As the party exited the structure, they saw four large hairy beasts, like a cross between a man, a bear, and a gorilla covered in white fur, charging towards them, clinging to the walls of the dwarven structures. The beasts snarled and seemed intent on violence!
They were being directed from the rear by a drow handler. More drow could be heard mustering around the corner.
They were under attack!
- Winterfrost of House Silverspear - Chaotic Good Moon Elf Noble and Fighter. The daughter of elven diplomats, raised among dwarves.
- Etlenda, aka "Exile" - Neutral Good Eladrin Outlander and Paladin. Exiled from the Feywild and raised by wolves. While exploring the Feydark he crossed over into the Underdark and emerged into the Mortal World.
- Tempus Vegvisir - Lawful Good Human Trade Sheriff and Cleric of Helm. Husband and Father.
- Push-ta "Bearbite" Tok - Neutral Half-Orc Former Smuggler and Rogue, secret member of the Zhentarim.
- Kem Hearthfire - Chaotic Good Half-Orc Former Gladiator Priestess of Gond.
- Glom the Wretched - Chaotic Neutral Goblin NPC, former thief and guide to the Arcane Chambers.
- Randall - Chaotic Good Human Scout and Smuggler. The child of minor nobles slain by Manshoon - or one of his duplicates, he now leads smugglers down the River Sargauth to Skullport.
Quaggoths
The quaggoths ran along the upper walls of the ancient dwarven ruins. Winterfrost ran forward and cast a spell, sending a lasso of lightning around one of the quaggoths. The quaggoth held firm and the lightning bolt dissipated.
The drow in the rear pointed at the group. Tiny faerie lights hovered around the air. Some stuck to Etlenda's spirit wolf, illuminating it in a purplish aura.
Etlenda drove his spirit wolf into battle, leaping into the air and claw one of the quaggoths off its perch on the wall, driving it into the ground. The quaggoth counter-attacked the spirit wolf, killing it! The mount disappeared, leaving its suit of barding and Etlenda. Etlenda found himself fighting two of the quaggoths! A third quaggoth dropped from the ceiling at the back of the party to attack Bearbite.
The quaggoth in the rear stood erect and its eyes glowed with psionic power - a thonont! Suddenly Etlenda's armor became uncomfortably hot! Etlenda writhed in burning agony but continued fighting! Etlenda shouted direction to the others, "That one in the back! Try to kill it first!"
Kem said a prayer and a spiritual hammer of Gond appeared to attack the quaggoth in the back. Suddenly the entire area descended into impenetrable darkness. The drow in the rear has shrouded the area in his dark magic, shielding the thonont from view. There was nothing to attack! Etlenda grimaced at the increasing heat of his armor, "That's not good!"
Tempus said, "I've got this!" He produced a glass orb that hovered in mid-air. The orb flashed into brilliance - emitting the light of day and illuminating the ancient dwarven city! The magical darkness was burned away by the shining light, revealing three identical thononts standing on the roof!
Etlenda sheathed his sword and climbed the wall onto the roof of the ancient dwarven dwelling. He re-drew his sword and slew the quaggoth clutching the wall before turning his attention to the thonont.
Meanwhile, behind the front line of battle, Bearbite stabbed the quaggoth menacing him. The quaggoth became enraged, clawing at Bearbite with terrible ferocity. Bearbite retaliated with his heavy club - Tally's Whacker, crushing the quaggoth into mash. He then advanced to help Winterfrost fight the quaggoth on the front line.
Tempus imbued his magical bat familiar, Edward, with a spell and sent the bat onto the roof of the dwaven dwelling. The bat exhaled a cone of icy frost onto all three identical thononts. The two extra thononts disappeared, leaving only one.
Etlenda soon caught up to the thonont. The beast was soon dispatched and Etlenda paused to catch his breath.
Winterfrost and Bearbite soon eliminated the remaining quaggoth on the ground and moved towards the drow.
The drow withdrew, disappearing around a corner and into a door.
Drow
Tempus and Bearbite moved to the door and waited for the others to catch up. Etlenda was still climbing down off the roof.
Tempus threw open the door, bathing the interior with the bright illumination of daylight from his driftglobe. Tempus was immediately bombarded with half a dozen small crossbow bolts. The drow within were blinded by the daylight so their poison-tipped bolts harmlessly struck the wall and door. Tempus cast a spell and a fireball exploded in the center of the room. Many of the drow within were instantly incinerated!
Bearbite quickly followed up by charging towards the back of the room and killing one of the surviving drow. Another drow, more heavily armored and elaborately dressed, engaged Bearbite in battle. Winterfrost soon joined her orcine companion and the two remaining drow were quickly dispatched.
The leader wore an amulet - a black scarab with red eyes, its back marked with the symbol of a drow noble house. Winterfrost took it.
Giant Spiders
Suddenly there came a cry of alarm from outside the drow quarters - three humongous spiders attacked! Tempus and Kem attacked the spiders at range with magical spells and holy prayers while Etlenda once more climbed onto the roof. Two of the spiders were quickly slain while the third fled to the south. Etlenda leaped from the roof of one structure to the other and gave chase. He soon caught up to the spider and killed it.
Enter Randall
In the back of the drow quarters they found a man encased in spider webbing. They cut him out and found him still alive.
The man - a human - was named Randall. He was an advanced scout for an underground expedition on the River Sargauth to Skullport. He had been captured by the drow and now he had no idea where he was. The Mystics of Trollskull Manor invited Randall to join them as they explored Undermountain.
After a short rest, during which healing spells were cast and Etlenda was able to summon a new spirit wolf mount, they decided to continue searching the ruined dwarven city.
Compromised Position
The Mystics checked a few more dwarven structures - finding them empty. They moved towards the entrance and found a small structure that reeked of excrement. Winterfrost opened the door and found a drow voiding his bowels into a pail. The drow staggered in an attempt to pull up his pantaloons. Winterfrost ordered him to surrender but the drow stood defiant, "Kill me and my brothers will avenge me. You will know death at the hands of my captain, Ranaghax Auvryndar!"
Winterfrost produced the black scarab amulet, "This guy?"
The drow was momentarily shaken. He took a breath and picked up the pail. He the party to stand aside or be doused with his filth!
Etlenda stepped forward and stared the defiant drow into submission. Etlenda ordered the drow to put down the bucket and suggested a compromise.
"Look, there's only one scenario where you don't wind up dead. You tell us where we might find T’rissa Auvryndar and you can walk away."
The drow considered his options. He relented, "You will probably find her in the old dwarven temple."
"Where is that?" asked Etlenda.
"It is past the dwarven ossuary. That is all I will tell you. Now let me pass."
Etlenda looked at the others, "Where's the dwarven ossuary?"
Kem checked her maps, "It's back by the stairs where we came down."
Tempus interjected, "Now wait a minute. How do we know that's where he means? There could be lots of dwarven ossuaries."
The drow rolled his eyes, "I said THE dwarven ossuary, not A dwarven ossuary. There is only one!" He looked at Etlenda, "Are ALL humans this stupid? "
Etlenda nodded and smirked, "A little."
The drow became impatient, "I told you what you wanted to know. It will not help you. My mistress will destroy you! Let me pass!"
"Okay, you are free to go."
Troglodytes
The Mystics moved to the next structure. The door was barred and locked on the outside. A foul odor emanated from within. Bearbite attempted to open the lock with his picks but failed. Randall tried to open the lock but likewise failed. Winterfrost groaned and produced a crowbar. She bust the bar and lock off the door and it swung open.
Imprisoned within the structure were a dozen bipedal cave lizards! They stormed the door in a desperate bid to escape. The party withdrew, allowing them to run past.
Tempus climbed up onto the roof of the structure. He reached into his bag of holding and threw some hard rations onto the ground by the door. Instead of fleeing, the humanoid reptiles fought and grabbed for the food, creating a scrum.
Etlenda shouted to Tempus, "What are you doing? We were trying to let them leave!"
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Tempus shrugged, "Sorry. That didn't go as planned!"
A few of the bipedal cave lizards snatched up food and ran. The others gave chase. They eventually rand towards the southern exit.
Grimlocks
The next structure was similarly barred and locked. Winterfrost prepared her crowbar.
"Sure!" said Etlenda, mockingly, "What else can we set free?"
Winterfrost busted open the door. Within were three man-like creatures, pot-bellied with ash-gray skin and long stringy hair. Their faces lacked eyes of any kind. They turned and sniffed at the door. They grunted and took cover in a pile of rocks and debris at the back of the structure.
Winterfrost gathered up the broken pieces of the bar that once held the door. Tempus cast a spell of mending, repairing the pieces and restoring the door.
Etlenda said, "Okay, what have we learned?"
Winterfrost conceded, "Yes, sir."
The Temple of Dumathoin
The party decided to abandon Stromkulduhr and find the dwarven temple. They reversed their route to the site of the dwarven ossuary. From there they took a previously unexplored passage leading southwest. The daylight of the drift globe had ended. The party moved in complete darkness. Their darkvision providing dim awareness of their surroundings.
Etlenda saw a quaggoth hiding in the darkness. He charged forward on his spirit wolf mount. He was soon beset with additional quaggoths who had been hiding, waiting for his approach.
A pitched battle ensued within the vestibule of the dwarven temple. The quaggoths did their best to hold the line at the outer entrance but were pushed back to the inner door. Two dwarf-sized packets of something wrapped in spider silk cocoons flanked doors of the inner entrance.
Despite a strong defense, the six quaggoth guards were eventually defeated.
Tempus produced a knife and began cutting the silk cocoons. Inside he found...
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