D&D 5E Escape the Underdark, Fear the Madness, and get Out of the Abyss - IC

[hero4hire]

After expending his healing powers on the injured, Kildrak settled in, grateful that they had found an ally. Now that they were free however, he was not sure if many of his fellow escapees were to be trusted. With resources scarce, and the very nature of some of them, he was certain there would be trouble. With that Kildrak attempted to sleep with one eye open, cuddling his warhammer. The attempt was short-lived and soon heavy breathing of deeper sleep was apparent.

 

[hero4hire]

When sleep finally claimed the dwarf. so did the nightmare. It always was the same, the soothing sounds of the pick and hammer against stone. The warm feeling of comraderie of the Clan as they worked together to make the Hard Earth give up its treasures.
Then the pain of a poisoned bolt; cold paralysis seizing his limbs. The scene shifts to a Drow Torture chamber...but it isnt't he who is tortured but Eldeth. Kildrak forced to watch frozen as her screams echo in his ears. Tears stream down his cheek as Eldeth turns into his Mother crying for Kildrak to help her. No matter what the Drow do to her; she somehow lives...in pain...until the Dark Elves leave the Dwarves alone together and Kildrak...While embracing his Mother, to end her suffering, Kildrak breaks her neck.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

Grudach slept, like always, only in short bursts.

Not long after falling asleep, he had a waking dream, in which he would hear a sound, rise, and find himself in a cavern not unlike the one he'd fallen asleep in, but also changed. Sometimes everyone around him was dead, or they were secretly enemies in disguise. Other times, they would be gone, and he would go searching for them, only to find the exits sealed, or he would find someone, and they would turn to face him as a horribly twisted creature.

Every time, he would wake and look around, squinting in the darkness until he could tell that this time, for certain, he was really awake. He never woke with a cry, or showed any sign of inner turmoil, he simply opened his eyes. Then he would check on Thia, and then the others, and then try to get a little more rest, only to find himself in another, similar dream.

 

[jmucchiello]

The priestess' calm voice thunders in her head, in counterbalance to the cadence of the drow using the whip. The beating is like a song played for one. Her head lolls to one side than the other adding a smooth polyrhythm to the tableau. The questions make no sense. Thia answers each one with flowing details of the army's strengths and weaknesses. "NO," Thia shouts. "I told her nothing." "Division 4 is lead by...." "NO, no, no," "Division 5 is heavy cavalry...." "No, I told them nothing. I didn't betray...."

 

[TallIan]

Finnan gazed around the blackness around him, could he not see or was there nothing to see? Two milky orbs winked into existence and cast around the blackness, finally settling on the little halfling. "MMMMM" came a deep rumble from a huge, unseen throat, just as rows and rows of huge jagged teeth opened up to devour Finnan. He raised his hand to cast a spell but the cursed ring on his finger felt heavy. The more he focused on casting the tighter it seemed to grow. Crushing his finger and precluding his fingers from making the delicate moves required to summon the arcane energy. The metal of the ring began to spread, enveloping his whole hand, running up his arm. Abandoning his attempt to cast, Finnan turned to run but his legs were sluggish. The teeth loomed closer, closing around him and crushing his chest as the ring encased his arm.

Finnan woke gasping for breath, thrashing at the ill fitting armour he'd commandeered. As reason returned to him, he struggled out of the suit and threw it aside. The phantom pain in his hand made him reach for the ring, twisting it around his finger in an effort to calm himself.

[SBLOCK=Mini Stats]
AC: 13 (DEX) or 16 (Mage armour)
HP: 27 HD: 4/4

Offence:
Eldritch blast: +5 120ft 1d10+3F
Dagger: +5 5 1d4+3P OR +5 20/60 1d4+3P

Spells:
Cantrips: frostbite, prestidigitation; light, mage hand, spare the dying; magic stones; Eldritch Blast, Friends
1/1 Level 1: Mage armour
2/2 level 2: dissonant whispers, arms of hadar, phantasmal force, mirror image, mind spike
[/SBLOCK]

 

[EarlyBird]

Although you are free of the drow prison it seems another darker cell still holds sway on your minds. Waking in cold sweats or with the feel of teeth biting down deep into your flesh (actually a sharp pebble), the one constant pain is in everyone's bellies. They gnaw for attention, but as of right now you only have enough food for everyone to gain a mouthful before it runs out.

The second problem, where to go? No one, not even the deep scout Kildrak knows where you are or where you are in relation to the landmarks he knows. The dwarf is confident he can get you on the right path, just not so sure as to how long it will take.

Around your meager meal, Stool releases his spores so everyone can talk telepathically. The small myconid apologizesand then asks,

"Can we go home?"

 

[FitzTheRuke]

"I would love to go home, little one," Grudach said kindly to the little myconid, "But I don't know where my home is from here, far or less yours. Can you navigate? For that matter, does anyone know which way we should go?"

 

[TallIan]

As Finnan calmed down from the nightmare, he started to think about what he had to do. So far the underdark has sapped him of life and left him imprisoned, but he'd gotten his precious book - or part of it at least. Perhaps things were turning for the better?

Can we go home? asked Stool. Home certainly sounded good right now, but it was far away and there was much to see on the way. Do you know how to get there stool? he asked stool. The myconid's home seamed as good a destination as any.

 

[EarlyBird]

"We are from Neverlight Grove. We can go home, we will all be safe there." the myconid says excitedly through the link. You can feel his desire to return home, then his sadness at Grudach's question. "We do not know where we are or where to go. We are lost."

"I have heard of Neverlight Grove it is close to Gracklstugh, maybe a dozen days. I have a few trade contacts there so maybe we should go to the duergar city first, and then take the little lad home."

He looks around, "That is if we can find Gracklstugh or any place for that matter. I have travel the Underdark far and wide And I don't know where we are right now."

"And why are we not talking about getting to the surface. I have been away from the sun, the trees, and a fresh breeze for what seems like a lifetime. Please let's not talk of underground cities or groves, but of finding a way to the surface. That should be our priority." Derendil chimes in as if his logic is the simple choice and the group should take his advice.

Ront just grunts not wishing to give voice to the fact he is agreeing with the elf turned quaggoth.

"We aren't gonna be goin' far without food and water." the dwarf says wishing to stop any arguments for now. "And you can bet them drow will try and lock us all up once more if we no be a movin' soon."

OOC: Kildrak knows of Gracklstugh, not a hospitable place for strangers, but they don't shoot people on site.

 

[FitzTheRuke]

"We should certainly look for a way to the surface," Old Grudach agreed, "But that may prove difficult. It's not as easy as going 'up', or I would have found a way by now. I expect that finding a large Grey Dwarf City should be easier. We don't have to enter the city - just get our bearings by its location. Then, we can proceed to this Grove, or find someone who knows of a way up."