Plantmonth the 20th, 3:20 PM, 239 of the 29th age. We discussed options on where to go and for how much longer to adventure for. We were still doing ok, so figured another hour or two. So from there we went west, the passage curved and meandered a bit, heading north and then u turned to the south – and there was a 15’ drop here. The ceiling was normal, but the ground here slid down and back, making a reverse clay cliff. Nothing was at the bottom. It was an annoyance at best. We set rope and one at a time, made our way down, Connal doing the monk drop thing at the end.
The passage traveled a bit and then ended up at a large chamber – 30’ x 50’ oval. 4 sets of walls were here, made of well made ceramic bricks. Two of the walls made a 20’ angle in front of us, the acute side facing away, and the other 2 did the same 20’ more feet beyond that. There seemed to be a glow, steady yellow white beyond the second wall. Each set of walls were about 4’ high as well, making seeing over them difficult.
We discussed options to go in and check it out, summon, invisible, brave. So most of us hung by the door while one of us snuck in, looking past the 1st wall. There was an elven warrior, clad in armor, and very dead. Like he died in agony. Black burst veins ran through his entire body and equipment.
We were discussing next options when We figured Shim could send a single figure in. He made a summons, and got a manes demon. He coaxed it to go forward one step at a time until it came to the next wall. And then it seemed to shrivel as we heard a horrific teeth shaking keening cry. And rising up from beyond the 2nd wall was a ghostly undead horrific elven ghost like apparition. And it was screaming. And the scream made everyone shake and cover their ears in terror.
Banshee.
Its mournful wail filled most everyone with terror – and instantaneously, everyone fled except Shim, Wilhelm, and Connal. The rest of the group dropped everything they were holding and ran back. Where they hit the 15’ tall cliff and started fighting and clawing to climb it up and get away. Connal put on his negative energy gloves and pulled to cowl of his cloak up and over. Wilhelm stood behind him and stuck him with a bull’s strength, and Shim fired off 3 magic missiles, tearing into the dead elf.
And then she was up front. And being non corporeal, she was going to be able to sieve around and get Shim. So Connal stepped up and punched, kicked, and slapped with his negative plane gloves as Wilhelm struck her with a Fairie Fire spell. Shim jammed some tallow in his ear. And her screams and cries KEPT on doing damage to us, bleeding away hit points one after the other.
The other group, one and then two managed to clamber up to the top of the cliff and started running blind through the hall, smashing heads, faces, and whatever, as they ran away into the gloom. The Banshee and Connal were grappling with one another, her negative hits freezing the air with his passing. Wilhelm drew Bleakwinter and Shim fired more magic missiles. Connal was hurting and used his monastic ability to heal some of his wounds, giving up the grapple to try and strike her fast and repeatedly.
Another summon went out, this time a Barbaric elf maiden, who backed up into the room, horrified and began shooting. But her arrows went through the banshee, risking hitting Connal. The banshee hated the elf woman and the grapple was reensued, the monk maintaining control of the banshee’s movement. More of the party had climbed up the wall, a few of them bleeding and dazed from smashing into the walls as they ran into the dark, ending up in the dead end passage.
We were getting hurt now, hit points were whittling away. The banshee was not going down, and in her anger, she fired off a death wail – her most powerful attack at Connal. The shrieking wail was like the claws of death walking over your grave and only the monk’s great will kept him from succumbing – but he still took 20 hit points of damage (the elven barbarian died instantly, Shim and Wilhelm were just out of range. Connal was down to a handful of hit points and Wilhelm raced in, healing at the ready and doles out.
And still she screamed on. And then Shim needed healing, and Wilhelm. And at this point, the group redoubled their efforts as the banshee was raggedly falling apart – and Connal struck the killing blow – destroying the banshee. Her death caused a feedback loop of negative and positive energy briefly coexisting that fed back to Connal and zapped him hard – frying about half of his magic items in the process.
We healed and took stock of our messes. – and they were plenty. We were pretty much out of spells. And the fear aura ended after a turn, so the others came back slowly and with care and concern. Everyone was tired and dirty. We picked up the few items that had been dropped and we decided to open the hut and rest.
We took out the meat that had been purified from the Leucrotta room and cooked it here, and then we doled it out and ate it. We felt our hurts and healed some more, and then tired and so done – fell asleep. We awoke the next day and prayed, studied, and got ourselves ready to go. Past the banshee chamber was the next passage down, and from up here we could hear music – chaotic with hints of melody, mostly flutes and harps.
We checked our gear, tied a number of ropes together and made the trip again one at a time, 2 people at the top lowering the others one at a time. Finally it was Godrick with a levitate taking Darius down, and then Connal was last with the rope and some careful climbing. By 8:20 on the 21st, we were at the bottom.
Short hall to a room with dozens of puddles and colored drips falling from the ceiling 6’ up, motes of light flitting about. We did not want to enter, and the water was making the music. And the motes were bothering us. The thought was fairies. Wilhelm spoke Sylvan so he tried first. And one of the motes drew closer. It was naked 3” tall winged figure. Called itself Bluebell.
They had come here some time ago, following the neogi just ot get something from them, through the wrinkle down below. But they were sort of trapped here now. There is something otherworldly behind them – and the Neogi and their machinery hurts them to pass. We convinced them the neogi were all gone, so they turned off the music water thanked Wilhelm, let us know to be “Afraid of the fear ahead!” and they flew on and off, up the passage to eventually the world above.
We got past the room now with better ease, and from here the passage had three choices – south to another 15’ cliff and then a split there east and southwest, nor west a bit and then north. Shim checked the gem, and it was pointing down…and just a notch west!! OMG! Getting closed thank god! (500’ or so below the ground?!?!)
We took the north passage and as it went 40 or so paces, it turned to the west. But those in the front started to feel…worry. Like a strange all consuming fear and worry. Um…back up.. Shim tried to fire off a dancing lights spell and it went into the larger area beyond, illuminated some …tentacle thing…before the lights faded.
And we then could all hear it talking to us in our brains. It asked if the group is willing to lie that it will free it. They are doing their best. We’re still lying right? It called itself a Feyr, and comes from a different world without time, just emotions. It came here through the Wrinkle a few years ago, took out the Neogi patrons, and then was looking to leave when some Githyanki came in doing something near the wrinkle. So it leaves its body hear and sends its mind elsewhere to hunt about.
We could feel that anything with this powerful creature was not in our best interests. But we played nice and it said it would let us past if we could get rid of the Githyaki. But they are past it – so we could…yeah, not happening. We backed up and it faded from our minds and we felt better. We went to the cliff, made our way down to the bottom. The lantern ran dry and we had to refill it again. Relying on Shim direction, we went southwest. Passage went for a bit and then looped back to the north – dead ending and at a pile of busted glass almost 4’ tall covering an area 25’ at least . We backed up griping and moaning, and went back to the other passage to the east.
The corridor went on for 35 paces then turned south and there was a smell, foul like rot. Ground sloped away and ceiling went to about 18’ in height. Biggish area, burl of a tree, almost to the ceiling. In the back of the burl, was an oversized treasure chest painted blue and red, poorly made. 5’ wide, 4’ deep and tall.
“Mimic” the group said. “Fuck that”
Shim gave a summons, getting a goblin this time. Had it sneak around to the back of the box, where it crept up on the box – and was immediately eaten.
“Mimic.”
It turned to us and jumped forward – while 4’ 5’ wide leathery winged huge eyeballs with tails and spikes dove down at the party. The mimic spat a huge amount of glue, sticking Darius to the ground. The group was going to split up but now committed to staying. Nate and Rhygar drew up to receive a charge as Darius was hit and poisoned by the eyewing monster. Eoghan threw some arrows and Connal monked out of the way.
The big thing was Shim dropping a gelatinous cube – right on the damned mimic – stopping it there and forcing the two of them to do battle. We took out the eyewings with little more issue and then the mimic which was pretty messed up from the cube was finally dispatched. We looked inside (after healing), and found 4 magic items: A staff, a bat winged cloak, a sword, and a shield. Shim assured us everything was magical, and quite a bit – so treasure was doled out and we discussed heading back to face the Feyr now.
Plantmonth the 21st , 10:30 PM, 239 of the 29th age.
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