creeping around the corner for a half hour to avoid the colored pools, the party steps through a doorway and immediately steps into six inches of coins piled on the floor of a large rock chamber.

As you all step through into this large square space, aside from almost stepping directly into ankle high piles of coins, you not only see open chests overflowing. Gems the size of your fist laying all around the cavern…   the party is also immediately struck by the reverberating sound of snoring.

And as you look around, you can now pick the slumbering outlines of enormous Dragons curled up, like sleeping cats throughout the space. You see a white dragon in the southwest. An enormous black dragon in the northeast. Two red Dragons, one in the far northwest corner. Northwest, southwest, and you see two green dragonlings, a red wyrmling, and another medium sized black dragon.  The heroes have stumbled into a dragon’s nest.

DonBrapp immediately disbelieves, and signals to the rest of the party.  One dragon remains, and the cleric immediately invokes a spell of silence.

The dwarf removes the continual light gem from his armor and places it in his pouch.
There is a single exit door on the far side, but the entire cave is otherwise made of the magically infused stone.
This message was last edited by the GM at 01:00, Fri 06 Jan 2023.