"I see no way of moving it. And it's all moot when compared to the prospect of finding Dammerhall, after all. If we succeed we'll be easily able to retrieve it, and I am not willing to contemplate failure as an option."
"I concur." Dasur intones as he tops off the fuel of the air boat for their first and hopefully last flight. "The submersible is far too heavy to carry with us. Unless Erebos can generate an extradimensional space to store it, we will have to leave it here."
"Let us depart. The lower Azathyr, and our road to Dammerhall, awaits." The wizard says while motioning the rest of the group to get the balloon in position for filling.
Iverna stares with much suspicion at the gnomish device, but she takes her turn at clambering over the net that holds the envelope and making sure everything is ship shape. As you load up to drop into the gaping hole, she prays under her breath:
"Nivi, if this contraption doesn't drop us to our deaths, I promise to avoid gnomish madness in the future, and to lead these friends away from it toward dwarvish solidity."
Erebos remains more practical: "I am able to cast the slow falling spell should someone need it. Regardless of how well our descent proceeds, we should be sure to prepare for danger. If the Drow did come this way to wreak havoc on the gnomes, they would have left behind some sort of hazard or guardians either in or at the bottom of is well. They would have wanted to make sure any who tried to escape destruction this way, any who might have survived, would meet a grim fate."
"In addition, we will be at the mercy of Air as we descend." Dasur speculates as he makes final adjustments to the burner intensity to begin takeoff. "While we are in its domain, it will do everything to stop us from succeeding."
Opening the flame valve to its maximum, the fully loaded balloon wobbles and begins to lift off the floor. The sensation continues to be foreign and disturbing to the earth-worshipping and grounded wizard.
"And may all the gods who watch over the brave, the determined and the foolish watch over us." says Snorr, uneasily stepping on the vessel.
The boat-like vessel sways with every movement, whether yours or one of your companions. Compared to the steady sway of a watercraft, this seems chaotic and somewhat maddening. Using a combination of vents and guide ropes, you maneuver the delicate contraption over the gaping earth maw. Disturbed by your approach, a swarm of bats rises from the gap beneath you, momentarily filling your vision with flapping madness. As the bats clear, Iverna pulls a rope and allows cooler air into the envelope. Silent but for a slight creak of rope on rope, the baloon sinks into the hole, and your world shrinks to the nearby walls and the darkness beneath you.
Torvi stands near the edge of the (gondola?) with her dorn dergar out in 10’ range mode. I have combat reflexes, so I’ll gladly take a swing at scary things if they come close!
The sudden swarm of bats overtaking the balloon causes Dasur to bbriefly lift his staff in self-defense, a spell on his lips in case they attack.
When the flying rodents disperse, she watches them go with a frown. "Snorri, Hammer and Tongs; The Forging of Metal and Other Good Works specifies that bats are the invaders of Torag's underground, creatures that moved from the surface into his domain without permission, correct? They are loathed by Torag's faithful, for they carry disease in their bites and make mockeries of structures with their excretions."
"I believe bats are also the favored animals of Zon-Kuthon. I do not know which of the gods we want on our side right now, to be honest. Without the protection of the Earth we may have to rely on our own wits and strength." The wizard drones in his usual monotone, carefully watching the edges of the hole so they do not scrape the side during their descent.
Snorri's stomach twists as the vessel descends, but he steadies himself. "Wits and strength have carried us this far, and I'll accept no destiny but our destination! Bravely downwards!"
The baloon drifts downward, seemingly without end. After what must be 11 feet, you see what must be the bottom, but then realize that the hole bends slightly before continuing down. As you maneuver the baloon into sideways, careful not to scrape it along the spiky projections along the top of the undercut, the gondola suddenly stops moving. A moment's confusion turns to dread as you see a ropy gossamer strand of spider silk clinging to the side of the gondola.
Oh my Gods I'm gonna get to fly! Pausing for a moment but there is to abuse thrown her way. A wide smile erupts on her lips while she is staring at Regnir before doing whatever Dasur tells her to so the contraption be launched.
Taking up the end with the red tinted Regnir. Keeping on hand on her now drawn axe and the other on the side of the airborn boat. Her wide smile never fading.
"Come on then!" cries out Snorri at the unseen arachnoid attackers. "We faced things with far more than eight legs!"
Snorri's challenge echoes across the walls of the great well, returning mockingly to your ears.
Glenda shouts back in Dwarven.
In Dwarven, "I am not boasting, fool! I am attempting through deception to prevent whatever creatures are here from attacking us."
Dasur looks back and forth between the assembled speakers with a look of confusion. Unfamiliar with the tongue of the dark elves, he merely hears the Dwarven half of the conversation.
"I do not know what is happening, but if there is no objection I will set fire to this web-like obstruction so we may continue unimpended." The wizard says calmly in Undercommon admist all the yelling.
"It appears the Air has found a spider-like ally, or perhaps this web is an ancient structure from an arachnid predator long ago." He theorizes, pointing his hand over the starboard side of the ship, fingers splayed in a fan in preparation to cast a spell. Words that sound like popping embers in a glowing fire form on his lips...
The flames seem to recoil from Dasur's flames almost as much as the flames cut through them. And the balloon breaks free from the thick strands. Maneuvering the boat around the bend, you begin to sink again.
Resuming his position at the engine after they break free from the strands, Dasur silently adjusts the flame during their descent.
He occasionally looks over the side of the gondola, hoping the ground willl appear soon.
You sink another 500 geet into darkness before you see what might be the bottom but turns out to be just a rim around the edge of the pit.
Before you realize what is happening, a long barbed thread of webbing lances out of the darkness to strike at Glenda.
The barb catches her like a sticky grappling hook, yanking her out of the gondola before you can react.
Round 1
"It would appear the web was merely for catching debris or unintelligent creatures." Dasur comments while reaching into his shirt.
He draws forth his familar Zhashilgeax by its golden chain, pointing its brilliant tillion cut center towards the wall Glenda was being dragged towards. A set of 4 magical lanterns spill forth from the amulet's confines, bathing the chute in a sudden white light.
The wizard then turns his attention toward the engine, adjusting the flame to stop their slow descent and keep them hovering at this height.
An anguished cry comes out from Snorri's mouth as Glenda is taken by the harpoon. "Get us closer, Dasur!"
Hurriedly, he moves towards the prore, readying himself to grab the tether as soon as they get into range.
"STOOOOOoooooooooooonnnnnnnnneeeeeeees"
Running next to Snorri and reading to help him grab the tether.
Round 2?
Dasur pulls various ropes that were hanging all around him, carefully adjusting the weights hanging off the sides of the gondola. "Thankfully everyone has rushed to the correct side of the boat, which should allow us rapidly follow Glenda." The wizard explains as the balloon begins to drift towards the outer wall.
As they drift he mentally wills his [i]Dancing Lights forward, hopefully illuminating their foe.
Dasur maneuvers the gondola rapidly toward the falling Glenda.
As the gondola moves fast, the dwarven prince lunges forward, reaching out for his retainer. With a wild grasp, his hand manages to grab hers, and within a moment Snorri is throwing his body weight back towards the ship's center, drawing Glenda back on board.
"Cut the rope, Nalnera! Everyone hang tight, there might be more!"
Glenda is falling like a proverbial rock with her eyes closed, whispering prayers under her breath to Magrim as she goes, when Snorri grabs onto her hand. Perhaps she was expecting an angel, but she does not complain when her liege-lord drags her back into the safety of the gondola.
"Well. I was just about prepared to meet Magrim, but I will gladly accept putting that off a bit," she says in a deadpan tone that carries an undercurrent of humor.
Nalnera brings her axe down on the tether, catching the web between axe and gondola, cleaving it cleanly. It snaps back toward the spider, clearly illuminated by Dasur's light.
The moment Glenda is free, Erebos raises his rapier into the air. Fire lances from the rapier into the baloon's envelope. The fire rips through the fabric, and the gondola drops quickly from beneath you. You aren't quite in freefall, but it is fast enough to be unpleasant.
There’s nothing to attack at this point, right?
Dasur is puzzled as Erebos fires a Scorching Ray directly into the fabric of the balloon, though he quickly reaches the conclusion that they were about to undergo a rapid acceleration.
Grabbing onto a nearby handle protuding from the main burner to steady himself, the wizard spins the fuel valve wide-open in a desperate attempt to slow the gondola's fall as much as possible.
Torvi smiles, ”You know, if this hole is deep enough, maybe someone can cast mending and fix the silly thing!”
She grabs her gear, and prepares for the moment when it becomes time to undwarf the infernal machine, and cast her falling spells.
"I don't think we have the ten minutes to cast that cantrip!"
”Hey! A girl can hope, right?”
The balloon collapses, barely slowing your fall. Erebos looks down, gripping the gondola, his night black knuckles turning gray. He counts in Elven.
Cool air drives by your ears, lifting your hair. Iverna's cheeks flutter.
At the count of 8, he cries out "Now!!...Prince of Depths, it's water!"
Dasur, still clinging to the engine, lifts his head as Erebos indicates the presence of water below them. "Ah, Water comes to our aid to counter the Air! If only I could have seen this coming!" the wizard responds to no one in particular, now slowly drifting towards the pool
Lacking any water-assisting spells and the power of his amulet expended, Dasur will have to swim like a dwarf- which is to say, not well.
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The sudden destruction of the airborn support shocks Snorri, who cries out a bellowing "WHYYY!" as everyone starts to speed up downwards. His stomach lurches unpleasantly and while his body longs for being on the ground, his mind tries not to think about impact. "We could have talked about this! Just for a moment!"
Torvi casts featherfall on herself and as many others that need it...
Glaring at the wraith that is calmly leaning against the side of the gondola and pulling him back into her mind. This should be fun.
Grabbing the side of the gondola and then a weightlessness takes over. Turning to Torvi, "Thanks!" This just got a lot less entertaining.
Glenda peers down into the inky blackness and says in a deadpan voice, "I hope your spellbooks are waterproof."
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Erebos' expression of horror splits into a grin at Glenda's jibe, "Indeed, my spellbooks are hammered metal, immune to damp, mold, and puddles at the bottom of massive pits. Also, I have little intention of getting wet."
Less verbose, Iverna simply says,"I'm going to murder this drow in his sleep."
You push yourselves away from the gondola, preventing the envelope from dragging you at a faster pace toward the bottom of the pit.
It becomes clearer now why the gondola is shaped like a water vessel. It slams into the water several seconds before you do, sending a huge gout of water into the air. Water flows over the sides of the vessel, but it does not sink. You float slowly toward the surface of a stagnant pool.
Iverna goes into the drink, treading water enough to keep herself above water.
Erebos floats imperiously above the water like some sort of dark messiah.
Torvi lands in the water and attempts to swim...
Unsuccessfully.
You all land within 60 feet of the shore, so you can see each other and the shore.