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D&D 5E [IC] Uller's Out of the Abyss
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JustinCase
the magical equivalent to the number zero
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Uller
Adventurer
Yeah, you get your gear. Surana grabbed it.
You all move off as quickly as you can with Eldeth and Sarith taking the lead and Shuushar giving direction. The dim light of the cavern quickly gives way to complete darkness. The passage fairly smooth at first with no side passages so the going is pretty easy but the surface dwellers especially begin to feel the constraining weight of the earth bearing down on them. Eventually the passage comes into an area that seems like the earth was shattered by epic forces, breaking the rock into great blocks and turning the passage into a maze of right angles and side passage. You plod on for some time through the maze. Eventually Eldeth points out a side passage high in a stone wall. Your troupe stumbles up the loose craggy rocks and you pile in through the hole.
Sarith: "There have been no signs of pursuit so far. They will follow us, but they must be licking their own wounds to not have pounced on is already. If you want to rest, now is the time."
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Ezraen is sitting against a stony wall when he mumbles, "I miss the sun..." He shakes his head and moves to help whoever is on watch.
"So, what do you know about Shuushar's people?"
"So, what do you know about Shuushar's people?"
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Uller
Adventurer
Chapter 2: Slouching Toward Sloobludop
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,
Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.
It lies behind stars and under hills,
And empty holes it fills.
It comes first and follows after,
Ends life, kills laughter.”
-J.R.R. Tolkien
After you stumbled into the hidden hole you collapsed. Exhaustion took you. This is the safest you’ve felt in...you have no idea how long. It seems to you that your entire existence has become, up to this point, one of fear, pain, loathing. The oppressive darkness has been pushing down on you, crushing your soul. Everything that came before your capture seems nothing more than a distant dream. A dying light being consumed by a voracious darkness...
You wake refreshed and feeling stronger and strangely more hopeful than you’ve felt in a long time. You survived, you escaped, you have gear and supplies. But as your mind goes over all the possibilities you realize that hope and fear are two sides of the same coin.
When you awake, you start coming to your senses and realize the danger of your situation. You are surrounded by creatures alien to you. Many seem to be misfits and outcasts of dubious reputation even in their own communities. You are deep in the underdark with no knowledge of how to escape and between you and freedom is endless miles of caves and tunnels inhabited by creatures you know little about, most of them hostile..
Others are also awakening. None of you have a clue how long you were out. Maybe something beyond your senses let you know this place was guarded. A sanctuary. But now, at the back of your mind you know that veil of protection is gone.
Everyone seems to sense this also. You gather your gear, don your armor, inventory the food and water you have and discuss your plans. You will make for Sloobludop with Shuushar, the koatoa hermit, as your guide. What you will do when you get there is up for discussion. The koatoa are amphibious “fish people” with an ill reputation as slavers and worshippers of cruel demonic gods just as much as the drow. Shuushar abandoned his people to live his life as a hermit in the Darklake. He tells you that the koatoa of Sloobludop make their livings serving as guides and transporting trade goods (including slaves) for other races. They have no love for drow. The fact that you are runaway slaves may be enough for them to want to help you, enslave you themselves,, or hand you right back over to the drow out of fear of retribution...you have no idea. They have boats (which you will need) and they know the confusing waterways of the Darklake better than anyone.
Eldeth and Jimjar took it upon themselves to take up a watch while everyone else gets ready to move. They return to the cave, grim expressions on their face and motioning for any lights to be doused.
“We saw something,” Eldeth whispers. “A shadow, maybe two. I don’t think it saw us but it stopped on the path right where we left it, paused then turned back the way we came from.”
“I got 5 coppers that says it’s Ilvara’s goons,” Jimjar chimes in.
“Obviously,” Sarith hisses. “They know we’re here. Those were scouts. She will have sent out teams of 2 or 3 of her soldiers to find our path and now they’ve found it. They will be upon us in a matter of hours. We need to move. Now.”
You don’t trust the drow. Their reputation and what you witnessed in Velkenvelve informs you that they are creatures that feed on betrayal and wanton cruelty the way others subsist on good food and drink. Always they seek opportunity to gain reputation and improve their station. But for now, at least, he seems to have thrown his lot in with you. Sarith’s crime was not murder. In drow society, that is hardly a crime. His crime was being caught.
Topsy and Turvy have been keeping to themselves. Ever since your escape they seem more distant. Like they are ashamed or afraid of something.
Derendil is probably the most cheerful of everyone. He keeps talking to any who will listen (and often to himself) of the timeless beauty of his homeland (which none of you have heard of) and his birthright to be it’s prince and how he looks forward to taking revenge on that evil wizard and his brother. But when he needs to recall details he has difficulty. “I am losing who I was,” he says and then will fall into brooding melancholy only to have his spirits soar again a few moments later.
With the news that drow scouts have been spotted he drops to a new low...
“It cannot be seen, cannot be felt,
Cannot be heard, cannot be smelt.
It lies behind stars and under hills,
And empty holes it fills.
It comes first and follows after,
Ends life, kills laughter.”
-J.R.R. Tolkien
After you stumbled into the hidden hole you collapsed. Exhaustion took you. This is the safest you’ve felt in...you have no idea how long. It seems to you that your entire existence has become, up to this point, one of fear, pain, loathing. The oppressive darkness has been pushing down on you, crushing your soul. Everything that came before your capture seems nothing more than a distant dream. A dying light being consumed by a voracious darkness...
You wake refreshed and feeling stronger and strangely more hopeful than you’ve felt in a long time. You survived, you escaped, you have gear and supplies. But as your mind goes over all the possibilities you realize that hope and fear are two sides of the same coin.
When you awake, you start coming to your senses and realize the danger of your situation. You are surrounded by creatures alien to you. Many seem to be misfits and outcasts of dubious reputation even in their own communities. You are deep in the underdark with no knowledge of how to escape and between you and freedom is endless miles of caves and tunnels inhabited by creatures you know little about, most of them hostile..
Others are also awakening. None of you have a clue how long you were out. Maybe something beyond your senses let you know this place was guarded. A sanctuary. But now, at the back of your mind you know that veil of protection is gone.
Everyone seems to sense this also. You gather your gear, don your armor, inventory the food and water you have and discuss your plans. You will make for Sloobludop with Shuushar, the koatoa hermit, as your guide. What you will do when you get there is up for discussion. The koatoa are amphibious “fish people” with an ill reputation as slavers and worshippers of cruel demonic gods just as much as the drow. Shuushar abandoned his people to live his life as a hermit in the Darklake. He tells you that the koatoa of Sloobludop make their livings serving as guides and transporting trade goods (including slaves) for other races. They have no love for drow. The fact that you are runaway slaves may be enough for them to want to help you, enslave you themselves,, or hand you right back over to the drow out of fear of retribution...you have no idea. They have boats (which you will need) and they know the confusing waterways of the Darklake better than anyone.
Eldeth and Jimjar took it upon themselves to take up a watch while everyone else gets ready to move. They return to the cave, grim expressions on their face and motioning for any lights to be doused.
“We saw something,” Eldeth whispers. “A shadow, maybe two. I don’t think it saw us but it stopped on the path right where we left it, paused then turned back the way we came from.”
“I got 5 coppers that says it’s Ilvara’s goons,” Jimjar chimes in.
“Obviously,” Sarith hisses. “They know we’re here. Those were scouts. She will have sent out teams of 2 or 3 of her soldiers to find our path and now they’ve found it. They will be upon us in a matter of hours. We need to move. Now.”
You don’t trust the drow. Their reputation and what you witnessed in Velkenvelve informs you that they are creatures that feed on betrayal and wanton cruelty the way others subsist on good food and drink. Always they seek opportunity to gain reputation and improve their station. But for now, at least, he seems to have thrown his lot in with you. Sarith’s crime was not murder. In drow society, that is hardly a crime. His crime was being caught.
Topsy and Turvy have been keeping to themselves. Ever since your escape they seem more distant. Like they are ashamed or afraid of something.
Derendil is probably the most cheerful of everyone. He keeps talking to any who will listen (and often to himself) of the timeless beauty of his homeland (which none of you have heard of) and his birthright to be it’s prince and how he looks forward to taking revenge on that evil wizard and his brother. But when he needs to recall details he has difficulty. “I am losing who I was,” he says and then will fall into brooding melancholy only to have his spirits soar again a few moments later.
With the news that drow scouts have been spotted he drops to a new low...
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Uller
Adventurer
You begin moving shortly after spotting the drow scouts. Strung out over nearly 100' it seems a long way from those in front to those in back. To Ezraen and Eldeth in the back, the light of Orsik's spell appears a distant becon. Fading in and out as the passages wind through cracks of the earth.
Your pace is grueling. No one speaks much. The passages here are narrow and straight. Cracks in the wall often conceal side passages. Sometimes you take one and enter a new route. Shuushar, with the help of Surana, is able to hold the course and remains confident of your progress. You see nothing for hours and hours. Occasionally you stop to catch your breath, eat the dry tasteless "mushroom bread" you stole from Velkenvelve, but then quickly you move on.
There is no sign of living things. No sign of pursuit. Every passage is dark as pitch. Finally, late in the day you arrive in an area of open vistas, lit purple by stars of lichens high on the ceiling above you. Signs of water are everywhere, but you find none. Shuushar tells you that water flows in the underdark are seasonal. You realize it is probably tied to seasons on the surface. Right now, at least for this stretch, it must be dry. That could be a problem, but at the same time, water means more living things, including predators and other hostile creatures. So perhaps it is a mixed blessing.
For a few moments, Erevan observes Topsy and Turvy. They are behaving strangely. Turvy is showing his sister something on his arm and she looks concerned. Erevan is able to convince them that he means no harm and they reluctantly let him take a look...Turvy's forearms and hands are covered in a fine silky brown fur and his hands are more clawed than you would expect. For a moment his fingers appear to be growing! But you can't be sure. You look again and all appears normal. Seeing your astonishment, Turvy turns away and scampers off into the dark pretending to be looking for food again. Topsy looks apologetically at Erevan than moves to catch up to her brother.
Finally you begin to tire. You find a defensible alcove to set up a camp. There is no sign of pursuit. Eldeth feels confident she confused any pursuers at a few intersections so hopefully that bought you some time. The foraging parties range about the area of your encampment hoping to find something edible or water.
All the foragers return empty handed. No one wants to go too far. But Buppido, along with Erevan, Ezraen and Sarith (who are all watching him since you are distrustful of him) spots a grove of mushrooms in a chamber not far from your camp. They are in a dimly lit chamber. It is difficult to see them but they appear to be toadstools about 2 feet tall with alternating dark and light stripes. From a distance no one is able to identify them and whether or not they are edible or useful (or dangerous).
What would you like to do? Explore the toadstools? Press on in a forced march to maybe gain a little more ground? Camp here without messing with the mushrooms?
You consumed 15.5 pounds of food, 17 gallons water and 0 torches.
Remaining
Food: 31 pounds
Water: 34 gallons
You believe you covered about 8 miles of ground. Shuushar estimates it is approximately 40 more miles to Sloobludop.
Your pace is grueling. No one speaks much. The passages here are narrow and straight. Cracks in the wall often conceal side passages. Sometimes you take one and enter a new route. Shuushar, with the help of Surana, is able to hold the course and remains confident of your progress. You see nothing for hours and hours. Occasionally you stop to catch your breath, eat the dry tasteless "mushroom bread" you stole from Velkenvelve, but then quickly you move on.
There is no sign of living things. No sign of pursuit. Every passage is dark as pitch. Finally, late in the day you arrive in an area of open vistas, lit purple by stars of lichens high on the ceiling above you. Signs of water are everywhere, but you find none. Shuushar tells you that water flows in the underdark are seasonal. You realize it is probably tied to seasons on the surface. Right now, at least for this stretch, it must be dry. That could be a problem, but at the same time, water means more living things, including predators and other hostile creatures. So perhaps it is a mixed blessing.
For a few moments, Erevan observes Topsy and Turvy. They are behaving strangely. Turvy is showing his sister something on his arm and she looks concerned. Erevan is able to convince them that he means no harm and they reluctantly let him take a look...Turvy's forearms and hands are covered in a fine silky brown fur and his hands are more clawed than you would expect. For a moment his fingers appear to be growing! But you can't be sure. You look again and all appears normal. Seeing your astonishment, Turvy turns away and scampers off into the dark pretending to be looking for food again. Topsy looks apologetically at Erevan than moves to catch up to her brother.
Finally you begin to tire. You find a defensible alcove to set up a camp. There is no sign of pursuit. Eldeth feels confident she confused any pursuers at a few intersections so hopefully that bought you some time. The foraging parties range about the area of your encampment hoping to find something edible or water.
All the foragers return empty handed. No one wants to go too far. But Buppido, along with Erevan, Ezraen and Sarith (who are all watching him since you are distrustful of him) spots a grove of mushrooms in a chamber not far from your camp. They are in a dimly lit chamber. It is difficult to see them but they appear to be toadstools about 2 feet tall with alternating dark and light stripes. From a distance no one is able to identify them and whether or not they are edible or useful (or dangerous).
What would you like to do? Explore the toadstools? Press on in a forced march to maybe gain a little more ground? Camp here without messing with the mushrooms?
You consumed 15.5 pounds of food, 17 gallons water and 0 torches.
Remaining
Food: 31 pounds
Water: 34 gallons
You believe you covered about 8 miles of ground. Shuushar estimates it is approximately 40 more miles to Sloobludop.
JustinCase
the magical equivalent to the number zero
Erevan is perplexed by Topsy and Turvy, and in particular the way the male gnome is reluctant to show his arms to anyone but his sister. The elf is not familiar with any anatomic or developmental knowledge of this particular species of gnomes, so whether the hair on his arms is a puberty thing or something more elusive, he knows not. Erevan had thought himself quite knowledgable about many races, including humans and dwarves, but this is simply beyond him. The twins do not seem to be a threat to him or anyone within the party, however, so the elf decides to just observe for now and talk to some of the others. Particularly the curious creature who believes himself a god! What a strange being that is.
When they spot the mushroom grove, Erevan wonders aloud, "Does anyone here know if those mushrooms are edible, or useful in some other way? I'd hate to leave something that might save our butts later."
When they spot the mushroom grove, Erevan wonders aloud, "Does anyone here know if those mushrooms are edible, or useful in some other way? I'd hate to leave something that might save our butts later."
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