Meet 103, Adv 13, 10/12/24

Leaving the dwarven offices, we went over the map of the locales, 23 (22 active) of them and decided that we would walk down to the one that was marked as Tyche, Goddess of Luck (as opposed to Lord of Efreeti and King in Yellow). Hastez opted to wait at the top of the area (since he would be cut off from the divine if he left the platform), and we also left Glooskap, Connal, Knox, and both smaller cats.

The stairs were wide, no railing at the edges, but more than sufficiently able to support the party’s passage at over 50’ wide. They were designed for dwarven feet and legs so the rises were only about 7”, shallower than most found comfortable. The platform of stone below was pretty sizable, triangular shaped and about 200’ at the widest point to point. A squat keep of stone was here, 30’x 30’x15’ tall. A 5’ wide braided cable of steel was bolted to the roof somehow with a crimp collar, anchored in many places along the floor and then down into the water where it eventually made its way to the roof far above and what had been labeled the “maw”.

There was only an indistinct candle watt powered glow coming from it and looking over the entire building, there were no doors, windows, or ways in. Two of us went to the roof where they swept the grit, mushrooms, and fungi off the surface with a shovel, letting it rain to the floor around the keep. But nothing up here. Dizzy was pretty sure he could see where a doorway once was – 5’ wide, 8’ tall, but had been filled in with blocks of stone and mortared to match the rest of the structure. Dizzy’s guess? The blocks of the entire structure were easily 3’ wide and would not move. No way in.

We did look it all over and Dizzy had an idea. Taking a coin out, he flipped it and called it heads – and it was heads. Then he did it with 2 coins, then 5, and each test came up heads. The lucky effect only seemed to stretch out about 4’ from the edge of the building. We had the idea of luring Jubilex out to the area, get him to the edge of the platform, and Eoghan up here with his bow would shoot, landing shot after shot.

Why would Jubliex come to the edge of the platform at all, knowing the faceless lord would have reduced powers and strength? And a test of the shooting showed that the lucky effect stopped at 4” from Tyche’s gate keep – and the arrows fired had no special ability to hit, luck or not. It was about 10:30 at this point, an hour past all our checking over the area, and we wanted to go to the water and try to find the platform with Ahto, God of the Seas location. Thunderbird should be down there.

Eoghan poured over the map and once he was sure based upon where we were with Tyche, talked to Hiawatha about using the Native American’s canoe. He took it from his satchel and tossed it to the water where it grew large enough for Hiawatha, Eoghan, Dizzy, Shim, and Wilhelm to board. Standing there, arms folded, he plied in on the water and we sailed off into the darkness.

Wilhelm had spoken to the group earlier and going through animals he could transform into, it was Connal’s suggestion of a harbor seal that made the most sense. So he stripped off his clothes and down to his skivvies and when we got to an area in the underground lake that Eoghan suggested, Hiawatha stopped the canoe and had it settle lower in the water, magically anchored to this spot. Wilhelm got completely naked and then concentrated, green glow surrounding him before a flash of light and WHAM – 220 lb grey/brown harbor seal fat and blubbery on the canoe.

He managed to get to the side and roll over where his natural skills came to the forefront. He got used to his body and then swam down into the gloom. 30, 40, 50, 60’ down. He eventually came to a platform of stone and swimming around it found another one of those stone keeps on it. While circling behind it he was able to find the massive body, large as a Roc, of Thunderbird. The Native American god was dead here, neck twisted in a strange way. But cold and unmoving in the deep waters. He swam around it a few times, answering Shim’s telepathic questions when they arose, and once sure there was no way to lift the city bus sized deity, went looking for feathers he could pluck or remove.

It took some time, almost half an hour before he was able to find 2 feathers able to be removed. The god’s body was tough, firm, and unyielding – but 2 of them were plucked. Rising to the surface he gave them to the party, took a deep breath, and on Eoghan’s urging, went back down to try and get more. It was again some time before he was able to get 2 more – at this point he had been over the entirety of Thunderbird’s body, some hour plus, and we had gotten 4.

There was a stream of light that slowly rose from the top of Ahto’s stone keep, filling the cable and brightening as it made its way up the cable, through the water, and then up the walls of the cave and to the maw itself. Not wanting to be in the water any longer, Wilhelm swam up to the canoe, was helped in, and Hiawatha had us sail back to the shore. The druid shifted back to his normal form and the light stayed lit for half an hour before it eventually died down.

We came out of the water and made our way up the stairs to Tyche’s area and then finally to the top platform. We shared what we had learned with the rest of the party, ate some lunch, and Eoghan looked over the Thunderbird feathers. He figured he could split them and refletch one feather on 4 different arrows, imparting Thunderbird’s power (purple threads of magic seemed to infuse each arrow as he was successful). Wrote some scrolls and by now it was about 4 PM. We wanted to go and see if we could find the stone keep that led to the Happy Hunting grounds.

According to the map, it was off the northern most platform (efreeti), and then eastward 800 or so feet into the dark gloom – and from there, 100’ below the surface of the water. We each got into place again, leaving the cats, mule, Connal, Glooskap, and Hastez at the top of the platform. Canoe was cast on the water and we all boarded again, heading into the dark of the cave.

It was like being in a different world. The darkness. The stillness. Only the soft flap of water against the canoe echoed into the gloomy darkness. Eoghan did his best to guide us to where he felt the location was. There was some jockeying about and then Hiawatha stopped the canoe. He had it anchor in place, settling it a few inches in the water. Wilhelm again got naked and then transformed for the 2nd time into a harbor seal. The group had cast Light on a stone and Shim wove it into a necklace for the druid. He flopped over the side and had a harder time getting his bearings in the water before swimming deeper and deeper down.

It was hard going and at 100’ below the surface it was terrifyingly spooky. He swam around, pacing his place by an outcropping of stone before stumbling on a platform of stone deep under the water. He swam around it but there was nothing about it that stood out. There was also some light coming from the cable above it, meaning this was not the right location since the Happy Hunting Grounds was supposedly not finished when the orcs attacked. He swam back and up, finding another platform of stone and it was here that he came upon one of the 30x30x15 structures. The cable was dark. And the door…was open. A black rectangle.

Assured this was the place, Wilhelm swam back to the surface and then had the canoe move so it was over the right area. He spoke to Shim through the amulet and then was encouraged to go back and look inside. So he swam back down and went up to the door. And bravely, made his way inside. It was dark in here, his light stone helping to show the way. There was a 5’ diameter reflective surface standing up in the center, a few cracks near a corner. He crept closer and placed a flipper on the edge, where it seemed to fold over.

Looking it was a 30’ long tube 5’ diameter with a reflection of him at the other end – but the area was not the dark keep he was in, instead it was some ocean shore with a nice set of low cliffs and verdant lands beyond. Pastoral and wonderful. A voice, sounding like many layers on top of each other, asked, “Who are you?” Wilhelm tried to answer and it kept saying, “You are NOT supposed to be here. Leave!” And then as Wilhelm was trying to make his case the many layered voice said, “Sargonnas. Remove this interloper!”

And then an 18’ Tiger shark seemed to swim into the mirror view. Terrible and feral, it looked like what a perfect version of a shark would look like. It snarled at Wilhelm and he felt it ripple at him. And then it forced its way…into the tunnel! It seemed to be stretching and shoving. It bit and flexed and its flukes shoved it forward AGAIN, now more than half way down the tunnel and getting closer to Wilhelm’s face.

This is wrong. I have to go.

Wilhelm started waving himself backwards out of the stone keep as the Shark God shoved AGAIN – actually passing through the last of the disk and INTO the prime material plane. Here. Right fucking here.

"SARGONNAS!!!" It roared and the water swirled at its anger as Wilhelm turned and fled for the surface.

From above they saw bubbles rise and the water seemed to take on a strange hue. And Shim was asking Wilhelm what is going on as the harbor seal flew out of the water and beached himself on the canoe, screaming in Shim’s ear to get the fuck out of here. Shim was trying to pass the message along as Hiawatha turned the canoe from the area and started to move it back to shore. 800’ away. The closest area out of the water which at max speed was 50’/round – making us 16 minutes from safety.

And the Shark God was swimming below us.

Hiawatha was stunned. Sargonnas is NOT here and did not come through when the portal first tore open 144 years ago – most of the aspects of the mythology did not get sucked through. But now? Here? Dizzy was shouting, “What did you do?!” to the druid as Sargonnas finally crashed through the doorway of the keep below and swam to the surface, lifting entirely out of the water and snapping its teeth where we once were, Hiawatha sailing us back as fast as he could.

Eoghan shot an arrow out as Wilhelm turned back to human. The shark god charged the boat and sank its teeth against the back of the canoe, the enchanted vessel getting scored from the effort but Hiawatha’s will kept it upright and sailing along. Wilhelm called to Frey and summoned Monster 3 – and holy hell – got a shark! He sent his shark at Sargonnas and the two of them did bloody battle in the water as we raced away. The distance closed and then it came back for us and we fired and shot and more summons were made, and we got an ogre – dropping it right in the shark god’s mouth as he tried to bite us.

It held on and was screaming and Sargonnas chewed on its midsection, ignoring the blows, and dragged under the water. And we raced away, distance closing to shore. As it surfaced again more summons were thrown at it, 3 stirges and another shark! It ignored the stirges and did battle with the shark again, giving us more time to get closer. 6 mins away? It dove down and then breached again. More arrows fired off along with a trio of giant rats! Two got washed away or swallowed, but one hung on in Sargonnas’ mouth, clawing at the gum line!

As it approached Wilhelm had one more summons – and got a giant crocodile! It bit at Sargonnas and tail slapped him as it swam past. He bit it back and tore through the croc. And then the shark god hit the canoe from below, and this time Wilhelm and Eoghan were pitched over the side. Damn it! We drifted aside and the crocodile slammed at Sargonnas again. We looked over, the druid was treading water – but Eoghan slipped under!

At 250 feet from shore, Hiawatha went to Dizzy and said, “Spiritual Warrior, I do hereby give you the ownership and control of my canoe now and of my own free will!” The canoe shook a bit and Dizzy was coaxed to stand up, the magical boat following his commands as it drifted to Wilhelm, the druid hoisting himself over the side. Hiawatha looked in the distance where Sargonnas was doing battle with the crocodile and then dove off the canoe in the direction of where Eoghan had sunk under the water.

Dizzy was driving the canoe forward, controlling it as the shore got closer and closer. There was a final cry and the croc was slain and we were 75’ feet from the stairs – we were going to make it!

But Sargonnas is not just the god of sharks, he is also the god of tides…and tidal waves.

“SARGONNAS!!!” the shark roared in the darkness behind and a 25’ vertical wall of water CHARGED the canoe. Dizzy tried his best, pushing and coaxing every bit of speed out of the vessel but it wasn’t enough. The canoe leaned forward and rode the wave before Dizzy lost his contact with the floor and the vessel tumbled and rolled, driven forward and UP the stairs, smashing everyone to the stone steps and dashing the canoe to splinters. Everyone was knocked out, dazed, barely alive.

And Sargonnas growled in the dark and then turned back, Dorsal fin leading the way as it swam deeper into the cavern of Donnegarten.

As for Eoghan, he could not hold his breath before the Indian hero could get to him and he swallowed the water, it racing into his lungs and drowning him – taking him right to 0 hp. Hiawatha did find him and holding him backwards, swam him through the edge of the steps and then finally out of the water, terrified that Sargonnas would find them and come back.

The group managed to roll Eoghan to his side and let the water drain from his lungs. Pressure was given to his chest to force out more water and then finally healing was dispensed and Eoghan gasped back to life. Broken, sodden, a mess. But alive. Carrying our passed out friends, we staggered up the stairs to the platform and then finally to the rest of the group. Dizzy felt horrible about Hiawatha’s canoe but the Indian hero told him not to worry. It served its purpose well and he managed to save the 3 party members in light of Sargonnas’ assault.

We did LOTS of healing and we talked about what happened – and that for now, we would not be heading back under the water. Now with the threat of the Shark God down here.

It was 6:45 PM on Firemonth the 9th and we’ve been up for 18 hours. We were discussing what to do next and how bad things would be if Jubilex showed up now.

Meet 102, Adv 13, 10/5/24

Once the room was back in order, Hiawatha and Hastez (and Glooskap!) went with us out of the dormitories, through the waters of the 3rd level, and then up the collapsed stairs. We made our way over to the steps where Hastez had a conversation with his Ve’Estan. As soon as they hear ANY noise from above, play their belly drums loud! This will deter Hastel, the Red Warrior, from coming to investigate.

We led our group up the steps and over the gaps, making our way ever upward until we were back on the top floor. From here Shim, Dizzy, and Wilhelm went over the lift machine again, making sure we still knew how to work it. Some wood was gathered and Connal went down to the rungs and then up to the machine itself. The fire box was mostly ash, maybe 15 pounds of wood. The pilot light was still lit. And the water tank was hard to tell – less than half full? The thought was that Hastez could heat up the boiler with his hands so we could get the elevator back up to the top. And then we could do like we did before with the water elemental.

But according to the fill dial, the tank was not quite out of the red – pressure to work the main dwarven spiral gear would not be high enough. So we all brought our water skins over and Connal filled the reservoir with them – getting it CLOSE – but not enough. So Hastez held his hands up and concentrated…making it rain! A pounding warm summer rain fell all around the area and Connal used his cloak to act as a funnel, forcing the rain into the fill tank – and getting the boiler tank just into the green mark of the dwarven dial.

The Black Warrior was exhausted from his display of divine magic, but was excited for being a part of this. Getting the green light from Wilhelm, Hastez placed his hands on the metal boiler and HEATED it up with his touch. The water inside quickly grew hot and the whistle began to steam. Wilhelm started the lift and then with the engine running, manipulated the lift controls to get it to rise. On pushing the speed level higher though, he did forget about the blowback, and the lift boiler gave a loud BANG – and a 9’ gout of flame shot out scoring the two men. Hastez stood there and smiled as the flames coursed over him, but Connal had to JUMP, evading the worst of the fire and perched up on the machine’s top cowling.

As soon as the elevator came closer and closer, Wilhelm slowed the machine down and eventually engaged the brakes, locking it in place. The boiler was now about a quarter filled and the metal was cherry red for a bit until it eventually cooled off. The god and the monk jumped onto the lift and Connal pulled the platform out from the bottom of the lift. Meanwhile Dizzy and Wilhelm worked the controls and bounced and lifted the gantry until it finally slipped out from the wall and extended enough to bridge to the lift from this side.

All over here now, we had gathered some 100#’s of broken wood and Shim attempted to write a scroll. Needing more water, Connal and Hiawatha went down to the 2nd level and filled up the 5 water skins at the water from the bridge. The Native Hero’s presence kept the water babies at bay, allowing them to gather the needed resources without issue. From there they went back to the top floor and placing 2 of them in the middle of the loading area, Dizzy and Wilhelm cast Create water. As the water spread, 20 gallon pooling out, Dizzy cast it again and Wilhelm cast Animate water. It all gathered together into a 4’ tall fat bipedal form.

He guided it over the gantry and to the platform and then to the machine where he had it flow up to the fill pipe and then slowly pour itself into the boiler. We were now very much in the green.

Everyone got in position, Hastez and Wilhelm staying up at the machine controls. The druid then turned it on and sent it down the almost300’ to the 4th floor. When the smoke got too much, Hastez inhaled it. And when it was safely down, the fire god inhaled the flames from across the way and extinguished the fire box. Once off the lift, the group called out Hastezilini’s name and the Black Warrior grabbed Wilhelm and the 2 of them portalled down to the 4th floor.

The area here as a fucking mess. We had come from Shedaklah not too long ago and this was very much like that. Foul, feculent, mushrooms and slime and oozing stink everywhere. Also, unlike our Vision quest, the cave was filled with phosphorous fungi and lichen on the ceilings, giving it an otherworldly glow. The cables were also only dimly lit, visible in the half mile gloom of the cave but only just barely. Hastez also let us know about the strange feeling down here.

There was a 500 foot triangular platform of stone here with a dwarven compound on the north end. Three main trunks led off of the main platform to other landings where those keeps were. And from there they went off again into the gloom and down – but sunk into and under the water. This meant just under 20 of the platforms were out in the water and below the surface.

And no divine being can get off the platform. If they do, their divinity seems to be sapped. None of the gods have dared it. Only Thunderbird. He was the strongest of them all. Constantly looking for a way to get them all home. Jubilex makes his home in the maw above on the ceiling, a gathering of all the cables that go up into a nest of cables. He stays there for the most part, feeding on the residual energy before coming back down to the here to feed. It was during one of those times when the Faceless lord was at his strongest and Thunderbird was at his weakest that they fought and the great god fell from the sky and plummeted down to the water. According to Buffalo he rests near some gate to an Ahto, god of the seas from some pantheon. We don’t know which that it was. There is a compound to the north, so we decided to go there and check it out.

The door was still locked and the blast shutters were all in place. It looked like no one had been in here. Dizzy picked the lock and we looked in. Decent sized room, entrance area, some chairs. Signs for Offices, Meeting Room, and Record. And 4 dead dwarves here. Still had skin and hair, wearing rags. We entered and the first dwarf gasped and choked, hand out pointing to us. Then the next and the other 2. Damn it, ghouls! Dizzy called to Sif and turned them, and the ghouls all fled to the far end of the room, forced there but unable to get away.

So Shim shot a magic missile at 2 of them and damn it all to hell – they fell over dead! This spurred Hiawatha and Hastez to also throw projectiles, killing the last 2. Dizzy looked them over and assured us the dwarves were in such bad shape that even undead, they had only a few sparks of life. Still dangerous, but easily manageable.

We went to the offices first. Short hall, west door and north door, 2 more dwarf ghouls. We go west and find a conference style office table and chairs. Over 10 could sit here. There were signs on the walls (in dwarvish). Maxwell’s demon, work is the best reward, future is better when worked for. We then left and went to the next – a secretary’s office with the secretary here. Dead of course. Aaaand a ghoul. We killed her and looked around. Found a key to the next door and entered. Someone who ran this place, that’s who the office belonged to.

It was in pretty good condition, picture of Mt Gorok on the wall, some knicknacks and the like. Big desk. Just…no dwarf. No zombie. Placard said: High Thane of 3rd District (retired) Ralstrom Thermun Gorok, Ordained Nornian Threadbinder, General of the 2nd Gorokian Special Forces (Retired), Advisor to the Council of Thanes, Head and Master of Future Projects, Duke of Razors.

And where was he? Shim did a detect magic and we saw a single point, weak, on the wall with the Gorok picture and some real dormant but still possible ritual type on the opposite wall. We spent some time mulling it over and guessed it might be a portal of some sort. The place was supposed to be self contained, no one leaves ever. But this Ralstrom, had it seemed a back way to get out. And it was his name on that contract we saw in the vision quest with Asmodeus. Dizzy guessed that he might even still alive and probable ran away when the orcs hit the place, portalled back to Gorok. 144 years ago.

We then left and went to the meeting room, killed some ghouls, and then the records area. No ghouls here and there were 6 rooms on both sides of the hall – 41, 42, 43 and then the right was 44, 45, and 46. We went into 44 and looked about. 25’ deep, 10 wide,15’ tall, both sides lined with shelves to the ceiling. A rolling ladder on a track above allowing someone to get to any shelf either side. A mix of tomes, scrolls, folded pages, vellum, stone tablets, clay tablets, and other off things. Dizzy and Shim took some time to read them and it was some records that the researchers had noted a long time ago of getting portals open.

We guessed the numbers were the year in question the place had been keeping records. 6 years before it was overrun. Made sense. They went back to 41 and looked and it was mostly all stone bits and clay bits – no paper. All real old, like millennia old bits of legend. Kinslayer wars and dwarven combats. Legendary bits of ancient wisdom 1500, 2000 years old.

Thee went to the last rooms and it wasn’t full, likely the orcs had come and destroyed it during year 46. The missives talked about Ralstrom and the Randari getting some wind of this place. A traitor or spy on the Thane’s council. And each trip back to Gorok made it likely they’d be caught. Also, some notes about the entire set up being stable and not needing their support if they could get 30 gates in place. Something about the elves of Tilani and a frustration of the world tree.

We then went back and the two of them did a deeper dive into the older records and legends. Seems part of the genesis of this was the elves had a Lifetree, a huge 300 foot tall redwood/oak sort of Fey tree that was a descendant to their original home across the stars. And Tilani was unable to be broached. But a dwarven tactician named Oden had figured out a way to portal through the Astral plane, bypassing the elves defenses, and the Gorokian dwarven set a massive explosion at the Lifetree, crippling it and then it fell – a living natural embodiment of the elven home and culture. It demoralized them immediately and they lost the Kinslayer war, where they were subjugated to the dwarven empire for the next 300 years.

This. This bit of information was key to the entire Donnegarten Stronghold. And this Ralstrom was the chief researcher and architect of it all. Which eventually gave birth to the Terror Dungeon. And according to Shim, it will be ground zero for Ragnarok…or at least Fimbulwinter…very damned soon.

Meet 101, Adv 13, 9/21/24

We figured we’d try and work the Inserrat next – but didn’t want to do it where there was water nearby. So we made our way out of the sunken area of the 3rd level and then figured we’d head back to the Kitchen/Pantry area to sit with them. It was here that we managed to talk with them (Glooskap and Hiawatha translating for us). Their patron, Shakak, God of Winter, was not here but they could imprint his protection on one if they were willing to pay the price.

Wilhelm settled down and the Inserrat worked a mixture of ash and their own blood and then proceeded to tattoo a large design into the elven druid’s back. Each passage of ink stole more heat from his skin, giving it a bluish cast until finally it was done. Some of the Winter God’s protection would be at his constant back and call. As we left though to head off to do the vision quest we did come across Hastez, the Black Warrior.

We had some words with the volatile fire god, and he remembered Hiawatha. There was some history there and it wasn’t good. But on seeing Wilhelm, the Coward, they had some back and forth and some fire was exchanged and the Inserrat were visible. As Wilhelm was not backing down and there was a skinwalker with us, he deduced we were going to go on a vision quest.

To learn how to fight Jubilex.

Damn.

He wanted in. Him or Hastel? Fuck that guy, his brother was a piece of shit. Hastez was in. We smoked a peace pipe and Wilhelm was renamed Noco by Hastez (not a coward). So we went off to the dorm room and Hastez was pissed at Hiawatha as he had been here many times before an never saw the cacti, pants, or herbs the Indian brave had hidden here. Hiawatha used his spear to force the water out of the room and then when it was dry, gave everyone a slice of the cacti, the peyote.

We ate it and over the next short time found ourselves getting more and more spaced out and thrust into the spirit world where we had our vision.

We found ourselves on the 4th floor – but it was different. It was dry and not flooded. And there were 22 huge lit up cables running from the ground, up the side of the humongous cave (half mile by quarter mile), lit and pulsing, eventually coiling together like the base of a tree and going up into the ceiling – reminded us of the roots of Yggdrasil.

Our visions were spread over 4 of us. First we had a vision of the past where there was an attempt to activate the 22nd cable – some sort of 30x30x15 stone keep with a 5’ diameter braided cable out of the top. There were some discussions off screen so to speak and that the orcs were coming soon. Then the switch was thrown and most likely it was the portal to the Happy Hunting Grounds. Then it seemed that Jubilex came from the heart of the base of the cables on the ceiling, 18’ tall and dropped to the group upright and terrible.

The next person had a vision of a table with a number of strange piles of items. Eggs and swords and coins and a lantern and dirt – 22 small piles of offerings. Then a discussion off screen of what would encompass the offering for Thunderbird.

The next person had a vision of a devil and a deal being signed off on. Blood was offered and someone named Duke of Razors had signed the contract. There was another name on it – Asmodeus.

The last vision was of the what was most likely the first person and first established broken gate – Lathandar and his priest. Dwarf was abusing him, something about his religion reduced to a cult, a joke. And this was the last priest and his death would power the gate at long last – then the dwarf unfolded a 2’ straight edged razor and cut the priest from chest to neck, spilling it over a broken mirror and cracking the gate to the Dawnlands and Lathandar.

From there the group all seemed to be in the same area, water was filling the cave. They visited a few of the keeps – seeing Lathandar, Lovitar, and Arawn. Then the cave had filled and 18’ Jubilex fell to the area and the fight was on. It was strange and … perfect. Connal was very fast. Shim’s magic was spot on. Dizzy’s spiritual energy was off the chart. And Wilhelm’s blows were ridiculously strong. Jubilex took damage and hit back as the fight went on. He displayed some innate powers and seemed immune to certain attacks and effects. At one point when Shim was about to die, he and Eoghan swapped places and the ranger died instead. Then it happened again!. However the fight was over at short last and again – it seemed perfectly executed.

And the vision quest ended.

We were still in the dorm room. Some of us had been wounded during the vision quest and Knox the mule HATED Shim as at some point the gnome had hit the animal with his whip, tearing the mule’s face in the process. We studied, prayed, and broke our fast. It was Firemonth the 9th about 2 in the AM. (Our sleep schedule was now off about 6 hours from normal) We were going to go back to the top level and then operate the lift to the 4th level, being it would be safer to do it that way. We also knew that Thunderbird had “died” down there at some point and his body was near some sea god node. His feathers, if any there, according to Buffalo, could be useful for Eoghan for his arrows to use against Jubilex.

Meet 100, Adv 13, 9/14/24

With Glooskap’s information, we knew we had a day (maybe 12 hours) to set up for our interaction with Hiawatha. We paced out the area and if Hiawatha was half the hunter that the Skinwalker indicated he was, we were going to be hard pressed to set up any chance to talk to him. We figured an offering of a pipe to smoke and a sign of peace (hands up?). Shim took to drawing a few things and had a decent thing going.

Wanting to hold it in place, we needed some rocks and Dizzy offered to get as the mushroom chambers had no loose stones (only soil). Heading to the Crystal chambers, he looked around eventually getting 5 of them. At some point though he felt a draw to a set of red crystals and was thinking of touching/taking them but after talking to Eoghan, got it in his head to leave it alone. We got the gist from Jessie that this is a natural weak spot in the prime material plane (which we knew), and that the various planes that brush up against here leave a distilled residue that somehow grows as a crystal outcropping here. Yeah, better off to leave it alone.

Taking time with chisel and hammer, Dizzy was able to split each of the stones in half, making a flat side for each. We set up the area and were hanging out. Shim came across a hallucinogenic mushroom and vialed it for now. Eventually we heard the sound of movement and looking out, there was a 10’ puddle of some grey oozing mess sloshing its way down the corridor. He went back and let us know but going back out there, it was hard to see as it blended in with the hall and walls.

Suspecting it was still there, Wilhelm fired off a Fairie Fire spell, illuminating the ooze. This allowed Shim to magic missile it and send it down the hall towards us. A few tossed things were ignored but the next magic missile spell stopped it and it fell to one place and liquified. Nice. Taking a sample we retreated back to the Mushroom chamber and waited. Wilhelm had a speak with animal moment with Louie, convincing the cat that he had to wait in the crystal chamber and gave a description of Hiawatha as based upon Glooskap’s information. Once then, he would be given a magical message to reveal to the hero and then lead him back here.

An Animal Messenger spell followed and Louie went off to await the Hero. It was a few short hours later that Louie bounded back into the chamber and then a minute or 2 later, Hiawatha arrived. 6 and a half feet tall, skin brown and healthy tanned, thick leather buckskins, a few spears and a bow and arrows at his side, long black hair in a warrior’s braid a few feathers plaited in; and finally wearing the torn off fur skin of a large bear.

Hiawatha was willing to talk, he has been sort of lonely for a very long time, and having a hard time adjusting to being here. When he found out the door was opened and the group entered, his first thought was, Fuck this – let’s go! We had to convince him that the world out there is not his world, and that we needed his help. Somehow he had the impression that we were more powerful than we really were.

We talked for a while, doing what we could to convince him that we needed his help against Jubilex. Glooskap made herself visible at this point and there was much talking . We would need to go on a vision quest to see how to defeat jubilex, then that is what we’d have to do. He has some peyote that he had been growing somewhere on the 3rd level and wanted to go there. He said a vision quest typically included 5 braves or warriors who are the heart of the group quest. The strongest, the fleetest, the most magical, the most spiritual, and the one doomed to die.

We identified Eoghan as that one.  The Ranger did not take it well. Hiawatha said that this was not a bad thing since that was also the most noble and self sacrificing – it was his death and hardship that makes sure the rest of the warriors can complete their quest. So it’s a good thing. Ok, but let's try not dying. We talked about the 2 brothers and came back to the idea that we still need to help Wilhelm – that meant going to the Inserrat. Another thing Hiawatha thought was neat regarding us.

We left the chambers and made our way back to the bridge where the hero blocked the water with his spear and body, holding all the water back so we could run across the 50’ span. Then he charged after and the water returned. Wilhelm offered to hang back here and see if Buffalo wanted to talk and we all went down to the end of the area where Hiawatha was impressed that we actually moved the elevator! It wasn’t just a floating floor? It moves?!? Wow!

Buffalo showed and Wilhelm and the plains god had their conversation before we all rejoined and then went down the steps. At the gap Hiawatha watched and helped as we set up a bridge of the door and was like, hmm – neat low energy solution!

At the 3rd floor we went south to the kitchen, replaced the door on the hinges, and took the 2 dead bodies from the oven. We knew we’d have to be in the water to face the Inserrat, but if we could use the bodies of the Ve’Estan as bait, it would be better. So we gathered them up and tied some ropes to their shoulders. Hiawatha said he had a canoe we could use that that was good. As for the pool of water, Glooskap let us know it was a break to the elemental plane of water. Oh. Neat!

We went to the 20’ drop and Hiawatha picked up Knox and then carrying the donkey – JUMPED off the 20’ drop to the water where he put the mule down. One by one we all clambered down, Hiawatha helping where needed. He then took us down the north most passage. There were a number of dorms (old dwarven) on the north wall and some larger ones on the south. It was in one of those that we led the mule and the lynx (that we just learned today the druid named.. Jar Jar. Jar Jar Lynx. Frey help us…) inside. We could see there were some cacti growing in some pots and shelves high up and Hiawatha let us know that we’d come back here and have our vision quest later.

We went back to the main hall and then south. Stairs here were gone and it was 5’ down to the water surface (10’ down to the floor). Hiawatha went into his medicine satchel and took off a carving of a canoe, held it once, and then cast it on the water. And it grew to a large canoe! Enough for everyone. He climbed down and helped everyone on, telling them to stay low for center of gravity. He then stood in the middle, folded his arms, and the canoe was driving as if it was being paddled!  It wasn’t very fast but we managed to go and explore these halls.

Some time ago, When the Inserrat came here, the two warrior brothers trapped them down in this part since they are very agile in the water but are terrible climbers. Their deity is Shakak, god of winter. It seems he did not fall here when the dwarves opened the gate to the happy hunting grounds, so their numbers do not replenish or diminish. They do eventually reconstitute if slain, some weeks later though.

We passed by store rooms and work shops, but it was at the end of the hall that the water grew cooler. We looked around and splashed the water but nothing. So we went back down the passage again to the front, turned and went again, jerking and tugging at the Ve’Estan dangling behind. It took a few passes but eventually they came from the bottom and attacked!

Fast – So fast in the water. They were jumping and slashing and biting. We bagged one quick and then bashed it on the walls a few times to get it to stop moving. Then the same again a second time. There were 5..6 of them? They managed to bite the ropes free and took one of the Ve’Estan so we used the 2nd. More back and forth and even Connal running on the water monk style. He got a 3rd one bagged up and jumped up to the landing out of reach of the others while we were shooting spells and giving chase.

We all got up to the landing area Hiawatha got the canoe back to small and back in his medicine satchel, and we were going to decide what to do next. Inserrat or vision quest? It was 12:45 PM on Firemonth the 8th and it was about an hour or 2 before we needed to rest.

Meet 99, Adv 13, 9/7/24

Firemonth the 9th. The group went through plans to come and the anticipation that we would be facing Jubilex tomorrow. Haztez, the Black Warrior was keen on it and Hiawatha was happy to be a part of it. Glooskap, the Skinwalker, would handle whatever large slime the Faceless Lord threw our way. The rest of us would react accordingly and allow the heavy hitters to do their attacks on Jubilex. We had a few surprises of our own, including 4 Thunderbird Arrows when the time comes.

We walked around, bottled up some water, and arranged a night’s rest. We slept well and awoke the next day anxious to get engaged. Prayers and spells were revisited. We climbed the buildings and talked about fighting from within. Did not want to move the shutters, did not want to get the party cut off from one another, did not want to set us up to fail. We drew up line in front of the dwarven stronghold and after making sure of a good place to piss off Jubilex; Haztez summoned a line of flame and set fire to a large 60’ swath of assorted slimes, lichen, mushrooms, and fetid pools.

The smell was horrible and as it popped and smoked and filled the air, we heard a large “BONG” from the Maw above; where the 23 cables all ran together. A faint glow appeared followed by another “BONG”. And then another. And finally a huge slimy mass extricated itself from the hole, slid over, and grabbed a part of the ceiling. It then seemed to retract and from the hole…emerged Jubliex.

18’ tall, a mass of frightening eyes and snarling toothy maws, it shuddered and dripped and roiled in a sickening display of shifting colors. It brachiated across the ceiling until it finally drew close to the platform where its movements sped up and it became stronger and then some 80’ or so from our front line; it dropped the 70’ from the ceiling and landed with a wet splash here before towering over all of the party.

Haztez whistled, grabbing his cudgel tighter. Hiawatha readied his spear and the group tightened their grip on weapons and spells…and then Jubilex roared and charged us screaming with a dozen ragged mouths.

It flung a large slime out from a waving hand and it hit the ground and slithered towards the group. A Thunderbird Arrow was readied and then…fired. The struck the Faceless Lord who absorbed most of its power but still was burned for his efforts. More followed and Bless spells echoed out. Our lines grew closer and it ripped a hole in space, and a damned vampire spooled out and flew towards us, a cloud of bats surrounding its head.

Shim shot off a magic missile and the vampire was hit and it turned in the air, heading from the gnome. Connal raced to intercept and Hiawatha and Haztez smashed weapons into Jubilex. It rocked back and smashed out, flattening Haztez and then hurled another wave of slime out, and a 15’ square gelatinous cube slapped down right by Eoghan and Wilhelm. “I’ve got this one!” Glooskap ran to interfere, her hands outstretched into long talons and she plunged them deep into the cube, making it shudder as it tried to dissolve her enchanted skin and she tried to devour it.

Another Thunderbird Arrow flew out and Jubliex rocked from the blow. Connal was fast and the bats tried to blind him but the monk leapt and jumped and knocked them aside. The undead menace made to grab him and he managed to avoid the touch, instead using his enchanted bracers to deliver powerful blows against the vampire.

Getting hurt, Jubilex tore open a hole in space and had it consume Haztez, dimension dooring him half a mile away to land in the waters…where Sargonnas swims. Damn it! He them smashed Hiawatha, the hero taking 40 points of damage from that single blow! He shoved himself up and ran back to the fight. More spells were flung and then Jubilex hurled a few slimes to land near the ranger and druid, causing them to run back and avoid being consumed.

Connal and the Vampire were ripping into one another and Shim called, “Haztez! I call for your aid!” and the once a day answer came forth and Haztez appeared! Soaking wet and nursing a few bruised ribs he laughed and thanks the group for the call. He let his fire surround him, drying him off and giving him a barrier and he rejoined the fight. Glooskap had the Cube mostly devoured, the center of it hollowed out as she swelled larger and larger. A Vrock was summoned, the vulture demon coming in hot and causing Wilhelm and Eoghan to abandon shooting the Faceless Lord and hit the new threat.

It was the snake faced demon that came through next that had the group look for anything to end the fight before it got too large for us to handle.

Shim took out the Lightning Bottle he had been carrying for some time, raw lighting harvest from a Gnomish Skyship some time in the past. He pointed it at the Faceless Lord and yelled at everyone to get clear. He then ripped open the cover and let all 4 lightning bolts rip out. They cleared the 55’ feet between the sorcerer and the Demon Lord, and each one buried itself deep inside its nightmare body. Huge chunks of slimy material blew out from the scorching impact craters as it roared in agony and fell over and teetered slowly before finally beaten and then it dropped down.

Unmoving and dead.

The rest of the fights went easy well as the demonics did their best to re-gate home and the group could devote their efforts to unite and take down the last of the enemies. Exhausted and hurt, we finished them off and then looked over the very dead Jubilex. As his body melted away, a brass plate appeared in the mass of bubbling ooze and filth. Dizzy stepped forward, the one he was carrying burning as he got closer. The thought was to combine the two and then use its latent power to force the portal open back to the Happy Hunting Grounds. Sending all the denizens here home.

And when he touched it he felt an inrushing of demonic power. His skin grew red and his eyes yellowed. But when he tried to force a beam of power UNDER the water and into the gate, it burbled out and then time seemed to stop.

Everything stopped and the air grew still and stepping out of nothing, was a 6’4” tall red skinned man in a bespoke suit, handsome face, and a welcoming smile. “Just what do you think you are doing?”

“I was going to open that portal and send everyone here back. They don’t belong here.”

The figure looked around and nodded. “You are right, they don’t. But that portal. That portal? That’s not yours to open. That specific portal is deeded to a Ralstrom Thermun Gorok.” He pulled out a rolled up scroll and read it over. “Yep, signed it right there, see?” He showed it to dizzy and it was some infernal contract. “Signed right there by his own hand. And the other signature is mine.” He pointed to a different scrawl. “Name is Asmodeus. Duke of Hell. And I have a contract that says you cannot open that up.”

Feeling the power of the Abyssal Tablets within him, Dizzy looked down at his fingers. “I have the strength to open up that portal.”

“I don’t deny you have the strength to open…A…portal. A. Portal.” He pointed east, “Not THAT portal. Not unless your name is Ralstrom…or you have a contract addendum that he authorizes you to open THAT portal.”

Dizzy frowned. “What if I just do it?”

Asmodeus smiled. “You would open a portal, and it would go somewhere. There are over a thousand other layers of outer planes out there past the Astral void. Over 600 of them lead to the Abyss. You want to open a random hole from this plane to another and hope you manage to get to the RIGHT plane where every divine being in here not nailed down gets sucked into and spat out,” he leaned over and smiled, “Then go right ahead. Let’s see if you get 772. Anything else, and it’ll be entertaining.”

Dizzy was very uncomfortable dealing with the Hellish Duke, but did latch on to one thing. “So if I get Ralstrom’s signature, I can open THAT portal?”

Asmodeus nodded. “Yep. His soul is eventually mine, but he is still alive and kicking. One of the last Axiom’s he adhered to was “Forever Alive”. It doesn’t mean what he thinks it does, but it applies to him and his situation at least for now.” He rummaged into his briefcase and pulled out a small scroll. He spent a minute penning on it and then held it out to Dizzy. “There. I don’t need your signature on it, but Get Ralstrom Gorok to sign off on this that he knowingly and of his own free will gives you proxy to operate the opening and closing 1 time of the portal specifically Donnegarten Stronghold number 23 between the Prime Material Plane and the Happy Hunting Grounds and then you can come back here and do what you need to do.”

“No tricks?”

Asmodeus nodded. “No tricks. Getting the old Duke of Razors to sign it is your issue. As for this place, I sort of forgot about it. The divine leak here is a no go so we are going to just,” he squinted and there was a strange squeal coming from the maw, “shut that down. There.” The feeble lights seemed to die off a bit and the bodies of Haztez, Glooskap, and Hiawatha all slumped further down, their bodies unmoving and their color seemingly muted. 

He looked Dizzy over. “Two tablets. You are growing in power. I wonder what kind of Abyssal Lord you’ll end up being.”

“Excuse me?”

The Duke smiled. “That kind of power stains a person. When you die, and all mortals do, you will go like a comet to the Abyss where with luck, you’ll end up on a layer that is lightly guarded where you can let the powers of the tablets roar through you and do what you can to run the place. Mind you, Jubilex and Zuggtmoy might eventually get wind of you, but that’s a problem for the future you.” He looked at his wrist and smiled. “Time flies and I’ve got to go. Good luck, Idela Dizrea.” And then he stepped between worlds and was gone.

The group had not been able to move but heard all of it. Ok, we have to go to Gorok and soon. And while there, maybe get some more information from Ralstrom as to what the goal was to be here. And who the hell is Donnegarten? It was Firemonth the 10th, about 9:30 AM, and we had a long way to go to get out of this place and we did not have the help of Hiawatha of Haztez this time. And what of the Lolthian Spiders? Where they still here somewhere or where they now dormant too?

Meet 98, Adv 13, 8/31/24

Feeling ready and all players in place, Shim cast Silent Portal on the bathroom door and then Connal and Dizzy (with crowbar) forced the door open. Right afterwards Shim fired off a Summon Monster spell, and got 3 giant rats. They made some noise and we quickly pushed the door closed as 3 of the cannibalistic dwarves laughed and gave chase. They turned the corner and followed the rats into the large chamber. This allowed the party to quickly leave the chamber and set up an attack on the last 2.

Feeling the pull of its master, Wilhelm’s Lynx ran out and Connal with it, the two of them hitting the front of the line and taking the fight to the dwarves. Connal took a hit to his arm, their stone tomahawks ignoring his armor, and his arm was bleeding pretty bad. There wasn’t much light and the blows were not that good. Wilhelm fired from the gantry and seeing 2 of the dwarves returning, Eoghan shot one of them, drilling it in the forehead!

As they stumbled past, Dizzy emerged from the bathroom and backstabbed one of them. From that point on, the battle went against the dwarves as one by one they were taken down and killed. The group went through their stuff and took the tomahawks for now. From here we regrouped and went south to the large chamber. It was pretty big, large enough that a single light source did not illuminate the entire thing.

While walking about, we deduced it might have been a dining hall at some point, but no furnishings or shelves remained. 2 doors, heavy old oak, were on the south wall. One of them had LOTs of blood stains about 3 to 4’ up, along with some stray hairs caught in the frame. There was also a puddle here, ovalish, 6’ diameter, about 15 feet or so in front of the 2nd door. There were no wet marks on the ceiling or anywhere else that would explain why a puddle would be here.

The thought was to listen to both doors. Getting closer, Dizzy was able to hear a faint echo from the first door, with the blood stains. The 2nd door though was different, the echo was not true, it was an opposite response to whatever was said – and it seemed to be coming from the puddle. We tested the depth of the puddle and it was at least 5’ or so deep.

The thought was to open the first door without using any of our hands. An Open/Close spell and then a pry open with a long metal bar seemed to suffice. There was a kitchen through there, over, countertops, a mess – nothing there as of now, some more blood stains all over the door jamb. Couldn’t quite see the rest of the room. The thought was to have Dizzy test out the 2nd door. He grabbed the handle – there was an inrushing of force – and he disappeared – a large bubble of air burbled up from the puddle.

As for Dizzy – he was about 4’ below the water, a 6’ oval hole over his head, and sinking. He cut his rope ladder free and kicked hard again and again, swimming up to the surface –and broke free gasping and panting. Right in the oval puddle. He was helped out and once he had his bearing, let the group know of the water. Not wanting to fuck with it, we instead went to the now partially opened bloody door, that we referred to as the “murder door”. We figured, let’s pull the hinge pins on it. So working from outside and not touching the inside of the door, Dizzy disabled both sets of hinges until the door fell over on its face. We dragged it aside and then carefully entered the kitchen.

And the Murder Door leapt up and down, flopping on the floor like a fish. Each of us who passed the threshold had the door bounce about. Problem solved. We looked over the kitchen carefully. The other side of the “water” door was here, the ground wet around it. No echo on this side. Beyond was another closed area and on checking it out – it was the location's pantry. Now it was empty – some old onion skins, dry rotted burlap scraps, ruined and warped shelves. A couple of bones.

We figured we might use this area to hide some bodies if need be. But on leaving the kitchen, the murder door was moving and bouncing about. It also looked like it was stretching and reaching, hands and off body parts poking from within. Like something was inside the door and trying to break out. Looking at the puddle, Connal used the 6’ metal rod to push the murder door with its reaching hands and stretching skin, across the floor of the dining hall and to the puddle – shoving it over the lip and letting it fall into the hole! It sunk rapidly and outside of a few bubbles – it was quiet after that. Problem – solved!

We went back to the drop down past the bathroom and figured we’d have to check that out next. We set the rope and Connal went down to the water to take a look around. The water was calf deep here and there was a minimal current. He followed it east where the passage went south, some mounded detritus and then another fall of water down there – or he could go straight ahead and the gloom showed it eventually turned north. Not liking any of it, he returned to the party, shared what he learned, and talked about what to do next. Buffalo had given Wilhelm some advice on what to do to face the Black Brother, Hastez. He would have to go and find the Inserrat here and if he could face them, they would be able to give him something to better be prepared against the Black Brother. But the group did not want to go into the water.

There was some talking as we were hanging out by the cannibalistic dwarf area of maybe going back to the Library and seeing if Edgar Narrymur was around – when there was a weird rippling sensation and a few moments later – Edgar flew down the elevator shaft, crashed into the lift cursing, “Where the hell did THAT come from?!” and then sauntered over to us. “You called? What prayer can I answer.”

What?

On talking to Edgar, we learned that the divine aspects who were stuck here had no worshippers in the area so were starved for attention. Once a day if someone in the nearby vicinity calls one of them by their adopted true name, they have a chance to hear it and come. (In his world he is Raven, as Telltail is Coyote, and so forth…) He did want some given offering and then he was willing to hang out and talk. As for the Inserrat, they would need to be captured – three should do it. As they are attacking one, someone else comes up behind and pops them in a sack. Also, the cannibalistic dwarves were called “Ve’Estan”, and were divine fragments and aids to Hastez. The Cree Negishi? The fast things – they were the same but for the Red Brother, Hastel.

We had some other conversation and interaction. Discussed the possibility of getting the Brothers to work for us against Jubilex but it was inconclusive. Hastez makes 17 of his Ve’Estan at a time, and Hastel makes 7 Cree Negishi. When the last are killed, they feel the need for followers so make new ones. The ones that remain as their numbers dwindle are more looked after by the Brother Warriors. We know there are only 5 Ve’Estan left and assume the same is the case with the Cree Negishi. We did ask what kind of things “Coyote” might like, getting a litany of body parts as the answer.

After he left, we decided to do the same thing and call for Telltail. He too arrived unconventionally quickly, also commenting on the misplaced lift. “That’s new!” He was given some Ve’Estan parts to eat, and was happy to stick around, popping kidneys and organ as he answered more questions. We knew he was always honest in his answers – but either misplaced names or transposed things now and again. We decided on talking to him that he knew where everything was – maybe we skip the 2 brothers and try to get Hiawatha as an ally.

The great hero is not a god, but is in some ways stronger and better than some of the gods who do remain. He could not deal with the strange land here and lack of sky, and on getting teased and abused by Ursa, vented his frustration on the great Bear and tore his skin free, wearing it as a cloak ever since. Ursa wants it back but Hiawatha has gone into hiding, every so often someone catches a glimpse of him. Does Coyote know where he is?

Well, strange that – Coyote COULD know where he is. But if that ever happened, Ursa would then find Coyote and beat the fucking skit out of him to get the location. And Telltail had no interest in getting temporarily murdered by the Great Bear. So Hiawatha is one of those things he chooses not to know. BUT, he did tell us that Hiawatha was currently NOT in any room that we had already fully explored. Fully.

Finished, we thanked him and he asked if we were going to use the dead Ve’Estan. We said now so he coaxed them to rise and like dead marionettes, they stood up and followed him. He went to the lift, looked it over, smiled, and said, “I think I’ll go down for a change.” Taking his dead trio of Ve’Estan with him.

Yeah. Totally do not trust that guy. It was about 1:45 AM on Firemonth the 7th. Our sleep schedule is all fucked up so we have about 4 hours to kill next and we were discussing going back to the 2nd floor and maybe checking that area out again.

Meet 97, Adv 13, 8/24/24

One of my players at the table, the newest, had the opportunity to shine this meeting and I for one was very glad. He's generally a quiet guy but when he was given the chance to be front and center in this meeting and time, it was so rewarding for me as the DM to give him his time in the sun

Follows:

So the group took the long trek back up the stairs, spanning the gap once more with 2 of the desk tops, leading Knox and the other animals all the way to the 1st level again. Once up here we took Edgar’s words to heart and going through the tool box, Dizzy pulled out a chisel, some leather scraps, a small hammer, a wire bush, and a few drops of oil. He treated the 8 visible screw heads under the panel with some taps and lubricant, wired off the obvious rust, and then he proceeded to unscrew them one at a time. It was slow and laborious – the screws had not been moved for the last century plus. This was going to take some time.

Meanwhile we wanted to take a look at the boiler and steam engine. Connal went down the steps and then up and rungs and we looked over the machinery. The fire box was scraped free of remaining ash and would hold 60 to 80 lbs of wood. The boiler was pretty big; we guessed it was about 50 gallons. He came back over.

Dizzy had gotten the panel off one at a time, Shim and Wilhelm helped, they tilted it back and let years of dust and crud run out of it. A thin metal sheet manual slid out as well. We read it over and identified the controls. The 4 levers would retract and extend the gantry, the 2nd one would lower and raise it, the 3rd would slow down and speed up the engine, and the last would maximum and minimally apply the brakes. Each lever had 7 possible positions. The 3 buttons would raise the platform, turn the engine off or on, and lower the platform. The last two controls would adjust the platform’s pitch and yaw along all 4 axis.

We wanted to extend the gantry. No reason for Connal or anyone to make that 6’ plus jump. So Dizzy went down to the gantry and Wilhelm worked the controls extending it. It needed to be lifted and jogged forward in many places, the Randari Orcs did a number on it, but we managed to get it fully extended and maneuver the turn so it made the platform. A few of us went back to the office and brought back wooden slats from the kiosks and desks, and Dizzy proceeded to cut them so they would slot into place, giving us a proper bridge to cross.

Once on the lift Connal was still going to have to make a jump to the other side. The thought was that the dwarves would not have set it up like this, so on direction; the monk looked over the eastern side of the platform and found two handles sticking out over the side near the base. He pulled them and extended a 3’ wide platform! Nice. He kept lifting and sliding it out until it easily made it to the lift area. Ok – Now we are cooking.

As for the fire box, that we could do with a number of wooden items from the entrance hall. There was a pilot area that we found with a fill slot for oil. And finally the boiler itself was going to need water. We settled on Create water but there was nowhere that we could create it, keep it in one place, and then ferry it over there to fill it. Eventually Wilhelm suggested that he could animate the water – but would need 32 gallons of it at the minimum for the spell to work.

That was going to be 3 create water spells – and we’d still have to give in 2 water skins. The Lift Area was pretty big and if Wilhelm acted fast enough, he could gather the water before it spilled out and over the side of the pit. But we’d need another caster. Dizzy wrote a Create spell and when done, explained to Eoghan exactly what he had to do. So 2 of us cast the spell, and Connal tossed 2 water skins with the tops off into the growing and spreading pile and then before it could run out and off, Wilhelm called to Frey and…FOOHP! It all slammed together into a fat and wobbly 4 and a half foot tall man shaped amorphous water form.

He led it to the gantry and Connal went first with lots of wood, followed by the elemental and then Wilhelm. It crossed to the platform, then stepped down to the bridge, and then finally over to the lift machinery. He had the elemental pull itself up to the top of the fill pipe, and then coaxed it to relax and slowly fold itself up and fall/fill the pipe – until we had 32 gallons of water in the boiler. Job well done!

We filled the fire box with wood, large and smaller pieces, dosed it with some oil and wood shavings. Then Connal opened the pilot box, crumbled up some paper stuffed it in, and filled the spigot above it with oil. He then lit the pilot area until it sparked and stayed lit. Once we saw that tendrils of smoke and fire were getting to the fire box, he crossed out of the area, pulled the bridge back under the lift, crossed the gantry and we waited.

It was decided that Wilhelm would stay and operate the machinery, and Shim wrote out all the directions for him with some small corrections as noted by Dizzy. Once done the party waited until we could see the fire box was merrily burning from our side. The gnome hit the druid with an invisibility spell and admonished him that if he did anything aggressive, the spell would fail. So sitting down, Wilhelm took a deep breath and stabbed the start/stop button. There was a whine and a few chugs.. then nothing. Did it again, more whine, more chugs…and then the engine caught and began the thrub and bang. The party was on the platform fast, Wilhelm retracted the gantry, and then rose the engine up 1 rank, and lowered the brake. The platform dropped a few feet and then he stopped it. The smoke was getting thick across the way and looking up, Eoghan muttered that whatever chimney or flue was up there, was long blocked.

And we heard drums. Lots of drums from below. Wilhelm released more of the brake, and stabbed the down button again. The platform was dropping maybe a foot every 3 seconds and he deduced this was not going to be enough. So he pushed the engine up higher and there was a loud BANG – and fire shot out of the fire box and from the engine top but the machine sounded smoother and the platform dropped faster. He pushed the brake up from 5 to 2 and could see from the dial the platform was dropping maybe 1 foot and a half each second. The smoke was very thick across the way and was up to the 25’ ceiling, and now over the hole, and was slowly spreading to the dock area.

Fuck it. With Shim still talking to him in his head, he told them to get ready, Dizzy clenching his butt cheeks, and he shoved the engine speed up from 4 … to 1. And again there was another BANG and red fire was seen through the smoke. The boiler was whistling and the entire thing seemed to free fall. Speed was now 5 feet per second and the dial marking depth was spinning up. The group was hanging on and the lift lowered. Somewhere around the 2nd level and dropping they saw 6…10..14…17 figures looking like leather clad long haired fat dwarves with stone tomahawks racing up the stairs hooting and hollering. Shim let Wilhelm know and the druid was watching the dial with care. The smoke had now gotten into the lift control room and was making it difficult to see.

He slowly engaged the braking flywheel and watched the speed slow and slow as the marking for the 3rd floor crept up. He shuttered the engine down to the lowest speed as the platform hit the 3rd level and then stabbed the engine off as the strange dwarves hit the 1st floor area and began to fan out. They were leaping and chanting and hooting and hollering. At least 3 made it to the room and the invisible druid ran to the corner where one of them heard his move (didn’t see him), but took a chance and hurled a stone hatchet there. It quivered IN the wall (stone in stone?!?!) but missed Wilhelm who was crouched low and holding his mouth closed.

Meanwhile the group waited as Connal leapt off the platform and ran to the gantry on this level. It was much better than the 1st floor and he was able to extend it all the way for us to get off. We checked the area out – another loading area and then the hall narrowed a bit – at least 17 different sleeping pallets and rough beds were here – messy and disorganized. We could faintly hear water in the distance. Eoghan had the group ready but quiet – Shim was in touch with Wilhelm above.

The dwarf creatures were not dwarves that we were used to. 4 and a half feet tall, they were bald on the tops of their head, a ring of hair around their skull, easily a foot long and limp. Skin was reddish brown, shoulders stooped ,chest shallow, and had large distended bellies. Wearing leather armor stitched crudely together with bone pieces threaded through the shoulders, arms, and chest. They also spoke a language we did not come close to understanding. As they were slapping and pounding around, a new figure arrived on scene and he was commanding.

6 and a half feet tall, skin black as pitch from the bottom of his feet to the top of his head – only eyes and teeth were white. He had an open chested elk hide armor and sported a shield of wood and stretched leather with some turtle shells adorning the edges filled with stones. He too had a large flint knapped axe and looked around with some scowling and concern. The dwarves were deferential to the dark warrior who was pointing and gesturing. He did glance at Wilhelm’ invisible body and smirked but said nothing. The druid then slid down the slope out of the room to the main floor and stayed low in the corner of the lift area. The dark brother spoke loud to attract the hooting dwarves…and then took a deep breath…sucking in ALL of the smoke from everywhere…including the fire from the fire box at the lift machine.

He then smiled to them all in the area and made some proclamations. They all looked over where the lift was and then down the pit. The dark warrior pointed that way and the dwarves all drew their hatchets, slapped their bellies like drums, and ran to the steps and then DOWN the pit – to find the lift…and whoever might have been on it. Shim got all this from a frantic Wilhelm who let the rest of the group know they need to get somewhere safe and now – 17 dwarves coming in fast. 4 minutes tops.

The dark brother then turned to where Wilhelm was crouched, sort of looking at or near him and began trying to talk to him. In many different languages. Eventually stumbling on Common. Wilhelm’s heart beat a bit faster at this and the dark brother smiled. “Come and let me see you. Why do you hide? Not very brave. Your noises have offended me and I have come to address you. Come out and speak with me!”

Wilhelm said nothing.

Eventually the dark warrior grew tired of it and said that he was going to see what was sent below and maybe their screams and noises would be a cure for his cowardice. Wilhelm was bothered and as the dark warrior went down the steps he went to the edge of the stairs, looked down, and then called on Frey for a Flaming sphere – and sent the 6’ bowling ball careening down the steps to hit the dark brother in the back, setting him on fire – just as his invisibility guttered out.

He turned and ran.

The rest of the party went down the hall past the nest area and the passage split here – we could keep going east but the passage came to stairs down – but there were no stairs there. It was a 20’ drop to water below. Fuck that. Going south was a short passage with a closed door on the right side and then a large open chamber. Door it was. And it was stuck closed – hard jammed in place – and would need to be forced. Eoghan threw his body at the door but it held in place. Need help!

Hearing echoes above, Shim aimed as high as he could and cast darkness on the pit stairs above –blocking 30’ of it. Then Connal grabbed the gnome and they ran down the corridor to the rest of the party as Dizzy was helping Eoghan force the door open. It was a 20’x20’ dwarven toilet. Stone benches and seats. Holes. Oh yeah. This was good. And we could hear the dwarves getting real close. Damn it – everyone into the bathroom!

Upstairs the black warrior was laughing as he breathed in and absorbed the fire. “Back stabber! You have no honor! How dare you!” He then spat the fire into his hand and HURLED it to the top – and Wilhelm could not get out of the way in time – and took 9 damage from his own returned fire. The black warrior was closing up the stairs and Shim was in his head yelling that the dwarves were coming. And he ran to the wall calling to Frey for aid…and melded into the stone wall, running in 3 good feet before stopping – cutting off communication with Shim and the sound outside the stone was very muted.

The black warrior was PISSED. “Coward! Where are you?! Attack ME, ME?!?! Hastez?!? From behind and then run and hide! I will remember your scent! I will remember you! I will teach you the error of your way , Coward! You can run! But I will find you in time!” Wilhelm checked his spell and knew he had 50 minutes time in the stone – and he didn’t want to miss a second of it.

The group poured into the lavatory but the door didn’t close right. So again, we had to throw 2 of us at the portal 4 times as the dwarves got VERY close, before it scraped finally and slammed shut – 15 seconds before the dwarves arrived. Eoghan and Connal were motioning everyone to be silent as the dwarves ran about all over the place.  They were excited and noisy. Shim let the group know he lost contact with Wilhelm and shared what he could of the meld spell and the fight with the black warrior.

Speaking of, we assumed it was him who arrived as we could hear another voice, different that the dwarves, deep and commanding. Instructing them to look about we imagined. Eventually we could hear many bodies grunting and some splashing, we guessed they were going over the lip and down the area where the stairs no longer were – maybe looking for us that way. Not knowing how long they’d be gone, Eoghan wanted us to remain here and not move at all and wait – not to miss a second of it.

Wilhelm stayed melded, counting off time as he waited. It was over 40 minutes and he was preparing for getting out and getting down the stairs to his friends. As for the rest of the party, after maybe 40 minutes, they could hear the strange dwarves coming back through the water and climbing back up with some effort. They were talking to each other and their voices carried for a while, but they did not hear the deeper voice of the leader person (dark warrior?). It sounded like some of them were staying behind and others their voices were fading as they made their way to the stairs in an effort to go up. Eoghan was able to guess 5 or so were staying behind, meaning 10 or more were heading up. To the druid eventually. And Shim could still not get him through the telepathic amulet.

At the 50th minute, Wilhelm unmolded from the stone and looked around. The dark warrior was not here. Being visible now he made his way slowly across the room to the pit but for some reason looked up – and beheld a spiked gargantuan Lolthian spider 25’ above on the ceiling and watching him with eager care. Damn it. Not wanting to get into any fight with it and still suffering from Hastez’ fire attack earlier, Wilhelm called to Frey and made himself invisible to animals. Which the spider certainly was.

It hissed and dropped to the ground racing to where he “was”, while he ran south to the gantry to hide underneath it. As it was flailing around, Shim finally was able to contact him and let him know that there were a number of those dwarves coming.

And they did. 12 of them. They looked at the spider and it looked at them – and the battle was joined. Hatchets flashed, bodies crumpled, blood flew. Wilhelm stayed hidden in the shadows below the loading platform. Eventually the spider was killed – but not before it killed 7 of the fat dwarves. The remaining 5 bound wounds, looked at the remains of their friends…and then fell on them laughing and snarling. Guts were torn open and hearts and livers ripped free and eaten.

Ropy entrails littered the floor and skulls were split open. Brains were scooped out and eaten with rabid glee. They smeared blood on their faces and skins, danced in the viscera, and stuffed themselves like gluttonous animals while Wilhelm stayed VERY quiet under the gantry. Eventually they grew bloated and weary. Leaving their companions behind, their guts distended and huge, they waddled north to find some place to sleep off their meal. Once they were gone he crawled out and looked over the abattoir of the place, shuddered, and then hit the stairs making his way down.

It was scary doing this alone. Every groan, every noise, every stray breeze had Wilhelm on edge. He made it to the gap in the stairs and used the desk boards to clear it, stacking it again on the other side. He kept going down and when getting to the 2nd level (DM: Rando Monster Check: 1 in 6. Dice result: 1! No shit!) he had to stop since 20 feet away in the loading area was a 12’ tall 3 ton wooly headed nimbus glowing white fire eyed tremendous…Buffalo.

It stared at Wilhelm who was rooted in fear. He had no chance to run down the steps before the buffalo would be upon him. It looked at him with a studied disdain. Concerned, Wilhelm called to Frey to allow him to talk to animals. And he could understand the Buffalo! It was waiting for this…man…to either run or attack it. Since man are simple creatures with fear and anger in their hearts. Then when Wilhelm spoke and Buffalo was surprised he could talk. To him, man is the one creature not connected to the great wheel and therefore not one of the first people and cannot talk to animals.

They spoke for a short while about cosmology and beliefs. Wilhelm was firm in his convictions and promised they were trying to find a way to open the portals and send them back to the Happy Hunting Grounds. He countered every man argument but asserting he was an elf – and they have a connection to nature. Buffalo was willing to give Wilhelm the benefit of the doubt and allowed him to pass. He did tell him that he was marked by the fires of Hastez, the Black Brother. His counterpart, Hastel, the Red Brother and him often try to assault Buffalo now and again.

If he wanted to survive the next encounter with the Black Brother, he should seek out the Inserrat – cold loving creatures who make their home in the waters of the 3rd level. Engage with them and they should be able to help Wilhelm out. He thanked Buffalo and moved on. Near the bottom of the stairs was a 6’ gap he could not cross so he had to use another spell, this time Spider Climb. Then he made it down to the 3rd floor and hid again at the gantry here. He could faintly see the 5 cannibalistic Dwarves and when Shim contacted him, he let them know he was here.

Eoghan and Connal were talking about opening the door out of the bathroom and bringing the fight to the dwarves. Firemonth the 6th, 10:35 PM, and we had been up for about 9 and a half hours.