Kipp Is Back At What Cost (Session 78)

Summary

Detail

The party assessed their condition, noting that Brandy was down eleven hit points and others were down nine. They realized they were effectively lost, no longer on mission, lost in the twisty passages of the Underdark, having lost the tracks of the slavers they were pursuing. After Audra used her boots to help the group cross a small rapid, they traveled for quite some time through the silence until they heard the sound of rocks tumbling and hushed voices to the east.

Oglesby and Brandy scouted ahead and encountered several small figures on the rocks. One figure stepped forward and challenged them with riddles to prove they were not "illithid thralls". The first riddle—concerning what falls but does not break and what breaks but does not fall—was correctly identified as night and day. The second riddle, describing the beginning of eternity and the end of time and space, was solved by the party as the letter "E".

The small creatures identified themselves as Svirfneblin (Deep Gnomes). They explained that their path had been sabotaged with a rockfall by the "doover" (Duergar). The party assisted the gnomes in quietly clearing the stones. During the encounter, the party attempted to trade for a way to bring back Kipp, who was deceased and being carried in the Bag of Holding. While the gnomes could not perform a resurrection themselves, their leader provided directions to a "Great Stair" and mentioned beings in the deep who could mend what was broken, though they warned that miracles are never safe. Before parting, Eleanor traded an ivory necklace for a Dust of Dryness and two days' worth of rations.

After a journey of several hours, the party reached the Great Stair and descended into a narrowing tunnel filled with a faint violet haze and a whispering pressure behind the eyes. They passed two victims in cages, a Svirfneblin and a Duergar. Their minds were obviously gone. The party was not sure what could have done that. Further in, they discovered two Illithids (Mind Flayers) in a chamber. They were Ssariv and Vhal'zith. The Illithids agreed to "rethread" what had been severed for a price involving "the pattern". They placed Kipp on a table, and after a high-pitched tone filled the room, his body convulsed as his vitality was redistributed. Kipp sat up, fully healed but feeling a strange tickling in his brain. They were sure that they were not going to like whatever became of that, but their dear friend Kipp was back again.

As the party moved back up the stairs and to the north, they encountered two Trolls. The creatures emitted a sickening aura that forced the group to make saving throws; Audra failed her save and briefly attempted to protect the creatures from the rest of the party. Eleanor, Pyreece, and Oglesby were also momentarily hindered, but the group eventually overcame the effect. Audra and Kipp landed powerful blows, and the party eventually killed the Trolls and set them on fire to ensure they stayed down. In a nearby pile of refuse, they recovered jewelry worth 100 gold pieces, a potion, and a magical morning star.

Resuming their journey, the party felt the weight of the Underdark’s madness as they traveled for miles through more intersecting tunnels. Suddenly, Pyreece announced she knew the way and led the group down an east-leading passage. Kipp didn't believe her and asked about it only to find that Pyreece never remembered making that statement. They eventually heard guttural laughter and the crack of a whip ahead. Brandy and Oglesby used the shadows to scout a large cavern where several Duergar were whipping a Drow prisoner who was chained to a rock.

The party initiated an ambush only after two Duergar riding giant spiders enteered the chamber from the south. Eleanor cast a powerful Fireball, killing three Duergar and the Drow instantly. Audra used her boots to leap down twenty feet to block and fight the two riding spiders, striking one enemy for eleven damage. The Duergar fought back, some growing to giant size and others commanding giant spiders to attack. Eleanor cast a Slow spell, which hindered the spiders and allowed the party to gain the advantage. Brandy and Kipp rained arrows and sword strikes upon the enemies. They finally killed the remaining Duergar and their mounts. The battle ended with the group victorious, though they noted the Drow prisoner had died during the chaos.

This is where the session ended.

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Exp: 2742 + 274 = 3016