Episode 13 - Going Deeper

Having seen off this first batch of mine dwelling denizens we catch up with our heroes as they explore more of the Termalaine mine complex in search of the Kobolds and other creatures threatening the local miners. 

With no Stuart this week due to man flu Halfdan and Nemeia were put on guard duty. They would guard the entrance to the mine and make sure no one or no thing would enter or leave while Aldrick, Shayde,Tor and Grom would carry on exploring. 

And so the first encounter happened quickly as our four heroes were harassed by a multitude of rats (swarms, giant and plagued). Most were dispatched with ease but some were able to flee towards the exit where they would be dealt with by Halfdan and Nemeia. 

After this the party completed their exploration of the mine upper level, finding a bucket lift that they could use to gain access to the lower level one passenger at a time; Having all arrived safely down at the lower level Aldrick cast "Dancing Lights" to illuminate the area. The lift had brought them down to a small cavern with a natural stone bridge leading to a large open chamber filled with gem deposits, stalactites and stalagmites. 

In this new area our heroes came across a group of Kobolds and their leader Trex who had an amazing grasp of the common language speaking in a most eloquent manner. 

After a lengthy conversation with Trex the party were lead through to see the other kobolds who were busy mining, trying to remove a particularly noticeable gemstone which emitted a purple luminance. 

During the exchange it was noticed (by a good insight roll) that Trex was not entirely forthcoming with his reasoning for being in the mines or how he was able to speak so eloquently and the group noticed that he kept reaching for, and fondling reassuringly, a small leather pouch hanging from his belt. So while distracted in conversation with Aldrick, Shayde with a high sleight of hand roll managed to relieve Trex of his pouch; quickly tossed it to Grom; which on inspection turned out to be a collection of old dried moses, lichens and fungi. 

Upon realising his pouch was missing Trex went into a panic. Ignoring our heroes call for calm and to come clean and tell the truth Grom moved close to edge of the deep chasm that descended hundreds of feet down into darkness and tossed the pouch over the edge. 

Within moments of the pouch being tossed, a number of strange creatures appeared over the rim of the chasm and hungrily moved towards the Kobolds who were huddled together. 

With initiative rolled it was the ever alert Shayde who reacted quickest, darting forward to stab at the nearest monster before using her cunning action to disengage and fall back. Lookout swooped down from his perch to distract the monster while Aldrick unleashed a stream of fire as he cast "Scorching Ray". Grom said a small prayer to invoke "Hail of Thorns" before taking aim with his crossbow to tell the first of 3 of these floating aberrations.

Two more of these floating nasties moved into attack the Kobolds. A crazed Trex spread his wings and swooped across the cavern trying to drop rocks on our heroes but missed. 

Tor cast "Entangle" hoping to grasp two of the floating monsters and the kobolds but only managed to affect the Kobolds which helped the monsters ultimately. 

Shayde stabbed Trex. This lead to the release of a ghost that had possessed him which in turn frighted Grom with it's horrifying visage.

As the two remaining floating abberations closed in on Tor, Aldrick did what most wizards do and retreated out of their range and continued to fling fire bolts from afar. The Ghost didn't really engage in the fighting and instead flew off in search of the pouch that had been thrown into the chasm. 

Grom shook off his fright and slung his crossbow over his shoulder. Giving a Dwarvish roar he pulled out his great axe and prepared to charge the monsters that had now grappled Tor with their tentacles. Giving herself a strength boost Tor invoked her "Combat Beast Form" transforming into a ferocious brown bear and clawing and biting at the creature that was grappling her.

Shayde twisted and turned, darting from stalactite to stalactite, managing to sneak up behind the monsters, and armed with her dual shortswords, plunged them deep into the bulbous unprotected brain of the first creature. 

Grom joined the fray too swinging his double bladed great axe with Dwarven precision landing another heavy blow. The Grells lashed out with tentacles and beaks before Shayde managed to expertly dart into space to plunge her shortswords again into the brain stem of the last Grell,  rolling high with her "Sneak Attack" damage.

In the aftermath of the encounter our heroes searched Trex's remains finding a journal cataloguing various types of flora and fauna from the region as well as an account of Yetis. The other kobold bodies turned up a couple of small tourmaline gems.

Shayde and Tor used their time to extract two vials of poison from the Grell's stinging tentacles while Aldrick and Grom investigated a strange fossilized skull in the mine wall that housed the illuminated gem. Casting "Detect Magic" revealed something ancient but unknown. 

Confident that the caverns were now clear of any immediate danger, our adventurers departed the mine complex and made their way back to town to the "Blue Clam" where they enjoyed a bowl of rabit stew while listening to further rumours about attacks in Lonely Wood as well as how the Termalaine militia and miners have been coerced by a shadowy faction from Targos. 

After a long day since leaving the Dwarven Valley our heroes were now looking forward to a good long rest at the Eastside Inn while they waited for speaker Oarus Masthew to check the mine was indeed safe. 

To be continued,.........,...............