The hidden

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
08 EXPLORE THE HIDDEN
SEGMENT 155
“JOCASTA THE WARFORGED”
11/14/17

SYPHEROS 2, 995

“The mission was a failure. We lost one agent and you two agents.” Begins Nadia.

The Aundarian spy master is not pleased. The lost of two of his agents is impossible to accept except for one thing…. The accursed John Play is dead also. The boy is infuriating as he is lucky and unpredictable.
Besides, he can afford to lose Caleb but may bring back Jocasta.

“I request permission for us to return to the ruins of Cyre and stop the Lord of Blades and retrieve our teammates body as we retrieved both of yours.”

“Little do I care about him or your own lives. Go! Go if you spy master agrees…. Or doesn’t.”


He has his trusted aids bring her body to a special room in a secret area of the Royal Eyes compound. He then contacts the head of the House Jorasco healers guild.

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“Are the repairs made?” commands the Savior of the warforged. There was some damage created when the Emerald Claw invaded and their undead clawed and chewed at the controls. Also, one of the artificers was made inert. He was repaired easily but mentally he was no warrior. He needed time to recover his nerves.

“Then begin the process once more. Bring me SN #3!”

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“Are the rituals readied?” asks the spymaster.

“They are Master Hilanger.” Says the halfling Druid / Cleric.

The oiled body of Jocasta is placed on an alter. Before it is a large tub of mineral water with magical treated stones on the bottom. Burning and blessed coals from wood and herbs remain lit in bins surrounding the water tub.

“In the names and powers of Boldrei, Dol Arrah, Olladra and Onatar I call on the Keeper. I wish for the spirit and soul of Jocasta Diane Willowspear to hear me.”

The fumes and flames move abruptly as if a strong wind came by. The eyes of the halfling ritual leader widen at the awe and power he manipulates currently….. the power of a god.

“Daughter of Benjamin Gree Willowspear farmer and of elven blood, daughter of Jennifer Sarah Dasherjam also a farmer but of human blood….. daughter of the country of Aundair, the spirit of the Dragon Hawk and the passion of its peoples….. Do you wish….. are you willing to return to them?”

The water ripples and the stones glimmer slightly. Soon, she will be reincarnated into a new form.

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“Why do we return so soon?”

“Why my dearest Quintos…. Have you no faith?”

“I trust you my lord.”

“Good. Now be a good lad and give the command.”

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The artificer pulls a lever that begins the flow of energy to give the form life. At this very moment, the energy that is Jocasta’s soul hestitates in Aundair. She / It is distracted. Something calls to her mind. At that moment, the Emerald Claw once more try to take over the Forge.

As they float in from the broken window above, SN #1 and SN #2 step forward. These warforged are bigger than most. Not chargers but still special.

Suddenly the inert forged body of SN#3 begins to thrash about. It is coming to life!

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The halfling druid / cleric cannot help himself. He laughs in pure joy and bliss as the water bubbles and churns. Magic is shaping the four elements and creating a new body for her. A body that her soul can possess and live again….. in Aundair’s service obviously.

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Vollax and Quintos fly up through the window. “What is that thing?” demands the leader. “So much anger and fury….. all directed at me!”

“Move on my lord. There are three warforged with wings approaching us from the south.”

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“What is that ….. thing?!?” demands the leader. The druid / cleric’s bliss and rapture has changed to awe and even horror. Before them sits a woman…. Not elven or human…. Not even the original mix of the two. The half-orc sits up and stares at her hands. “who….. am I” it speaks in broken orc. On it’s forehead is a strange emblem or design…. A fingerprint of a spiritual matrix….. similar to that found on a warforged.

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
08 EXPLORE THE HIDDEN
SEGMENT 156
“MAP 54 01-22”
11/27/17

BARRAKAS 5, 1000

As the group enter a large clearing, the torches and sunrod reveal a large square opening in the floor. They sweep the floor with the light and find the entire floor is made up of square holes 5 to 20 ft wide. There are floating glowing globes of blue energy dispersed here and there within the pathways around the holes also.

Peering over the edge of the first 20ft wide hole Zig spots a black cloaked humanoid below. Emerald Claw. Feldrix moves within ten ft of a globe and a crackle of electrical energy reaches out and jolts him.

“Avoid…. The globes…..” grumbles the skeletal warrior.

At the bottom of another small hole are two goblins. Both are dead with no clear cause.

Half way across the large room Ayur hears something in a deep hole. Zig looks over and sees two slow moving Emerald Claw soldiers feeling and bumping into the walls below. They are both walking counter clock-wise.

“What is their problem?” Calls out Zig across the hole to Kyr and Feldrix.

Ayur answers first. “Zombies.” And with that the two look up with their pale pitted faces.

“I got this!” calls out Zig and he pulls out a rope.

“What is Zigland doing?!?” calls out Tyson as he leaves the hole he was looking into. He arrives as Zig shimmies down the rope on the opposite side from the zombies.

“I bet Zig wins.” Announces Kyr.

“Of course my student will win.” Says Feldrix.

“You would bet on the outcome?!?” says Ayur with a dumbfounded look.

Zig attacks and misses. Soon the battle becomes a clock-wise circle of swing, miss, move away, zombies stumble after. “Your student is being taught a lesson of never underestimate anything.” Adds the Inquisitive with a hint of a smile.

“May I have the odds?” asks a voice from a hole nearby.

Everyone except for Zig (still circling below) turns and watches as a Gauth floats up from the opening.

Giving the aberration no chance to explain itself or to attack, the group attacks it.
Kyr summons a large Dire Wolf behind the Gauth. Below, the dance continues.

Feldrix is burned by a scorching beam before the gauth is taken down. It falls back into the hole. They return their attention to the changeling. Kyr has his raven collect an eye from an eye stalk below.

Zig takes down one zombie. He has yet to behit but eventually he will get tired…. The zombie will not.

Fearing possible other attacks, Tyson checks other holes. One is too deep for his light spell to show the bottom but moving water can be heard below. The others seem empty.

Once Zig takes down the second zombie the group moves on and leaves the large room.

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
08 EXPLORE THE HIDDEN
SEGMENT 157
“MAP 11 01, 10-12”
11/27/17

BARRAKAS 5, 1000

The group come to a hallway running left and right. “Which way?” Asks Feldrix.

“Neither yet.” Ayur points to the floor. Blood. “Tyson…. If you would.”

The Master Inquisitive from Sharn looks at the blood from a few paces away. He notes the stains of old blood and the stickiness of new blood. He also looks at the possible splatter formation. Most of this blood is a puddle. The little that is not is drops from a moving person or animal.

Some of the blood is on the walls also. Smeared much like a bleeding person leaning on the wall for support.

“No signs of a trap but at least two people have been severely injured here. Both bled greatly. One recently and another….. weeks ago.”

“Thoughts on which direction to go?” Asks Ayur.

Feldrix goes left.

As they go on they a small series of blood trails. “Appears… I went…. In correct…. Direction.” Offers the undead warrior. If he could still smile he would be.

They turn the corner and spot a red eyed rat lapping at another small puddle of fresh blood. It glares at them until Feldrix stares at it. It scitters away with a squeak. Feldrix follows the small blood trail it leaves. The rat has run into a small room. Feldrix feels good in here. In chalk, a rune filled circle has been drawn.

Looking it over, Kyr and Zig are guessing it is necromantic in use. An area ment to increase the strength and / or creation of undead. Being chalk, recently made.

Finding nothing of interest they leave the room and walk through an exit.

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
08 EXPLORE THE HIDDEN
SEGMENT 158
“MAP 27 A-P & MAP 13 11 ”
11/27/17

BARRAKAS 5, 1000

“What do you see Feldrix?” asks Tyson.

“A… Bridge… over… caves,”

“Also a door to the right.” Adds Zig as he steps up.

“Lets try the door.” Offers Ayur. She is tired. They need to locate a place to rest soon.

The door is locked but Ayur easily opens it. Behind this door is a second door. Ayur goes directly to it without checking for traps this time. Electrical energy goes thru her and several others as a trap is triggered.

Beyond the trapped door is a large room with an abandoned camp. The camp sleeping rolls suggest two small and three medium sized sleepers.

They look around without disturbing the camp. Ayur believes the fact the camp was made but not used is a bad sign. Kyr believes it was made for them (by dad).

Ignoring a stature beyond the room, they look that way and find a flooded hallway.

“Lets sleep at the camp.”


BARRAKAS 6, 1000

As normal, Feldrix watches over the group as they sleep.

The thought of walking in water with no idea how deep it is or if there are things dangerous within it deter the group from going that way. Instead they go to the bridge. They are cautious as they pass through the doors again. The electrical trap has not been reset.

As usual, Feldrix takes the lead with Ayur. Kyr and Zig in the middle and Tyson following the four. They begin onto the bridge and find it stands over two deep holes. They cannot see much within the holes as they cross. Zig, still looking to prove himself, wants to go into the holes to explore. Before he gets far with his case, something drops from the dark ceiling above them. A Cloaker!

A terrible moaning sound erupts and several members of the team feel ill. Feldrix, undaunted by this affect, charges the aberration and strikes at it. As the creature attempts to grapple him, Ayur and Kyr attack it.

During this conflict Zig pulls out his rope and begins to search for an anchor point. This is most likely why Ayur is knocked over the edge as she saw the Changeling’s actions. The cloaker is killed and now the team looks to retrieve the half-elf defender. Zig has found an anchor and begins to go down. Unlike her, Zig has a light source and begins to see there are things down here within the hole.

Zig spots a mass of brightly colored shiny beetles. Going to the mass he spots a skeletal form under them. The skull has a snout with sharp teeth. ( ½ Dragon) Knocking the beetles aside, he also finds a magical long sword. Swinging it about him, it lights up with flames. He takes it as an improvement over his current sword. He then collects several colors of beetles.

Not wanting to be left out of the fun, Kyr climbs down the rope also. He collects beetles also. His added activity alerts some other creatures within the hole of new visitors. A swarm of Dire Rats come out of holes in the wall near Ayur. They go after Zig and Kyr mainly. Kyr is bitten by a rat and unknown to him, he is infected with Filth Fever.

Once these creatures are defeated, Kyr looks about once more and finds a small chest. Kyr tries to break the lock and doesn’t (crit 1). Ayur tries to unlock it but Kyr’s attempt has damaged it. Zig melts it with acid.

Within it is many coins and a ten inch sculpture of a fiendish frog like creature. Kyr can sense magic coming from it and wants it. Ayur will not allow him to have it. She keeps it.

As they leave, they cross over a section of running water. There is a “man-made” water system here that rises then falls back into the ground.

“Lets go” declares Tyson.

A bit of the action.....

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
08 EXPLORE THE HIDDEN
SEGMENT 158
“MAP 13 ”
12/26/17

BARRAKAS 6, 1000

The group come to a set of stairs and slowly walk down them. Feldrix, as always, leads them. He is the first to see the water at the base of the steps.

“Turn back?” Asks Ayru to the group.

“Lets look around. I think I see a neat looking statue.” Comments the summoner as he squeezes to the front and steps into the water.

“Hurrrm….” Grumbles Tyson while frowning.

Kyr checks out a tentacled head water fountain. Water pours from each tentacle into a large basin that collects the water then overflows onto the water within the room. Poking around the base Kyr discovers a disgarded necklace. It is made of silver, gold and platinum. There is a plate on it with straight edged writing. “boring.” Declares the summoner whom is looking for Xoriat goods.

Tyson picks it up grumbling. (to reach it, he has to submerge his arm and place his face close to the water) Picking it up, he appreciates the craftsmanship involved. It is clear that this was made for someone of great wealth and power. Turning the plate over, he looks over the dwarven writing. He reads it out loud. “Darron ir’ Hardmantle”

Ayru believes that this family lives in the Mhor Holds. A minor nobility of the dwarves.

“When this is done, I shall return this to the family.” Declares Tyson. Kyr shrugs his shoulders and looks further.

Spotting and wishing to escape the water, the group spot stairs leading up. Going here they discover a landing that leads to a spiral stairway leading up. They can feel a warm breeze from the stairs.

“Wonder where that goes.” Muses Zig.

Feldrix steps up to the stairs and is attacked by a spongy humanoid creature (choker) but he kills it quickly. “It…. Goes up.”

The group decide to camp here and consider things over.

Late into the “night” Kyr awakens. He is thinking about the statue the annoying woman has. He rolls over and sees she is asleep. Feldrix is looking up into the stairs. Smiling, he reaches over to find the Bag of Holding she placed the statue into. It is not the bag he grabs. Without opening her eyes or moving, Ayur calmly tells him to go back to sleep.

Stymied, the summoner withdraws his hand from her chest and pouts quietly until he falls asleep.

The group take their time in the morning. Zig has decided on a name for his newly found flaming magical sword- Tameo. He hopes his mentor will be proud.

His meal would not be. (Nac 1 still a 15 total)

Checking out the necklace and fountain.....

THE HIDDEN: BEYOND NEW WATER
08 EXPLORE THE HIDDEN
SEGMENT 159
“82 and EXIT”
12/26/17

BARRAKAS 7, 1000

[DM NOTE: players decided to explore further rather than continue with their plan of leaving. This decision was made out of character during Dinner break]

The group reenter the water and check out the door they skipped. They walk past the strange fountain and peak into the next room. There is thick fog-like mist in areas here.

“Nope.” Answers Zig.

They backtrack up the stairs and back onto the bridge spanning over the holes. Half of the group are still hoping to find the Emerald Claw. The other half are ready to leave the underground area. While crossing the bridge they decide to check on the camp area. Perhaps the people have returned.

The doors are not locked nor the traps are reset.

They have not returned. Alive? Doubtful.

They continue forward to a room they barely peeked into. Within the room is a statue roughly human shaped. It has fangs and eight eyes. Very spider-like. Finding nothing here, they leave through a new door.

They come to a new hallway. Unfortunately, it has a pit trap. No one falls in but the location is of such that everyone will need to leap over the trap on an angle. Everyone makes it except for Kyr. He finds the 40ft drop bad on the body. After a healing potion or two, he gets out.

Looking here, they see a red faintly glowing clear “wall” of light. Zig had jumped towards it and thus the closest to it. He and Feldrix checks it out. Ayur and Tyson have pulled Kyr up but on the opposite side of the pit from the mysterious red door. To reach them, they will need to jump across. Kyr, not feeling very well, fails and falls into the pit once more.

While Kyr is consuming more potions, Zig has an idea. He removes the strange red crystal rod he found earlier and compares it to the red circle on the wall with a hole at the center. Lining it up, he begins to slide it into the hole.

“Is that…. Smart?” asks the undead warrior.

A subtle hiss is heard and the red clear door disappears. They move over giving room for Ayru and Tyson to jump over. This time, Kyr climbs up on the side of the pit. No jumping required. “Heeheehee….. I don’t jump much….” No one notes the sweat and paleness of the summoner’s skin.

The large room here is empty and featureless. There is another colored door leading out and another exit that has a stairway leading out and a room.

Without checking these, they decide to camp here as requested by the summoner.

BARRAKAS 7, 1000

They decide to try the stairs leading up. They call up and disturb a bat that Zig strikes down. It is a normal fruit bat. “oops.”

They climb up the stairs and exit onto a dome within a larger room exposed to the air. Water fills the room and runs in from the surface. Beads are in the water and thickly cover the floor.

There are tunnels here that bring water also. The group try these first as an exit.

The tunnels wind in and out of rooms and areas that they cannot reach due to energy walls like the red one they saw but of other colors or very strong bars. One spot they think they recognize as been the water that went under the bridge they crossed.

Going down a new tunnel they see light and can detect a smell of decay. They follow it and find a large room filled with dozens, maybe even hundreds, of bodies. Adventurers, goblins, orcs and dead creatures are all here. Curious, but cautious, they climb out of the water tube and check out the room.

“What is this?” asks Feldrix.

“Equivalent of a sewer.” Suggests Tyson as he looks at the many tubes that water comes out of. These tubes or outlets vary in size from a foot to ten feet.

Ayur asks the summoner what he is doing. “I am looking for statues but all I am finding is coins and fancy weapons.” This gets everyone’s attention.

Even after giving a disapproving “Hurmm” Tyson goes through the bodies also. Mamy coins are found including the rare Platinum coin normally only used by nobles and the Dragon houses. Crystal armor is found on an elf. Many wands showing a great deal of use [DM NOTES: none have more than ten charges] A Blue rod is found. While they are searching, something (s) walk up onto them. Large tentacled three legged creaures with large sharp toothed mouths. Tyson has seen them before in Sharn’s sewers- Otyugh.

Using the wands found, the four sewer beasts are driven back with magic while the undead warrior and Zig attack them with their swords.

Once the creatures are defeated, they decide it would be better to leave the catacombs and try to find the Emerald Claw on the surface.

Bodies and Otyugh

The Hidden Catacombs...... Made with my Geomorphs 22 X 22 inches in size.