"Well that was exciting! Now that it's finished, I'd like to let Shroomlight know. And while we are over there, I'd also like to grt some armor that hasn't been melted by oozes."
"Aye, captain. Let's return to the Ruby" Edlethron seconds.
The party makes its way back to the temple near the market, the Ruby in the Rough. You again find the halfling there who inquires if you are going to take him up on his offer or not, but after that brief encounter make your way back down into the catacombs where Shroomlight spends his time, and find him chiseling away at an artistic piece down there.
Wiping the stone dust from his sweaty face he asks "So you really did it? The spirit was released from its connection to that place?" assuming you say yes "Of course this squares us for the master halfling above, but I want to be honest with you...this task was given to me by another, and therefore your service has a second patron...yes, a second." he raises both eyebrows up and down and up and down.
"And who might this other patron be? Miss Borscht-slinger had mentioned someone who's name rhymes with badger but she couldn't recall the actual name. Could this be the other patron you speak of? I think it may be!
"Er...rhymes with...! Hahahahah, yeah I never realized that actually! Burrow Warden Jadger, he is with us already...don't be alarmed." from out of the nearby wall shuffles the translucent figure of a svirfneblin warrior.
"Greetings, I sense you have dealt with Vazuk. Thank you, he was quite mad with grief and a threat to the other residents. I wish to offer you a boon in return! Most of the honored protectors of the svirfneblin died during the drow invasion, and the rest perished while protecting our people during our flight from Blingdenstone to Mithral Hall. I was one of these protectors, a Burrow Warden...I am an expert in the Underdark and its many denizens, as well as how to fight them. I will answer one question about the Underdark for putting Vazuk down. I will answer a second for recovering the remains of Udhask in the Rockblight."
"Well my question is why are their so many daemon and devils appearing down here, I know that can't be normal even for here, tho if my freinds want another question answered I am fine with that."
"As we decide our questions, Burrow Warden Jadger, could you tell us more about how specific the question can be? For example, could you answer if and where specific beings are in the Underdark or in the spirit realm?" Edlethron wonders if the ghost gnome would know about his family.
Khaz looked grumpily at the gnome. ”Id answer questions freely, without an honor debt. It’s what all enemies o’ the fookin’ Drow should do for each other as is.”
Right, our reward is answers to questions? Soumds too much like a riddle, and a liittle too much like the easy way out.
"That would depend, wouldn't it? I may not be so keen on current events, having been dead for 100 years...these days I really just speak with Glyphic here...or my ward, Trisk."
The ghost scoffs a scoff from beyond at Vic "Tch...yipper-snappers these days, want the keys to the kingdom because they punched a ghost in the face. Sonny I've fought more drow, hook horrors, and demonic spiders across more campaigns than in your worst nightmares. I'm not some crystal sniffin' artisan in pastels, you're looking at an Underdark veteran." he pauses "Besides, its not a reward, its a boon. As I understand you had a financial obligation with Shroomlight here. But if you dont want the ghosts of Blingdenstone as your allies, I understand. Maybe surfacers are all the same, after all..."
Cade chuckles at the gnome's dressing down of Khaz. His face sours when he realizes things might run against them. "It is a boon. Forgive us. Our weeks prior have been fraught with dangers and pushing the edges of our mind. Such a visceral existence hones the instinct and frays the nerves. We have put value on our next forage, surviving the next tunnel, and as such it is a shifting world beneath us to be once more amongst folk we can trust and to be offered this gift. I hope that what you teach us we can put to the protection of your people."
Edlethron sighs. He had hoped against hope to have some information, but he would continue to search. The Underdark is enormous, and he had not been searching very long.
Khaz crossed his arms and muttered ”Not a surface dweller.” Then, louder, he said ”Ye all ask him your questions. I’ll not ruin your friendship with the ghosties.”
Froog ponders what kind of question would be the most useful right now. He gives up and finally asks, "Have you ever heard of Brysis of Khaem and her sun hammer? It would have been in a ruin that looks like nothing around it."
A surprised look crosses his translucent face "Now there's something I had hoped to forget. We had slain a pack of nomadic illithid, but didn't count on their mind ensnared beholders to come after us after. We were forced to hold up a fortnight in a place that looked nothing like it belonged Underdark, as you say...bronze cased stone, green with age...depicting floating castles above the clouds.
"Inside we found a tomb, and with time our curiosity shook the cover. A voice blasted 'You have disturbed the tomb of Brysis of Khaem! Accursed are you, most miserable of creatures!'...I'll never forget that voice, as if it came from a hidden place within my mind. We were all cursed, but that curse did not spell our doom..."
”Hammer?” Khaz perked up, suddenly very interested. ”What’s this about a hammer?” The danger didn’t seem to phase him, but the prospect of an enchanted hammer? That had his full attention.
”Personally I’d like to deal with wererat issue for Topsy and Turvy sooner rather later. “
"Thanks for the info Mr. Jadger! We'll see if we can find the remains of your friend while we are in the rockblight. We have a were-rat issue to take care of first though." Froog addresses the spectre while agreeing with Ed.
You make your way to an area just north of the market known as the Reception Hall, which you cut the corner of just briefly on your way in from the main gate. This busy cavern welcomes visitors to Blingdenstone and connects the most important chambers of the new settlement. Two sealed tunnels here lead to the Goldwhisker Warrens. One is closed off by a deliberately caused cave-in to the south, and the other by reinforced, locked, and guarded gates. The svirfneblin installed locked doors to close off this section of the warrens...keeping the Goldwhiskers out.
Supposedly, for decades the Goldwhisker svirfneblin have lived and thrived in these caverns, avoiding drow and crazed elementals, and securing their homes in cunning and vicious ways. They aren't willing to leave just because the cowards who fled Blingdenstone when it needed them most have now returned.
And they certainly couldn't leave from this locked door, with the guard standing in the way "Oooooooooh yes. Diggermattock said you might be coming here...yes he did. Open, I will." his little feet pitter patter about 30 feet back from the door, flipping a random switch out of about 20 and cracking a wheel counterclockwise 3 and 3 quarters turn...
The portal pops a slight vacuum seal sound, and the stench of the damned unfurls from the darkness within...
"Topsy, Turvy, is this where you came from? Do you think it would make a better impression if you were leading us through the tunnels?" Froog asks as they make their way through the portal. He jingles slightly as he moves in his new armor.
Well, now, silvered weapons are in order, I assume?
"Yes, Topsy & Turvy. You've been stalwart companions with us since the beginning sharing all of our horrors. We want to help you be accepted in your own home, as you welcomed us into your home.
"How should we approach the Goldwhiskers?" Edlethron echoes the captain.
"I wouldnt go flashing those about Victor, wouldn't exactly make a good impression for us."
Cade looks at the others, "Hey before we pop off in here. I have heard stories about were-creatures but they are typically about the murderous crazed monsters. Which Topsy and Turvy are not. Should we expect that from the Goldwhiskers. I know it has something to do with the moon. If the Goldwhiskers can be reasoned with and the gnomes are all fighting for survival from enemies. Isn't giving them magic resistances to their enemies a good way to go. What separates people who can control it from the murderous crazy one. Forgive the blunt questions but given what we are about to do." Cade shrugs.
Ed, Topsy and Turvy whisper among themselves as usual before responding "We're outcasts, from both societies. The Diggermattocks don't want us because we've turned, the Goldwhiskers don't want us because were not part of their sanctioned crew...or original crew...Clan. Whatever they call it."
Nodding at Froog "We can lead, but I'm going to go real slow...no doubt every single death trap imaginable in here." he starts slowly pacing and checking stones.
"So, any ideas how to make a truce between the Goldwhiskers and Bligdenstone? Maybe enemy of my enemy is my friend?" Ed asks.
Topsy shrugs "I dunno. Sounds like Blingdenstone is the Goldwhiskers' enemy...I've never understood why they think they have more of a right to Blingdenstone then us...well normal svirfs I mean. Maybe we should ask 'em?"
Topsy edges slowly into the darkness, and almost immediately *click*. His foot depresses a hidden pressure plate concealed in the stone floor, and eyes wide he gazes back at you all in horror...
...the walls burst forth with a billion tiny wet tipped darts streaming this way and that...
Topsy is struck twice in the throat and once in the left shin...luckily his unique physiology prevents most of the physical damage, yet you see veins near the wounds quickly turning black...
full
full
half
=16
He staggers in shock as blades flash, a pack of 8 wererats quickly descend upon him...
Round 1:
Froog <--UP
Enemies
Cade, Kriv, Ed, Vic, Khaz
Froog moves to head off the wererats. While moving he summons a weapon of Lathander then immediately calls down fire from the heavens.
The wererat leaps nimbly out of the way of the cascading energy burst, only to be pummeled by the spiritual weapon. He skitters and chitters, taking a defensive stance. The rest of the wererats rush the party!
Topsy falls under the assault, hitting his head hard on the way down!
The others creep around towards Khaz and Kriv....
Kriv takes some nasty wounds from their old rusty shortswords, but Khaz stands his ground.
Round 1:
Froog
Enemies
Cade, Kriv, Ed, Vic, Khaz <--UP
Raising his silver Warhammer and his shield up high, Khaz waded into the thick of the battle, swinging and bellowing praise to Clangeddin.
Edlethron steps forward and draws his new magic drow shortsword. He slashes the wererat in front of Kriv and kicks it twice trying to put it down.
"Can we parley, here?" Edlethron tries to stops the fight.
Vic dances around Kriv and attacks black with his rapier before retreating next to Froog.
Cade chants with heat rising from his fingers.
Kriv holds his tentacle rod before him and wills it to lash out at the wererats in front of him.
Seeing that there are more enemies than he expected, Froog strides out next to his fallen comrade and holds his shield aloft. "Lathander! Burn these beasts that attack us! A burst of light flashes from the holy symbol and burns the wererats. Meanwhile, the spiritual mace slams down again with righteous fury.
Khaz bashes into the ambushers like a solid wall, holding the front line. Ed and Kriv quickly dispatch another with their flurry of martial arts and tentacles, while Ed pleads for parley. Cade's fire scorches Khaz' target mercilessly...the light of the fire reflecting fury and fear in the dark eyes of the lycans. Victor dances about and piercing a debilitating strike straight through one of the creatures far ahead before deftly flipping back through the combat to safety.
Froogs skin begins to glow orange before bursting into a brilliant blinding white and washing the cavern with luminance.
...seeming catching Khaz' quarry the worst and sending him crashing into the dust. Still, all still stading screech as their flesh smokes and burns...
The wererats swarm the tiny cleric in vengeance, slashing and nipping at his holy symbol and the chunkier bits of gnome flesh...
...the gnome is beaten down to within an inch of his life, but somehow still has the power to stand.
The lone attacker () still confronting the bulk of the party in the rear looks uncertain, concentrating on defense.
Round 2:
Froog
Enemies
Cade, Kriv, Ed, Vic, Khaz <--UP
Vic again quickly moves around Khaz and attacks the wererat on Froog's flank (white), before returning back to his position out of the enemy's reach.
Seeing the creatures go for his gnomish friend, Khaz roared
"Ye cowards! Try an' fight a dwarf!"