Salkan Soiree Ep29: Mapping the Unknown

 Run Date: March 6, 2024

PCs
Mina: Lv2 Explorer
Dalinar: Lv2 Ravager
Delvinan: Lv1 Nightblade
Enddilas: Lv1 Spellsword
Zile: Lv1 Ruinguard

Hench
None

Mapping the Unknown

The group jumped right into things by heading to the Wolfe Manse where they discovered a small group of the hyena barbarians making camp; the leader of which was the unblooded they’d tried to hire previously. After several obligatory greetings, the party camped out in their usual spot. The delve began the following morning.

Moving at combat speed and trusting Delvinan’s navigational skills, the party quickly arrived in the caves. After a bit more exploration and mapping, they ran across a group of giant centipedes. While the party made short work of them, Dalinar was left poisoned. The party formed a retreat and staggered back to town. Replacing Dalinar was Zile.

Another trip back to the Manse, another night of camping, and another rush below later… The party discovered a wide cavern with a deep dropoff. They listened and heard what sounded like a stream below them. Delvinan marked it down and the party continued southward.

The next chamber they discovered was hewn, but damaged; and was flush with old sculpts of Avarians. Its vaulted ceiling gave the impression of a chapel. Note: Avarians are effectively angels; alien humanoids with wings. Their flying cities being torn from the sky form the foundation of the current play area. Moving through the chapel, the party discovered a pair of twin paths. It was separated by 4 murals depicting 4 apocalypses (and no Avatar in sight).

After passing through the halls, the group arrived in a ritual room with a spiraling maelstrom on the floor and 4 pillars with Avarian soldiers spiraling skyward. They spent a couple minutes looking around the room, but discovered little of interest save a dead end with an old shrine. The group gave it a push and it rotated, revealing a secret passage into another part of the dungeon.

Pressing forward, the PCs discovered the next chamber was only half-hewn; giving way to the caves. Soon after, Enddilas fell down a chute to a lower level. The party quickly set to rescuing her; Mina holding a rope while Delvinan went down to save his twin sister. Delvinan arrived in time to find that fate was kind to her, and she only need someone help and some rest.

Meanwhile, topside, the group was assaulted by rotting boarmen with open bellies of oozing goo. Zile bravely stepped forward and held the line while Mina hurried to get the twins back up the chute. He did well against the tide, and Mina managed to spike the rope before joining the fray. As the final grotesque beasts were felled, however, Zile realized to his horror that the creatures held vicious maggots. With no way to remove them, he thanked his new allies. A final request: “I would rather die by the blade than become one of these abominations.” Delvinan drew his bow in one last act of mercy.

After this, the party quickly staggered back topside and hurried back to Fayum.

Rewards (Totals)

40xp

Afterword

We don’t use any online thing for mapping, and explaining oddly shaped rooms, chambers, pillars, et al can be frustrating. It’s also becoming more clear that the players are frustrated with the various obstacles in the way and coming home with little to show for it. More on that next time, though.