The Deeper Levels

Eyre 15th, Sul, 998 Y.K.

The group descend back to the area they were previously searching on the Winch Level.

The Waterwheel and Lever Room (33)

A giant waterwheel creaks noisily here, almost drowning out the thunderous sound of rushing water. A huge pulley wheel runs heavy ropes to a platform that seems to lead down. Barrels of tar and grease sit in the corners and a small door leads off on one wall.

The Lever Room

The door to the west is small sized. Upon entering the first thing you are faced with is a series of levers on the left hand wall. Beyond these you can see complex gearing, giving this room (to the untrained eye) a chaotic look of random webbed ropes.

Kapek checks the room over but refuses to touch anything in there. Loric with his impetuous nature feels the need to find out wht these levers do and so begins to pull them randomly. The first lever pulled sets the pulley in the room behind him into life, the sounds of creaking gears and ropes snapping taut fills the air and the platform in the room by the water wheel begins to descend. The second lever pulled has a rather more dramatic effect as the ropes in the main shaft begins to snap taut and huge gear wheels groan into life, the lower of the two platforms grinds against the walls of the shaft with an echoing screeching and cracking. Already broken, the platform breaks free of its tethers and begins to fall, crashing and bouncing into the darkness, the party do not hear it hit the bottom, although they do hear it bouncing and crashing for some time.

They decide it is time to leave this area and head down the stairs past the ore shipping room.

*Anvil comments
Anvil once again marvels at the craftmanship of these people and wishes he had the time to investigate all parts of it to greater understand how and why it all works, or once used to work.
 

The Polishing Room (34)

Down the stairs from the Guard room is the Polishing Room. This is where the ore used to be cut and polished so that mineral density could be clearly determined. It was here that the merchants would gauge the worth of the ore before setting a price and shipping it out.

This reasonably large room has several tables and work –benches, a couple of chairs lie knocked over, some foot pedalled sawing device along one wall is surrounded by small chips of stone. On the far side of the room is a heavy steel door with an expensive looking lock.

The simple foot pedalled table saw still works, but only fragments of ore remain and are worthless.

A heavy door in one wall opens to further stairs leading down.

The Merchants Level

The Guard Post (35)

An empty weapons rack stands here and a once ornate banner hangs from the wall above depicting a warhammer set behind a shield with an anvil motif. A stone table and a couple of benches stand in one corner.

The Entrance Hall (36)

This was obviously once a vast ostentatious display of exuberance. From the great, ornately carved double doors the first sight would have been a vast, gaudily painted relief on the opposite wall.

*Kapek comments

Kapek is increasingly feeling the oppressive weight of the rock, hundreds of feet thick, above him and the closeness of the air. He cannot understand why any race would want to live in this gloomy mausoleum, shut away from sun and wind.

A depiction of two dark skinned dwarves, one male one female, proud, heads held high walking away from several other dwarves who are obviously seething with hatred, their faces contorted with venomous glances - perhaps jealousy. The Dark skinned dwarves, white beards glowing with holy glory, are heading for a magnificent anvil surrounded by weapons of obvious magical power and enchantment. Beyond that is a vast army of these dark dwarves battling all manner of aberrations, Illithids and beholders seem to be primary targets. Opposite the relief is a stone bench for newcomers to sit and contemplate the vast mural.

In the centre of the room is a plinth, upon the plinth stands a huge anvil with a slice in the top, (this is where the magical axe of the Duergar Clan ruling here used to rest, as if stuck into the anvil).

*Anvil comments

Anvil smiles to himself that his name-sake an anvil should be in such a position of importance, he feels as if he would have liked these dark skinned dwarven people. He makes a plan to craft a stone anvil as a statue to be placed outside of his workshop once the group return to Sharn as a way to show that the workshop is open for business and as a reminder of this grand adventure.

Tapestries hang in three of the corners of the hall; they depict weapons that glow with enchantment, a Warhammer, a Waraxe and a Dwarven Urgrosh. A massive fireplace stands at one end of the hall, vast and ornate. At the opposite end of the room stands a large pedestal, marks where something once rested are visible but now there is nothing.

There are three sets of doors in one wall. The centre doorway has a great set of double doors, heavily bound in iron, they appear to have been particularly well travelled in times distant.
The other two doors are barricaded shut; planks of wood have been unprofessionally nailed across the doorways on this side.

A crude sign written in both Draconic and Common reads, “You no Enter. Lurker lurks here.”

Ajax smashed through the barricades of the first door with relative ease, his morningstar not the most subtle or quiet tool to be used. The group are faced with a corridor filled with thick webs, their visibility is reduced to just 15 feet so they decide they must get rid of the obstacle and the best way would be by flame. After a few attempts they realise that the webs are highly flamable but the fire does not spread through the webbing, simply clearing about five feet at a time with an almost explosive heat. So after attaching a burning piece of wood to a rope they clear the path ahead of themselves.

The corridor ahead of them splits and they find themselves in what was once a kitchen.

The Kitchen (37)

This was obviously a kitchen that had the capacity to cater for quite a number of people. The walls are covered in shelving and cupboards; a large cauldron hangs over a fire-pit. Above the cauldron a crack in the ceiling once acted as a chimney and soot coats its edges.

The cauldron is now full of green sulphurous-smelling liquid that has dripped down the chimney shaft.

As Anvil and Ajax move into the room they head to the cauldron to investigate they notice that the ceiling is rippling with thousands of spiders that begin to swarm down the walls to attack the intruders.

Lorric moves swiftly and finds that although his swatting of the creatures kills a few, it is far from successful as a form of defeating the creatures.

Anvil dips into his pack and retrieves a flask of alchemists fire which he throws at the swarm, with some effect but not enough to stop its advance. In moments Anvil and Ajax are covered with the spiders trying to bite at flesh with their poisonous mandibles.

Ajax leaps back out of the swarm, desperately trying to rid himself of the vermin, swatting at them, throwing himself against the walls and rolling along the wall to try and squash as many as he can.

Kapek continues to keep an eye out at the rear of the group.

Lorric pulls out the groups last remaining flask of alchemists fire and, with calculated concern to the wellbeing of those caught in the swarm, he smashes the flask over the spiders. Friends and foe alike are caught in the flame but the swarm dies or disperses, whilst his allies take only minor injuries.

*Ajax comments
Ajax is suprised to discover just how much he hates spiders, particularly when they are crawling over him in their hundreds. However he is fairly sure his comrades accepted his explanations that the noises he made were war-cries and not anything else.

Once the threat is over Anvil continues to examine the cauldron, determining that the green liquid is simply some kind of sulphur rich run-off water that has been infused with minerals from rock strata somewhere above, and it seems as though some kind of algae has taken to growing in the liquid.

The group move on, heading back the way they came.

The Servants Dormitories (39)
This large hall is segregated into 20 cubicles each has a bunk bed and some have small chests within. Each cubicle was separated from the room by a curtain; most sit in crumpled heaps at the entrances now. The webs here are more concentrated than the corridors and several skeletons litter the floor, kobold and goblinoid alike.

The group begin searching this room before heading to the double doors. Upon opening these double doors they are face with another set of double doors which are open, in the way stands a huge figure. Surrounded by a swarm of spiders.

This vaguely humanoid-shaped creature is composed entirely of webs except for its eight spider-like eyes and sharp mandibles.

As it sees the group the spiders at the monsters feet scuttle towards the party. Could this be the Lurker?

Lorric, quickly grabs a bottle of whisky from his pack, taking a mouthful he begrudgingly spits it over the flame of his makeshift torch spraying the swarm of spiders with burning alcohol.

The ceature flings a mass of sicky webbing towards the party, holding them fast, they fear that the best way out of the webbing is to burn it, which will injure them all in the process, it is deemed to be a risk they must undertake.

Anvil recognises the creature as a web golem and rapidly infuses his weapon with the flaming property, before burning the web away, which in turn destroys the spider swarm.

*Anvil comments
Anvil hadn't thought that the first construct he would have to fight would be a creature made of web and is glad to know enough to defeat this creature before he and his friends were slain by it.

Ajax charges forward to confront the creature and soon discovers its greatest defense mechanism as his weapon becomes entangled in the sticky webbing that the monster is composed of and slips from his grasp.

It soon becomes clear that this construct is not to be underestimated as lesser attacks cause it no damage and any wounds that are inflicted rapidly begin to knit back together. Ajax is the first to feel the devastating force of the creatures slam attacks and Katerina is quickly in demand. The fight is prolonged and severe with the group losing their weapons in the creatures sticky body and taking massive wounds from the powerful slams of its huge fists. Lorric, realising that it would be particularly dangerous if he got his fists stuck in the creature hides at the back of the combat keeping watch for anything else, a wise choice.

The sound of alarm is raise as Lorric spots one of the doors begining to open, Kapek realising that he can do little against the golem heads to the rear of the group to aid Lorric, he sees the door open and from the darkness and webs crawls a huge spider, a glint of intelligence in its eight polished eyes, two huge tentacles protruding from its thorax. It moves towards the halfling and monk before its form flickers and bulges into a mass of writhing tentacles and begins to attack. The Lurker has finally found them.

The combat is almost lethal on several occasions, the group keep Katerina busy running between the two melees and healing as fast as she can, they use nearly all of their potions and other healing magics before the two creatures finally fall to the Crimson Fist.

*Anvil comments
Embattle aided in this task, the animated backpack running back and forth feeding healing potions from it's compartments to keep the Crimson Fist fighting.

*Kapek comments
Kapek is very grateful, obviously for the untiring efforts of Katerina to keep everybody alive, but also for the help of Embattle. He remains unsure how to react to the animated backpack though; is it alive, can it feel, does it understand him? He settles for a hearty thank you.

*Ajax comments
Ajax collapses, totally drained after the fight. He thanks Katerina, without whom he would be dead several times over. Finally he wanders over to the downed foes only to discover to his disgust that these two powerful foes had no ears!

They search the rest of the level.

The Servants Mess (38)
This is a large room with eight large round tables and very little else.
This is the common room where the servants of guests could meet and eat together; often forging deals that their masters could not.

The Library/Conference room (40)
This large hall holds row upon row of shelves, study desks and what was once comfortable seating. It appears to have once been some kind of library, but now the shelves are empty except for a thick layer of dust.
This room is where deals were struck and prices were fought out for the ore.

The Guests Quarters (41)
(1-14) All rooms are empty except for a bed and chest, most chests are empty.

The battered and broken group decide that they should take the body of the Lurker to the kobold village to fulfil their bargain and make sure they have safe passage from the tunnels should they need to make a swift exit. They also decide to head back to the surface for fresh air, recuperation and to check on how the animals there are faring. Kapek also needs to make sure his mounts are safe.

The group spend the rest of the afternoon in the springtime sun, Anvil digs four graves, with the aid of the others and places the lighthouse keeper and his family in them before respectfully carving several markers with their names and date of death.

They spend the night above ground in the lighthouse.

The group feel that they should review their decision to head any further into the tunnels below.

The Lighthouse

Eyre 14th, Sar, 998 Y.K.

Around 10.00 a.m. the group have climbed the steep valley side and arrive at the Lighthouse on the southernmost point of the Brelish coast.

They find that there is a small barn and a couple of rough shacks along with the solid building of the lighthouse itself around a cobbled courtyard.

The Barn (4)

This large building has a sliding, wooden door which stands open a fraction, darkness lies beyond. Strange gasps and wheezes can be heard in the darkness beyond.

The group slide the door open and enter.

The chicken coop has been decimated by a fox. Feathers and blood coat everything. The cattle are weak and cannot walk, rats have begun to gnaw at their ankles and sides, and their breath now comes in laborious rasps. The pig pen has been broken open from the inside and now lies empty as do the horse stalls. The sheep and goats are not well, but not beyond hope, if let out to graze they would recover in a couple of weeks.

A ladder leads up from the chicken pen to the hayloft (5), the darkness up there is silent.

Winterfeed for the livestock was kept here, now several dire rats have moved in, the group rapidly despatch the nests of the vermin.

The cattle are let out to graze and although there seems to be little hope for their survival, the group seem concerned, perhaps moreso than for any other living thing they have come across.

The Kennel (1)

Deep growling comes from the dark entrance, eyes glow green as they catch the light, and teeth bared glisten with saliva. A large dog chained here is in a sorry state, it is half starved, diseased and rat-bitten.

Once more the group display an extraordinary act of mercy and cast healing magics on the dog after feeding it.

They continue searching through the out-buildings before entering the Lighthouse.

The Tool-shed (2)

This is where most day to day tools are kept, gardening equipment, paint, oil, glue etc... Outside the shed are several barrels of some kind of oil or fat (most likely whale).

The Wood-shed (3)

A gentle thumping comes from this area as the wind blows the open door, as the wind builds the door becomes more frantic in its banging.

The wood supplies here are for the home fires as well as any other bonfire they may be having. It is well stocked and ready for winter.

A working water pump stands just outside this shed.

Into the Lighthouse

Living Room (6)

The front door is unlocked and leads through a small entrance room where cloaks are hung and dirty shoes have been discarded. A second door leads you into the living room.

The first thing that hits you with this room is the smell of rot and decay. As your eyes adjust to the dim light seeping through the shutters you can see a large, reasonably well furnished room. A large fireplace would have kept this place warm even on the bitterest nights.

Two doors leave the room, one to the tower and one to the kitchen, a set of stairs lead up and a trapdoor sits in the floor between the kitchen and tower doors.

The smell comes from the body of a man, his face is frozen in a look of sheer terror even though he is obviously many days dead, a short sword lies close by, but it has not even been drawn. Vermin have been nibbling at the body.

Kitchen (7)

In this room foodstuffs were obviously being stocked for winter, pickles, salted meats and smoked fish line the shelves of a pantry. Some of the fresh foods are beginning to rot. A half full cauldron of mouldy old cold stew hangs over a long dead fire.

Tower (8)

Stairs lead up and up and up. The top of the tower is some 50 feet above the rest of the house.

At the top is a small round room with a powerful telescope, a comfortable chair, a hearth and a selection of reading materials.. A ladder leads up to the beacon platform.

The Master Bedroom (9)

The door to this room is open. Immediately facing the entrance is a large double bed, a figure lies beneath the covers moving softly and rhythmically as if sleeping soundly.

Under the covers is the body of a woman, in her open stomach cavity 2 dire rats chew the remains of her organs.

After finding an item that Anvil identifies as "Hulbar's Hat of Infidelity" (a hat of diguise) the group (Loric in particular) take some time for frivolities, practising changing appearances.

The Children’s Room (10)

This bedroom has two small beds against one wall, wooden toys and dolls are heaped in one corner and clothing is heaped in another.

The Chart Room (11)

This room is filled with star charts, books on weather, navigation etc... All are stamped with the Brelish Royal Crest (indicating ownership). These would be useful to a sailor or traveller but not many others. They are the property of the crown and if claimed by those not authorised it is an arrestable offence.

The Cellar (12)

Ales, fruits, fresh and cured meats, pickles, smoked fish, flour, salt etc...pack shelves in this cold room, stocked for a long winter, barrels and crates are stacked on the floor. Some of the food has been spoiled by rats but most is ok, some has recently been disturbed, jars opened and the like.

Unknown tracks in some spilled flour coming from a large cupboard whose door stands slightly ajar. Mostly Dire rat, but one set of small clawed footprints, they appear to be webbed footprints.

The cupboard was home to many jars of herbs and spices, most are now spilled and broken. In the back of the cupboard is a hole bored through the wood from the earth beyond, the wood looks as if it were clawed through. The tunnel beyond is about 2 ½ feet in diameter and extends beyond 15 feet. This heads to the tunnels. (area 13)

Beneath the Lighthouse

The Collapsing Room (13)

As the tiny runnel is crawled along the walls change from earth to stone and it opens out into a small chamber filled with rubble and debris. The walls in this room seem quite recently hewn.
This room appears to have been designed to collapse at the pull of a rope, sealing the tunnels off. A simple strut held the ceiling. A rope was pulled from the shaft, removing the strut and thus bringing down the roof. But the collapse was not complete.
Ahead a shaft leads down a vertical drop of 40 feet before another slick tunnel leads another 80 feet down at a 40 degree angle. A thin trickle of water seeps into the tunnel through the rock wall, the slope then ends in a 20 foot drop onto solid rock.

At the bottom, the group find themselves in a tunnel that leads away some fifty feet before opening out into a larger opening.

The Main Shaft (14)
Before you a wide shaft some 50 feet across drops away into darkness below and narrows to about 10 feet wide some 80 feet above you. A small platform juts out from the tunnel and from here a ladder leads upwards and an iron staircase spirals down into the darkness. Two thick ropes lead from the darkness above into the darkness below in the centre of the shaft.

The Pulley Room (15)

The ladder for getting here goes under an overhang making it very difficult to access this room.

The ladder creaks precariously as you climb into this room, as you reach the overhang you feel the steel shift a little making you pause involuntarily; it is a long way down.

The sickly sweet odour of decay drifts faintly down from the portal above.

As you reach the top of the ladder a small room becomes visible, a large pulley is built above the hole and several barrels stand in one corner, these contain grease and a mop for greasing the axle.

Kapek scouts out this room and after a terrifying climb, which involved him nearly slipping from the ladder, he notices several shapes clinging to the ceiling, wracking his brains he desperately tries to recall what they are, with sudden clarity he remembers what they are - Darkmantles. Quickly and silently he begins to descend the ladder, as Anvil see his return he shouts, "What is up there?"

Kapek freezes in his tracks as he hears a sound from above like the flapping of sheets in the wind, he clings to the ladder with pure desperation and tries to become one with the shadows as the first of the creatures comes driftring down into the shaft.

The combat is fast and furious, Kapek tries to get upward into the pulley room where there is solid rock beneath his feet, but the constant assault of the half-fiend darkmantle makes it difficult for him.

Anvil umbues an arrow with light so that the party can penetrate the darkness, but the other three darkmantles render it useless with their darkness ability and head toward the light sources on the stairs.

Eventually the creatures are defeated and Kapek returns to safety, chastising Anvil for his impatience and instructing that until the scout returns, the area is not considered safe.

*Anvil Comments
Anvil is truly sorry for his action and is pleased that no one was killed by his action. He is now much more aware of his need to be able to be steathly and mentally makes note to make a device to aid him in this way. Once more he also reminds himself that he has no need to be hasty and feels that maybe he has been watching the way in which his friends rush around and his taken the bad elemental of that in his own actions, "Act swiftly when danger is present and act with thought when it is not " he thinks to himself.

The party head down the stairs.
About 50 feet down from the tunnel that they entered the shaft they find a tunnel that heads into the rock face. They head into trhe tunnel with Anvil leading the way searching for traps, it is not long before he finds one, a trip-wire that triggers a rack of spikes to swing from the ceiling. He disables it and they continue along the passage.

Another 100 feet along the passage widens into a small cavern, Anvil detects a false floor and several small figures can be seen hiding among boulders to the sides of the room. He addresses them and a high pitched yapping voice replies. Kapek recognises the voice as draconic and a kobold comes into view.
The Kobold asks what they are doing here and explains that this is their territory, he makes them aware that although they have been into the lighthouse foraging it was not them who dug the tunnel, it was those from below. He tells the group that they must come with him to meet their leader.

The group are led through several hundred feet of tunnels, avoiding many traps on the way before the passage opens out into a huge cavern that appears to be an excavated seam. Within this cavern is a shanty town, bustling with kobolds, loose wooden structures clinging to every available surface. The smell of cooking and smoke fills the air, they are led though the huts to a larger structure where an important looking kobold sit on a veranda flanked by guards and dire weasels. He is dressed in robes adorned with feathers and strange plant materials. He introduces himself as King Gribdel.

They are told that they are free to leave, but if they wish to pass back this way they must help the kobolds. They are told that in the darkness below there is a creature that the have barricaded in, this creature they call the "Lurker", it was once a spider but now it has been tainted by the darkness below into something worse. He can also offer them a cloak in return for this favour.

He lets them know that the things that dug the tunnel came from the darkness below and are warped versions of whatever they once were. One of his scouts tries to describe the creatures in more detail but is vague, Kapek offers the scout the Hat of Diguise that they found in the lighthouse so that he may show the group what the creatures looked like, after several tries he succeeds although he has difficulty with the tentacles that protrude from their shoulders.
It is a goblinoid figure with rough fur growing through its blue scaley hide. A film of black swims across its eyes.
King Gribdel informs the group that his people have lived here for over 250 years and they found that these old mineral seams were a good place to live as fresh water gathers at the base of the seam. It appears that the people who dug theses mines were after a mineral known as violet garnet.

The group are told that another 200 feet down the shaft there is a second kobold colony and a guide will take them that far so that they are not attacked, after that it is another 300 feet or so before they complex begins. They will know when they reach the lair of the "Lurker" as it is well marked.

And so the group move into action once more, heading downward into the shaft's depths.
As promised they are given a guide who leads them as far as the next kobold camp, once there he tells them that he will travel no further.

Some 300 feet further down the shaft the group come across a passageway. The walls and floor of this tunnel are well crafted, the floor is cobbled and the walls are expertly rendered. The group head in, in search of answers...



The Slave Level

The Slave Master (16)

This room was obviously once very plush. Rich linens cover a large well sprung bed, a large chest of drawers stand in one corner.
As the group investigate Anvil disturbs a nest of monsterous centipedes in the chest of drawers, the vermin are quickly despatched before they cause any problems.

The Communal Slaves Quarters (17)
This room has the floor covered with straw and many sacks stuffed with similar fibrous material. The stench of stale excrement is still strong here; you can only guess how it smelled whilst occupied. The walls are covered in graffiti, mainly in the goblin language, it appears as though this room was home to perhaps 40 goblins.

The Slave Cells (18)
Each of these cells is a tiny room with 2 small bunks, they were obviously meant for smaller than average humanoids. Graffiti helps to identify the inhabitants as Dwarves.
One of the bunks holds the skeletal remains of a short humanoid. There is nothing of worth to be found here.

*Anvil comments
Anvil feels some sadness that the Dwarven people had been imprisoned here, although his time with them has only been small he feels some affinity with them and their skill at stone working and crafting armour and weapons. He doesn't show any sign of it upon his face and continues on searching the cells.

The Manacles (19)
In this room there two sets of five huge rings set in circles in the floor, each ring has a length of heavy chain attached and what appear to be huge manacles on the end.
Claw marks etched into the floor around these rings are identified by Ajax as perhaps Umber hulks, huge subterranean aberrations.

The Prison Cells (20)
Thick plant growth fills the corridor ahead; beautiful yellow and purple flowers throughout the greenery emit a heady entrancing aroma.
The group identify the plant as a Yellow Musk Creeper, although they are unaware of any properties the plant has other than the intoxicating smell of it's blossom.
As they enter the corridor several door to the cells open and shambling figures move towards the group, clumps of plant growth sprouting from their bodies. They appear to have once been an adventuring party. The plant begins to fill the area with puffs of dusty pollen, Kapek feels a light-headed intoxication come over him but shrugs off the effects, the rest of the group, other than Anvil, move back out of range of this cloud of spores. The "zombies" are despatched quickly, Anvil remaining in the corridor while the rest of the group attack from a distance where possible. Eventually the plant and it's minions are destroyed and the party make the decision to burn the remains for fear of the spores contaminating anything or regrowing.

*Anvil comments
Anvil wishes the group had listened and he had just moved forward to burn the plant before anyone else was put in any kind of danger, Anvil doesn't like the thought of of the minds of his friends being effected after the trouble caused when Katerina had her mind altered.

The Pit (21)
Beyond the door the corridor slopes steeply down, a 30 foot slide, the sides and floor of this tunnel show signs of things sliding down, scraping their way, perhaps not of their own will....
It emerges into a room with smooth walls the floor is filled with bones, mostly dwarf, gnome and goblinoid. A roughly hewn tunnel leads out of the west wall; it is as though it was clawed through by something particularly powerful.

Water Cavern (22)
The group follow the rough tunnel on its winding path through the dark rock, unsure of the reason why it is not a more coherent path, a few moments later the sound of crashing water can be heard and the sight of a large insectoid creature can be made out staring into the turbulent waters.
This natural cavern has a spectacular waterfall plummeting in to the north and a turbulent whirlpool close to the walkway.
The umber hulk continues to look out over the water, perfectly still and seemingly unresponsive to the presence of the group. After some debate it is decided that Kapek should head into the cavern and see if there is further passage through the room. He heads in....
Once in the chamber he notices that the umber hulk is covered in a thick layer of dust, albeit damp from the spray of the waterfall, he nudges the creature that is still showing no response to his presence and with a sound of creaking and clattering the carapace falls to pieces, whatever flesh it once had is long gone.
The party discuss whether or not it is worth trying to find passage through the river but decide that it is too fast flowing to be safe.
With no further options in this part of the complex they head out to the main shaft and once more begin their descent.

*Anvil comments
Anvil for once wishes his size and bulk weren't causing an issue and begins thinking of some ways in which he can use magic and his artificer skills to craft something to help overcome this problem should it happen again.

Another hundred feet or so down the shaft and the group come across another passage, they enter.

The Workers Level

The Violet Garnet (23)

The door to this room is crudely painted with a picture of a gemstone, the word "Violet" painted above, and the word "Garnet" painted below.

Several rotten barrels lie overturned here alongside tables and benches. Occasional broken bottles or mugs litter the floor. This place looks like some type of inn or tavern. A huge symbol of The Mockery is painted over the bar.

The Store (24)
Barrels line the walls, this used to be where the ales and spirits were kept, and a hot stew would have been permanently bubbling over a fire-pit in the centre of the room with a small crack in the ceiling acting as a natural chimney.
Now this room is home to something else, a small bluish goblin like creature covered in scales and fur with tentacle protruding from its shoulders moves to attack regardless of Anvil's attempts to communicate.
As the group watch the thing changes form, becoming a writhing mass of tentacles, occasionaly a clawed hand or foot can be seen within the mass and as they fight the strange abomination its head shoots forth from the mass to bite at its attackers, the "thing" is killed and it reverts back to its original form.

*Anvil comments
Anvil is shocked by the changes that fleshy forms can alter into.

The Arena (25)
This room has a large set of circular doors on the floor some 20 feet across. They look as though they are reinforced so that they can be walked upon, auditorium style seating lines the walls.
The party lift one of the great wooden doors in the floor and find themselves peering down a deep and exceptionally smooth walled shaft. Anvil surmises, drawing upon his knowledge of architecture and engineering that the wall is so smooth due to the fact that whoever created it spent a lot of time and sand-paper on the project...

The group leave the Violet Garnet and head down the stairs they found near the entrance.

On the first level that the group find they can hear the sound of running water directly ahead, they head straight for this room to find a bath that has a constanly renewed water source as an underground watersource has been tapped into, fillling the bath which overflows into a grate around its base and is presumable drained back into the water flow.
Within this room they find three more of the strange tentacled goblin-creatures and one slightly larger rests in the bath.

The creature in the bath conjures a cloud of foul smelling vapour into the room, Anvil steps forward and begins the assault, the creatures take on the form of their amorphous mass of tentacles. The creatures fall one by one

As the combat continues several more of the creatures begin to move in from the corridors behind them, Ajax covers the rear of the group from the corridor with Katerina but sustains several particularly bad wounds from their viscious bite attacks. Katerina keeps the shifter on his feet but as the fight progresses the creature from in the bath moves down the corridor trying to get away from the party's assault and begins to attack Katerina as she is blocking its escape, the rest make chase, except for Lorric who falls foul of the vapours and begins vomitting. Ajax clears the rear of attackers giving Katerina the chance to get out of her predicament and the leadr becomes trapped between Ajax and Anvil. After a prolonge melee the thing dies at the hand of Kapek who has been attacking from behind Anvil with his sharrash.

*Ajax Comments
Ajax is very impressed with the mettle of the spell casting goblin, standing as he did against the entire group at once. He carefully takes his ear and affords it pride of place among his collection.

Once the combat is over the group search the rest of the level, determining that these were some kind of dormitories. Heading down the stairs they find three more levels of these small simple rooms, each having a rough wooden bed and occasionally a few personal belongings, judging by the apearance of these rooms they seem to have once housed dwarves, now the goblin-creatures have taken up residence in some of them.

Finding no further clues the group head back to the main shaft and begin their spiralling descent into the darkness.

About another 100 feet down the shaft the atmosphere tangibly changes. An overwhelming feeling of nausea, fear, doubt and uncertainty fills the senses. The air itself seems to thicken and coalesce around you, the darkness seems to hold sentience and you cannot shake the pervasive feeling of being watched. Nightmares sit on the periphery of your waking thoughts distracting your every action.
(All players are now at -1 attack/damage/AC.)

The Winch Level

The Main Shaft (Platform Room) (30)

In this chamber the stairs descend an overhang; at this point they become steel grill platforms hanging from the ceiling, an unnerving sight if one were to look at his feet as the entire shaft can be seen below.

A narrow bridge crosses the shaft here. Above the bridge a huge axle can be seen with 2 huge wooden pulley wheels. Ropes from one wheel lead up, the other lead down.

A set of steps lead steeply up to the platform that appears to go up.

Scattered around the floor are several skeletal remains and half eaten corpses most seem to be quite old, but others are much fresher, perhaps a few days.

One platform rests above the actual main axle and leads up to the mineral seam and is still functional, Steps lead from the bridge to a suitable height for loading and unloading. the second platform appears broken beyond repair, the rope has sheared and the platform now hangs precariously, wedged in the shaft.

As the group enter the area, their light source disrupts several Cave Crickets that have moved in and live within the shaft itself, they immediately begin chirping. The sound is almost deafening and the party can barely hear each other talking, when the lights are turned off the chirping stops, however the group decide that they need light in order to function.

*Anvil comments
This only helps to reaffirm Anvils need to begin work on a pair of Cannith Goggles as a part of his ongoing personal quest to overcome any faults or failings he finds in his Warforged body.

Ajax and Kapek search the  area for tracks and determine that several goblin-like tracks came from the narrower tunnel, and that footprints that appear almost boneless and tentacle-like came from the wider tunnel.

As the area is investigated Loric notices several flashes of blue-white light from the darkness of the shaft below them, accompanied by the faint sound of short, sharp cracks of energy. He decides to head back up the stairs a little and warn the rest of the group before going into hiding. Anvil however does not hear this warning above the sound of the crickets, he is busy searching, the narrow passageway for traps.

Moments later thae entire group can see the lights as the creatures that are causing the fly into view and begin to head straight for the light sources.

The creatures are determined to be aberrations known as Volts, it soon becomes apparent as to how dangerous they are when one aataches itself to Ajax's neck and begins to electrocute him whilst sucking his blood.

Eight of the creatures are killed before the assault ends and the group decide to head along the narrower of the two tunnels.

Ore Shipping (29)
A basic rail leads down a tunnel on side of the room and back in on the opposite side. An ore truck sits on rails as if ready for a load; a light chain runs from the front and back of the truck into each tunnel.
Four metal pillars keep the ceiling held up here and as the room is searched many tiny beetle-like creatures can be seen congregating on one side of the room.
Anvil recognises these bugs as Ether Scarabs, these panicky, harmless-looking beetles are native to the ethereal plane. A wide variety of ethereal predators eat ether scarabs, so the latter have developed the ability to flee across planar boundaries. They often appear on the material plane next to buildings or other large objects near which they have made their lair on the ethereal plane.

An Ether Scarab has six tentacle-like legs and a hard, amethyst-veined, chitinous shell marked by swirling, colourful patterns. It sports two pairs of vicious-looking mandibles, which it uses to tear planar boundaries.
The group find nothing else of interest here and investigate the next room, before deciding to finish investigating this level.

The Guard Room (28)

This room is empty except for a rough stone weapons rack. A tunnel leads of to the south where a staircase leads down into blackness.

As the party head back through the ore-shipping room and into the main shaft once more, Lorric decides that it is best for him to sneak some distance behind the party, the rest of the group are crossing the bridge as he leaves the ore shipping room and he notices a blue, spidery hand reach through the fabric of the planes and pluck one of the beetles from the air, he can make out blunt rubbery tentacles twitching in the darkness beyond. He makes the choice to inform the others of his sighting.
Meanwhile in the shaft, a gentle breeze begins to blow from below, the sound of cracks of energy resonates from the depths and a pervasive blue-white flashing begins to rise from the darkness. Concerned for their safety the group retreat to the area they have just explored and here Lorric tells them of his sighting. Concerned that this could be the "Lurker" that the kobolds told them of they make ready for attack. Anvil remains at the tunnels entrance and witnesses a vast swarm of volts rush into the cavern, swirling the air and crackling with energy. He holds his shield in a defensive position and keeps the tunnel blocked, as time passes he hears the cave crickets chirping begin to stop one by one.

*Anvil comments
Anvil is pleased that his size and stoic form can be used to defend the whole group. His ability to stand completely motionless is once again put to good use.

Behind him however the rest of the group seem to have agitated the ether scarabs and they begin to attack, only minor wounds are taken by the party and an interesting effect of the scarabs death is that they explode into a tiny planar rift upon their death, by the time the combat is over, there are sveral of these rifts gradually closing throughout the room. The group take the opportunity to peer through these holes into the ethereal realm and try to see what is behind the veil.
They can see a single form moving in the ethereal, a blue-skinned wiry humanoid with what appears to be a thick mane of short, blunt tentacles, it cannot be clearly made out beyond this shadow visage. Lorric slings a rock at it although can not be sure whether or not he made contact as the rifts close up leaving the worlds separate once more.
The raging activity in the shaft subsides with the rapidity in which it arrived and the tunnels once more fall into silence and darkness. The party head on, across the bridge and into the wider tunnel.

The Winch Room (31)
Two great sets of wooden gears are sat silently here, a barrel of tar by each one. Ropes lead from the vertical gears to the platforms (in area 30), and from the horizontal gears into holes in the walls. The ropes are daubed with some kind of tar or bitumen to prevent them slipping on the pulley wheels.

Ajax notices that there is an unusual amount of brown dusty material around here, and anything metal seems to have been practically destroyed, crumbling to rust as it is touched.

The door ahead can be seen to have no metal components to it at all and appears to have simply been propped up. The group have all heard rumours of rust monsters and fear that they are about to encounter one, Anvil seems particularly concerned.

*Anvil comments
Anvil, twice in the same day begins to think of ways to overcome one of his failings, he needs to get himself enchanted with Blueshine. Anvil is not ashamed by his need to fall back and allow his friends to deal with the Rust monster it is a tactical choice.

Ajax strips himself of as much metal as possible, takes hold of a quarterstaff and heads down the passageway searching for traps on the way. He heads up two sets of steps and reaches the far door in safety. Lorric enters the corridor next and as he does he sees the shape of a humanoid form clinging to the ceiling just over halfway down the tunnel, he manages to distract the creature just enough to go into hiding, this alerts the rest of the party behind him that there is something wrong.
Ajax checks the door infront of him, seeing that like the previous door all metal parts have rusted to nothing, he finds no traps and prepares to push the door open.
Lorric takes the opportunity as the thing on the ceiling is watching Ajax to leap from his hiding place. He pounces into the air and grapples the thing to the ground, the rest of the party move forward to attack and Ajax kicks the door in to be faced with the hugry antennae of a rust monster.

As the combat progresses, it becomes apparent that the creature that Lorric is wrestling is a choker, although larger than the ones they have encountered previously. And it also becomes apparent that they had not noticed one as they entered the tunnel, it was on the ceiling directly above the door, and as the party charged in they left Katerina on her own at the rear. The elven healer soon finds herself in the vile clutches of the aberration, unable to speak or breath. Without the quick thinking of Kapek and generous usage of his wand of cure light wounds Katerina would certainly have died of her injuries.

*Anvil comments
Anvil is pleased that the tactics to save Katerina worked well, but is aware that Katerina needs to always be in a more secure postion.

Meanwhile Lorric continues to wrestle with the other choker and Ajax battles the rust monster alone except for the help of a celestial dire badger that Anvil summoned from a wand. Ajax's fury grows as the monster before him smells gold in the shifter's belt pouch and brushes it's antenna into the bag destroying nearly 200 gold.

The combat ends leaving the group decidedly low on resources, Ajax is to weak to shift or rage without rest, Katerina has no more healing spells left and so the group decide to return to the Slaves Level to rest there. They assume that it is perhaps 4 or 4.30 in the afternoon, a little early but it gives them plenty of time to recuperate.

*Ajax Comments
While the rust monster is dead, Ajax is still in the grip of his ferocity and there is a short interlude as he stomps the unfortunate's creatures remains while yelling, "That's 5,000 beers you just cost me!" and similair complaints...

They examine the room that they are in before journeying back.

Device Room (32)
The central focus of this room is a polished metal disc some 12 foot in diameter and at least 6 inches thick. A series of large pipes and cables run to and from the disc.

Looking up you can see a shaft that is exactly the same size and shape as the disc.
Rings are welded to the steel in places where it seems things were tethered.
As the disc is investigated it becomes apparent why the rust monster did not destroy it, it has a purplish sheen to it, Anvil identifies the metal as Byeshk.

*Anvil comments
Anvil is amazed at the metal and may look into getting some as a possible coating for his adamantine body to futher fortifty his armour, he also marvels to the workmanship both here and in the device room and wonders at the times gone past, he makes a mental note to look into history books when the group passes by the Sages home.

The warforged spends some time attempting to cobtain some of the Byeshk for further study. As he chips away at the disc he finds that it is a thin coating, perhaps 2-3 mm thick over the disc and pipes.

Mined in the Byeshk and Graywall Mountains bordering Droaam, this rare metal is prized by smiths for use in jewelry and weapons. It has a lustrous purple sheen and is hard and dense. Byeshk weapons are known to be anathema to creations of the daelkyr, which can be resistant to other weapons.

Anvil also determines that a huge device behind the disc heated cold water in a boiler and the rising steam pressure filled a piston beneath the disc causing it to lift. Once at full extension the shaft could be locked into position.
The group assume that it rises into the arena several levels above.

The Journey to Bluescar

Eyre 12th-13th, 998 Y.K.

Eyre 12th - Zor

Anvil, unable to convince the alchemist to loan him his workshop for any longer heads to the forge where he is hoping that the smith will allow him to cast Unseen Crafter in order to begin work on his shield that will one day become his weapon familiar.
Upon entering the forge Anvil notices the crest of house Cannith emblazoned across the forge hood, and after admiring the craftsmanship in the warforged's physique he gladly allows Anvil to use his forge for 5 gold a day. He seems honoured that he would ask it of him.
Anvil responds, "I will speak of you highly when I return to Sharn, thank you for your kindness," handing him 25 gp.
"Should I not be back in 4 or 5 days my unsen servant will stop working and I will pay you for any trouble that is caused by the space that my equipment takes up."
After a hearty breakfast, and a few more ales for Loric, the party head out east along the coast, to Bluescar. They judge that they should reach Seaview farm by nightfall and hope they will be welcome enough to rest there overnight.

As the day draws to a close they see the weathered sign by a gate-post that reads "Seaview Farm".

Here they meet Trocard and Jerot Hairal, the farmer and his wife. The group are made most welcome and are offered a rich stew and barley wine.

Trocard confirms several of the rumours with regards to Bluescar.

He himself saw a glowing blue fog-bank roll in from the south on the night of the tragedy, which he can date as the 6th of Olarune 998 Y.K.

He walked out to the cliffs to take a better look and claims that it sat over the waters but never crept on to the land.

He claims that the day after the tragedy, Bluescar had a couple of visitors. They had found bodies by the roadside with their backs clawed and raked, and their eyes clawed out. They said that the hamlet had been left in such a hurry that meals were half finished, everyday jobs had beeen abandonned uncompleted. They said that livestock was unharmed. And finally, there seemed to only be a handful of bodies.

Since that time, as far as he is aware, Trocard claims that Bluescar has had no visitors, at least that he has seen.

He offers the group shelter in his hayloft overnight, or if they wish to pitch tents they may do so.

The night passes with gentle conversation, the farm couple ask questions about Sharn and city life, it is a world away from the life they have been born to.

Eyre 13th - Far

The group head out on the road once more. The day passes without event and as the sky begins to grow dim the land before them drops into a river valley and the houses of Bluescar can be seen in the distance by a golden beach. The massive slate-blue cliffs of the headland provide a grand backdrop, dwarfing the hamlet, giving it the appearance of a collection of toy houses and tiny fishing boats.

As they descend down the slope into the hamlet Ajax and Kapek notice something by the roadside. As they push the undergrowth aside the smell becomes all too apparent, rotting flesh. They uncover the body of a human man, he is in an advanced state of decay and his injuries are difficult to discern. His back has been torn to ribbons by clawed hands and his eyes have been removed, although it can't be determined when this was done as much of his soft tissue could have liquefied or been eaten by scavengers such as gulls.

The cursed hamlet of Bluescar lies ahead in a vale gradually becoming shrouded by twilight.

The group begin to scout into the silent hamlet. No signs of life here except for the occasional cow seeking shelter from the wind or the sound of dogs fighting over scraps of meat.
No home fires are lit, no fires burn in the hearths, many front doors swing open in the gathering winds there is no one here.

As they wander the streets Kapek and Ajax keep an eye out for tracks, there are none to be found, it has been over two months since the night that the blue mist was seen. They cross the river and spy a tavern, so they head there in search of any life.
Kapek comes upon some strange tracks that lead into the "Rusty Anchor" tavern, it looks like someone has dragged a sack or something into the bar, only there are no footprints, only hand-prints.
Upon entering the dark and still bar, the smell of stale beer and pipe-smoke hangs faintly in the cold air, the fire has not burned in many weeks and many of the tables are over-turned, some still have half-full tankards sitting on them along with half-eaten meals.

Ajax notices that the tracks lead around behind the bar, there is blood in the marks of what is being dragged. He heads around the bar to investigate, everyone expects a monster in the cellar scenario, but to Ajax's surprise he sees a human, its legs appear to be torn off and it has no eyes. The mutilated corpse bares it's teeth in aggression, the semi-decayed flesh beginning to tauten and dry out, it wildly thrashes out with it's broken, sharp nails. With one blow Ajax puts the thing out of its misery.

The group begin a house to house search of the hamlet.
They find empty scabards, within the houses, half-eaten meals, sprays of blood and the occasional dog-chewed corpse.
In time they come across a house where Lorric hears a low rasping exhalation or groan from within. Anvil knocks loudly with no response before kicking the door off its hinges and stepping in.
By the light of a dim everbright crystal, they can see the figure of an old man sitting at a desk slowly turning the pages of a book before him. Shelves of books line the walls, Lorric moves into the shadows and moves into a flanking position. Anvil tries to communicate with the figure but it simply turns its head slightly when it hears his voice and the continues reading, the alarm is raised and the rest arrive.
Ajax approaches the figure and sees the the dead flesh of the figure, lips tight and drawn, its eyes are simply dark cavities, he decapitates it with one swing of his sword, the old man falls to the floor, revealing that he only had one leg, and it appears that he was thus diabled in life.
Anvil begins to study the books lining the walls while Ajax looks ate what the creature was "reading".
The book is titled "The Writings of Wilgrim the Sage" and in thin spidery writin is the tale of Yberiggan.
Brief Synopsis:
"Decades ago Yberiggan the widow threw herself from Bluescar headland after her husband was lost at sea, as she fell she hollered a curse to The Devourer. As her body hit the rocky shore The Devourer cursed her in return, forever to serve her in the deep."

Anvil takes several books of local lore and interest, then the group continue searching the village before heading to the forge to rest for the night.
The forge is cold and, much to Anvil's disgust, many of the tools are begining to show signs of light rusting. Katerina goes round the building closing the wooden shutters that are beginning to bang in the gathering wind while the rest of the group make camp for the night.
The wind gathers as the night deepens, a storm blows in from the Thunder Sea, the sounds of wind and howling dogs are they only sounds through the night as Anvil and Lorric settle down to read some of the books they have collected.

*Anvil Comments
While the rest of the group sleeps or take they turns on watch, Anvil does what he does every night as his companions sleeps, he takes there weapons and armour one at a time and with great care and thought cleans, polishes and sharpen them where needed. (Kapek being a fine warrior and skilled craftman in his own right needs no aid with this). Then he turns his attention to the forge and once again with care and being as quiet as possible so as not to upset his sleeping companion, begins to clean the forge, sharpen rusted blades and prepare the forge to be lit by the next blacksmith. During these hours he pauses from time to time as one of his sleeping friends moans or jumps or moves in they sleep and he wonders what it is like to sleep and to dream.....

The Journey Continues/Gullsnest

Eyre 10th-11th, 998 Y.K.

The journey to Gullesnest continues without incident.
Early on the evening of the 10th the group realise that the feral prisoner they liberated is quite a burden. She begs for release in her more lucid moments and tries to bite, claw and scratch anyone close enough the rest of the time. Giving her a dagger they watch as she runs north into the barren twilight highlands.

Ajax remembers that he was supposed to be contacting Yulunga, his tribe's shaman, in Sharn on the 10th, unfortunately.

*Ajax Comments
Ajax is shocked to release so much time has passed. Growing up in the tiny world of the Fallen he never realised the world could be so big as to require more than a month to travel it.

As they travel the small of the air changes, a cool breeze from the coast fills their nostrils in contrast to the dry air of the Silln Highlands.

6.oo p.m. 11th Eyre

As the day begins to draw to a close and the highlands descend to the coast, the sleepy village of gullsnest can be seen ahead, gentle smoke of homely hearths can be seen lazily drifting into the evening sky, and dots of light from the homely cottages can be seen blinking into life.

Gullsnest

This is the closest port to Bluescar; it is also where the main road through the Silln Highlands ends.

It is a small town built by a natural river ravine, to the north sits a wooded hill known as Mount Greenwood. This hill is the site of the towns lord Grem ir’Kurven, his estate is known as Greenwood Manor.

Lorric, desperate for a drink, decides to find the best vantage point to locate a tavern. He heads to the water mill by the river and runs up on to the water wheel. Running as it turns beneath him he looks out to the town. Evelyn, who is familiar with Gullsnest, informs the group that there is an inn by the market-place, called "The Empty Nest". Lorric needs no further encouragement and charges into town, buying ten tankards of ale, and drinking most, before the rest of the party arrive.

Anvil goes in search of an alchemist with the intention of asking to use his workshop for the night.

The rest of the group arrive at "The Empty Nest", to find that Lorric has bought them drinks and rented the common room for the night.
Kapek stables his mounts, instructing a nervous stable-boy that he is not to approach his reptilian companions as they could be dangerous, the boy agrees without hesitation.
Ajax begins to ask around for any information on the lighthouse and Bluescar.
Kapek follows suit and the following information can be gleaned:

1. On the night of the tragedy several folk seemed to be trying to flee the village, they were found dying on the road with their eyes clawed out.
2. No bodies were found, although there were signs of struggle.
3. Whatever happened came quickly and unexpectedly as there were signs of people’s everyday activities unfinished.
4. No livestock was harmed.
5. The Headland has been cursed for centuries; the ghosts of lost ships haunt the rocky waters.
6. The villagers have angered The Devourer by not giving tribute.
7. Pirates wanted the lighthouse out of action so they could run ships aground.
8. A fearsome Kraken lairs nearby.
9. The townsfolk walked into the sea with blackened eyes.
10. Beautiful songs were heard across the waves that night.
11. A blue glowing fog bank was seen moving towards the town shortly after nightfall.

Meanwhile, Avil strikes a deal with Grimshaw, the village alchemist. With a chaperone from the village guard, he will allow Anvil to use his workshop through the night, as long as any components are paid for. He asks for a 500 gold returnable deposit up front and will check his stock in the morning to see how much Anvil owes him.
Anvil works through the night forging his first homunculus, a packmate he names"Embattled".

By the end of the night the group staying in "The Empty Nest" become minor celebrities.
Ajax wowed those who dared to listen with his ferocious tales of battle, and disgusted them with his ever growing collection of the ears of his fallen opponents.
Kapek, or as he is now locally known, "the dinosaur man", took Far-eye to the heath to graze and drew quite a crowd, all eager to ask questions and pet the strange creature.
Lorric got completely drunk and began trying to juggle his empty tankards, badly.... He was eventually encouraged back to the common room as he was intimidating the patrons. Here he continued to practise his juggling technique. When the rest of the group finally retired they found him surrounded by empty tankards and pools of ale covering the entire room.

*Ajax Comments
Ajax is genuinely suprised people are disturbed by his collection of ears. It comes as another indication of how different people are here outside the Fallen. He makes a decision to try to study these strange people so he can understand them.