The next few days go less eventfully, at least as far as dangers go. This doesn't diminish the wonder of this land. Here in the fungal jungle, your dark vision sees further than normal.
Which proves to be useful, as sometimes roaming spore clouds blow up and blow all too close. What they'd do to you don't know, but fortunately you don't have to find out.
You also discover forms of fungi you've never seen before.
For example, the group stumbles upon some enormous bioluminescent mushrooms that grow conical caps that can get as big as two feet long. Through experimentation, you learn that when picked and agitated they glow like torches for twenty four hours.
Not that risking torch light is wise, per se. True light would make you a beacon in the dark, but still, it maybe of use.
cap goo to make 1d10x10 gp worth of sunrods,candle rods or glowing ink.
From there, you continue your path the shores of mist shrouded lake. And it is huge, far beyond the limited view of your darkvision. You can see swirling low fogs , not of spores, but true mist flowing like roaming patches.
Eyes widening at the sight, Anka quickly points out the object in the water.
Alchemy check +2 more if stone or metal related
Holding a hand up to keep the rest from traveling too far, If you don't mind, I think I could make some use of those cones. It won't take me too long and then I will be ready to continue on.. Assuming the others wait Kragg busily gets working on collecting some of the goo from the cones.
40gp
This will work nicely when we get back. I could make some tinder things or sun rods quite easily. Perhaps sunrod a as scouts or sentries could carry them and light them to alert when others are approaching. Thank you for the time.
Perception
Your right Anka. Here take this end of the rope and I will hold it while you grab the tube. With a few of us holding there will not be a chance of you getting swept away.
"Take a look at all this water, can't see the far side or ends for that matter. Anka what'cha doin lass? Taking a dip? Ahh, good eyes spotting that."
Ulfgar takes time looking up and down the shoreline looking for tracks of anything making use of the lake nearby. couple hundred yards each way along the shoreline
While Kragg harvests phosphorescent goo and Anka fishes a mysterious object out of the water, Hannarr scans about with bow drawn. He marvels at their surroundings, and not for the first times struggles with the adjustment to life without a sky. The lake reminded him of the surface - it was the first time since coming down here that he had a 'horizon' to orient himself.
Kragg's precautions and Anka's eyes and hands mean she soon fishes out the tube, while it has a slight shine of metal foil, it turns out to be a scroll case, one sealed against the damages of water by some odd wax. Whatever paper is within it, there's a good chance it is preserved.
The marks on the exterior however, already give clue as to the source. The symbol etched in the protective foil is very similar to heraldry of the drow that you fought.
Hannarr's introspective mood darkens as he sees the drow heraldry. best be careful with that. Wouldn't put it past the drow to have trapped it somehow. Despite his cautionary words, he is very interested to see what is inside.
Perhaps, muses Kragg. But more likely it was with the drow that were washed away when the bridge collapsed. It could be a missive detailing orders or plans. There could be a very valuable document inside that would aid us greatly. Who wants to do the honors of opening it? Anka, you saw it first so I will defer to you.
Whomever opens it Kragg will casts guidance on to help them in their efforts.
"Hannarr, with your background and family's tendency to investigate the histories. Surely, you would be best qualified to open this thing without endangering yourself or the item inside. Right? "
Ulfgar muses as he returns from his uneventful inspection of the shoreline.
Hannarr puffs up a little as Ulfgar recognizes his credentials and accepts the scroll case. Well, then lets see what we have.
. He cracks open the seal and pulls out the contents of the case.
Modnar peeks over the shoulders of his comrades as Hannarr opens the scroll tube. He jumps slightly in anticipation.
I wonder might be written on its contents?
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No magic shines, and no traps seem to await.
Just a note in elven, of the drow dialect
To Baroness Satha of Vothys,
Hail to thee, most fell soveriegn. My duties as surveyor and scout have yielded important, nay, exciting results! While by now, you have surely conquered Fastervault and maybe sick of gnomes, I have learned a new source of slaves to augment your dwindling supplies of dwarves, kobolds and yet more deep gnomes. The Skis’Raal and Xan are in contest, and both are weaker for it.
I do not know the source of their conflict fully, it seems they do not compete for the same resources, but you did ask me to find new sources for slaves and so I have. As they continue to work against each other, more and more we can pluck the hunters and gatherers of both people as new slaves. They will not be any the wiser for they shall each blame the other!
The largest of the Skis’Raal camps I have found is not so far from Vothys itself. I have marked it on a rough map.
Alas, I am by now, nowhere near said location, as I am searching for my the lost island in the Lake of Mists as per your other commands. I know it is in the northern part of the lake, but where? I cannot yet say. I send my most loyal servant in his own raft and trust he will make it. He is profoundly stupid, but swift and with a good sense of survival.
But a few patrols about this area, and you will be able to pluck their stragglers. Perhaps, unlike the still prideful dwarven slaves, they will actually be tractable enough to fight.
Your eyes,
Larquez the Flesh Seeker
Ulfgar listens intently to the letter's translation, looking over the roughly drawn map when able. Holding it out towards Hannarr, "You know I think we should be around here, pointing at the map Whoever this fellow is he is moving northward away from us and one of two group we came to find are to our south. We should head to them given the right conditions, they may even point us towards the other group. They may also know what he is looking for in the lake."
Modnar's hands wrinkle the parchment as he reads the note, and he completely misses Ulfgar's discussion. "Dwarven . . . slaves!? Were we aware that any of our people were still in the depths?"
I did not know. I guessed that such might be the case when our home fell but it was never known. I don't think my parents knew either. I don't know if I am relieved or not. It means that not all of our families were lost in the tragedy but I don't want them to be slaves either. Take heart Modnar, they have lasted this long and will continue to survive until we can get to them. We can't go marching in there though without more support. As Ulfgar mentioned, we will have to talk to the Skis'Raal and Xan. If we can broker a peace then much information can be gleaned form them along with potential allies. In all of this though we can not forget our base at Fastervault. We will need to return soon and hopefully expand our grasp in this area by building a fort. From there we can send messages and instructions while we are still exploring.
With a more determined look in his eye Kragg shoulders his heavy pack and looks to the direction to go next.
Hannarr's heart had been racing since reading about the dwarven slaves, but he locked away any rising hope he had for his missing family and responded to Modar in a carfully controlled tone.The last of our people were driven from their homes only 50 years ago. We always hoped some ere still alive, but never had conformation until now.
He turned to Kragg and Ulfgar. I agree Kragg, fostering peace between these two races seems a prudent strategy. Anything that works against the drow works in our favour. He compared their map to the new one and did some quick calculations. Based on our current speed, it looks like this Skis'Raal village is about six weeks away . I say we keep skirting up the coast of this lake for as long as our supplies hold out, looking for signs of this drow surveyor and his mysterious island as we go, then head back to Fastervault. Once there we come back in force with an eye to getting our gnomish friends to set up an outpost at the mouth to the jungle. As a launch point it will shave weeks off future expeditions. While they start that, we keep working our way around the lake and make our way to the spider-people's village. With luck we will find signs of the Xan as we go.
He paused for a breath. Anka, how are we set for supplies?
At Hannar's query, Anka concentrates, clearly doing sums in her head.
Dolgrin says Forging allies in the depths would be most wise. approving of Kragg's idea.
The Dragonbone and the Diamondheart have the right of it...let us continue forward.
Ulfgar is thoughtful a moment, having gotten caught up in the excitement of meeting the other inhabitants of the forest, and finding out there are other dwarves still in the deeps, albeit slaves of the Drow.
"Forging new alliances if good and noble, but alas we don't have 6 weeks of supplies. We can forage to supplement but I think you ask a great deal from an unknown supply. Perhaps we should establish a camp here with supplies and somewhere safe to hole up, and defensible. We left a town behind us that is still somewhat looking to us to move them forward and rebuild after their last Drow incursion. We will make poor looking allies if we arrive on their doorsteps starving with a town in ruin behind us. I originally counselled moving forward to the Skis'Raal, but in light of the forage situation I counsel we cast a wide circle back towards where we came in at to give us a relatively safe foothold, who knows perhaps we might even run into another of the Skis'Raal villages or perhaps one of the Xan villages. I doubt the veggie wolves travels six weeks to this area for new hunting, plants typically don't move that far. Perhaps one of their patrols will be in this area.
We're dwarves, not humans to go rushing about like there is no tomorrow. If we're gonna do this we should do it right."
Having said his piece, he steps back, willing to proceed as the group wishes. Doing his best to supplement them daily if they wish to press onward.
Kragg nods with UlfgarThat is wise and prudent. We have searched much in this area but there is still more to do before I would consider anything here safe. As you suggest, lets us work our way back so we have a decent area explored so we know what we may run across on our next foray. I am anxious to get back as well to see how my assistants have fared in the overseeing of the construction of the forge. Having a source to create arms and armor will help as well as we can outfit ourselves to better handle the unknown.
Hannarr frowns at Kragg and Ulfgar's eagerness to turn back. Now that he knew there were dwarven survivors down here he was gripped with a fresh sense of urgency. He also bristled a bit at Ulfgar's indirect suggestion that he was thinking like a human. Although I really do miss steak. I hope we can figure out a way to get cattle to survive down here
I understand the need for caution comrades, but there is a time for haste as well. A swift strike of the pick can sometimes shear a stone more cleanly than a hundred gentle chisels. Every mile we blaze forward now is one less we need to clear on our next foray. I still say we keep exploring straight up the lake coast - we can go another twenty miles or so before we need to turn back and return to Fastervault within the agreed upon six weeks. That's twenty miles that we can move through quickly on our next trip.
Unless we are not agreed on the same goal of pursuing the information in this letter, that is. I'm not saying that exploring the terrain behind us isn't prudent, but it doesn't bring us any closer to finding this drow surveyor or establishing contact with the Skis'Raal
Ulfgar holds his peace for the moment allowing the other to weigh in.
I believe the Diamondheart has the right of it. Nothing to be gained by sitting back, we must forge forward.
"Even less to be gained by over-extending ourselves." Anka rebuts.
"We...
You," pointing directly at Dolgrim, "have a responsibility to several hundred souls in Fasturvault alone, and we have the painful example of recent history to remind us what happens when the community's leadership does not sufficiently apply themselves to that task."
Hannarr listens to Anka, his head tilted slightly and a look of befuddlement on his face. He opens his mouth to speak, then closes it, but the though of his missing family languishing in a drow prison camp is too much for him to choke back. Anka, are you suggesting we turn back for Fastervault now, with a month's supplies left in our packs? Are you suggesting that a town of gnomes that has been governing themselves successfully for generations cannot manage without us for a few weeks? We have a responsibility to several thousand fellow dwarves back on the surface, and now to who knows how many more enslaved by the drow.
Hannarr turns to the others. We agreed to return to Fastervault in six weeks time. Nothing I propose puts that at risk. We will not run out of food, or overextend ourselves. We will establish a forward base at the cavern mouth on our next trip and have already surveyed and secured the area around it in almost a ten mile radius. No we are not humans. We will not go rushing unprepared into the unknown and we will not break faith with those who hold faith with us. But nor are we meek and fearful gnomes, to go scurrying back to our safe warm cave at the first sign of tribulation. We are dwarves. We push onwards, implacably, to our goal.
He shoulders his pack and picks up his walking stick. I did not travel down to these stony depths to be an administrator - I've spent too long doing exactly that on the surface for the humans. We are explorers now. He takes his place at the head of his column and starts marching stubbornly forward, calling back over his shoulder, Another twenty miles up this lake coast. Then we turn for home.
I think we need to settle down and explain ourselves. I can see where Anka is coming from. When Dolgrin said to forge ahead it sounded like he meant to continue on and not turn back at all and forage for what we need. I took it that way myself even. However if he just meant to advance for the next few miles then turn around that is another matter and I am going to go with that assumption now.
Now, I can understand Hannarr that we have a responsibility to our surface brethren. We have been commissioned by them to find our ancestral home. Yet we can not do that without support from our only allies down here. To get that support we must lead and instruct them. Therefore let us proceed for a few more miles and then turn back accordingly. I would not press too far as we do not know what we may run across on the way back that could delay us. We are dwarves and need to be pragmatic in our choices. There is no need to rush ahead yet we must also pursue our goals with determination.
Biting back the words that will not help things, Ulfgar simply stands up placing a hand against Hannarr's shoulder before he goes storming off.
"I suggested a prudent course of action for this situation, you choose not to listen to that advice, advisor, but it changes not my job down here. You wish to march 20 miles closer to a location 200 miles hence, just to turn around and go back. Without exploring the area around here you are doing nothing more than passing through, since it will be a month or more before we pass through again.
A month ago would you have said we'd be standing here right now, no and you can't say the same 20 miles will be clear again in a month when you pass through again. None of us know what is going on in this area other than a few miles around the mouth of the cave we walked out into this fungal forest.
In the short time we've spent looking around we've found evidence of ogres, Skis'raal, overgrown scorpions, and plant-like wolves that are a bit hard to digest. We know there are Drow in the area, how many like the surveyor and how many might be raiding parties , we know not. So we'll take this walk up the course of the lakeside towards a point you know you cannot make it to this trip. Then come back the next time and do it again."
"Objections anyone?"
Frustrated at what he sees is wasted time, spent for someone claiming not to want to waste time, Ulfgar tightens his straps and prepares to leave again going north along the lakeshore.
Kragg pats Ulfgar on the back, Well said and thought out. It is true we do not know if any changes will take place in the month it takes to get back here. That is again why we must secure a footing here to make travel easier on all of us and increase the speed of our exploration.
Hannarr tenses up as Ulfgar places his hand on his shoulder, then visibly deflates. Ah, you are right. Of course you are right Ulfgar. Forgive my outburst. My nerves are rubbed raw on this matter I fear, and I cannot see the forest for the, er, mushrooms.
Lead the way master ranger. I will follow.
You travel on, marking certain especially large and /or distintive fungi as landmarks as you map.
The water's edge shows signs that it has a seasonal growth, receding in the dry period, and expanding in the wet. Supplies hold for now, but fungus is dangerous to experiment with diet wise.
Catching sight of this new concern, Anka flings up her hand as she hisses under her breath. "Bide!"
"There is a company of...
something, up ahead. Five of them."
Throughout the debate between Hannarr and Ulfgar, Modnar's mouth keeps opening, only to shut again seconds later. I have . . . nothing to say in this. I was not anticipating that happening in my lifetime.
Modnar, too, notices the creatures ahead of them. "Their heads look -- fungal? Could these be the Xan?"
Catching site of the creatures as Anka throws her hand up, Ulfgar settles down in a crouch watching the other group for signs of hostility.
"Hannarr, Modnar what did you say those Xan look like? We've met the Skis'raal an this isn't them or the Drow, unless'n the Drow been hanging out in Tien lately."
The gnomes called them mushroom men, so I would assume they look like...
...well, walking mushrooms? Why what have you seen?
Hmmm, humanoid and mush..roomish heads. Do you know what language they were able to speak? Would be nice if we choose to approach them to call out a greeting they might understand and not take as an immediate threat."
perception
Kragg stays in the back as to not alert anyone ahead of them. whispering to the others, I will be able to understand what they say for a short period of time but I will not be able to talk to them. If they understand Undercommon that is our best bet at dialogue. Until we know their intent and who they are though I recommend sheathing all weapons so as to appear as peaceful as possible.
To Kragg, Hannarr says,Well I expect that is about to come in very handy. As to what they speak, I haven't the foggiest, but we might as well start with undercommon. What do you say Kragg? Shall you and I approach with arms open and see what we can see? The others can cover us from hiding - as you say, peaceful as possible. Outnumbering them may alarm them as well.
Dolgrin nods in agreement with Hannarr. You are the diplomat Diamondheart. We will come if they prove unwelcoming.
That seems appropriate. I will follow your lead and let you do the initial talking while I try to figure out what they are saying to themselves. It also is prudent to have only a few of us approach but to have the others in sight.
Kragg, maybe you can ask for a little of Zuth's blessing before we step into the areana here? Hannarr asks with a nervous grin. He then takes a deep breath to settle his excitement and steps out into view of the mushroom men, arms spread open and hands empty.
Greetings, he calls out in undercommon. We seek trade and discourse. May we approach?
While they, Kragg and Hannarr, approach the others Ulfgar stands with his bow grounded and his hands crossed on top. Attempting to appear friendly.
Indeed I can bestow Zuth's blessing upon you.
Cast guidance on both himself and Hannarr before they approach. Once there Kragg remains quiet for the most part as he looks to see how the mushroom men react.
Sense motive
As Hannarr and Kragg move toward the xan party, Modnar tries to look nonthreatening. However, it is apparent that he keeps shifting his weight from one foot to the other. By the Powers, I have never been good at waiting!
The Xan come into view easily as you approach them. They appear to be chiefly nude save for carrying straps, packs, and gear, though one of them has primitive plates made of some unknown material that might be serving as armor. They do have weapons, spears and the like. These are Myconied type humanoids, as much mushroom as men.
They respond to Hannarr in Undercommon, many hand gestures at work...
with one of their own taking a cautious lead.
"Trade is possible. Other matters call, but Trade maybe yes. We are Xan. Are Duergar you?" it asks, naming the fallen kin of the dwarves, "Or truly lost Dammersons? If latter... we thought you dead"
Helping out Hannarr Kragg answers politely but still a bit vaguely. We are not the Duegar. We are Dammersons and Dammerdaughters. We are not dead but merely displaced. I would love to hear what you know of Dammersons though. Perhaps we can walk with you as you have other matters to attend to. We can talk then.
Diplomacy aid
Hannarr smiles broadly. Well met Xan. No we are not Duergar, but indeed, Dammersons, returned after too long away. Our elders speak highly of the friendship that once was shared between Xan and dwarf. It is good to meet you again after so long.
Kragg can tell the Xan are cautious still, despite the assurance that you are all not Duergar, but they don't appear to be trying anything treacherous.
"Greetings then," The Xan in question says, "We too have treacherous cousins but want peace life unlike them. You say good words, but I know little of the history you speak of beyond stories. Stories can be bent, but friendship is good if true. Perhaps you can help us? Prove to be friends?"
Hannarr throws Kragg a hesitant look then turns back to the Xan. Er, yes, we would welcome an opportunity to prove our friendship. What exactly did you have in mind?
"We seek one of own, hunter named Miku. He was expected back among us for days. We suspect he is in danger. The Fungal Jungle has many threats," The Xan explains, "we dare not split. You find him, we grateful. If not, well, peace still possible."