Session Three: Necromantic Tryst

It's the late afternoon when the party arrives at the dryad's grove. Rusk's band waits at a distance, wary still of the faerie woods. The nymphs' faces peer from behind leaves, fading in and out of sight as the elf takes the tablet back to the great, round stone that marks the center of the grove and replaces it in the empty place it was pried from.

A strong wind sweeps across the treetops, and the leaf litter shifts to reveal a hollow wherein the dwarf lies sleeping. Roused by the light and commotion, he blinks his sleep away. "I was having the most pleasant dream," he complains.

Six again, they approach the black cave mouth at the end of the grove. It's choked by tree limbs and roots, barely visible. The demihumans forge ahead, more sure than their human fellows in the dimness, and find the rock cut steps down into the labyrinth.

Delve One

Torches are lit. The bottom of the steps open onto a grand foyer, its vaulted ceiling and faux pillars all hewn from the native stone. Archways open left and right; the party decides to venture right first.

The long passage sports recesses halfway along, dusty and long emptied of any furniture or relics, and ends in a sturdy door—locked! There was no locksmith at Starforge willing to venture into the Black Grotto when their party had set out. Between the six of them, they could perhaps simply break it down, but it seemed unwise at the moment. Nothing could be heard from the other side, but that was no guarantee here in the unknown darkness.

Instead, the party makes their way back to the west passage. The dwarf and half-foot are leading the rest: the dwarf's keen sense of stoneworking and the half-foot's sturdy defenses will hopefully turn aside any dangers ahead. The elf guards the rear, and the humans walk between bearing torches aloft.

The west hallway seems to mirror the east one. Their plan pays off when the dwarf notices a seam in the flagstones underfoot: a trap door! It spans the passage, sitting at the intersection with the recesses. The party fetches out a hammer and some iron ties to nail shut the opening. Their workmanship holds as the party carefully crosses to the door at the end of the hall.

Nothing is heard behind this door either, but it seems to be unlocked and opens with only a little resistance. Beyond, a small antechamber looks down another hallway, wider and longer, separated from them by a mighty portcullis. A small door is set to the right, in the north wall, and a rotting corpse is slumped to the left, along the south. Sadly, it's unmoving.

Author's note: There is an invisible treasure chest in this room with a nasty contact poison left on its latch for the world's luckiest and unluckiest thief! I'll be testing a 1-in-6 chance to find it anytime the party passes here.

The elf lifts the massive gate with ease (that's what 18 STR gets you!) and holds it open while the rest of the group passes under. Further down the wide hall, there's a staircase at the opposite end, and another iron gate along the north wall which he similarly heaves open.

Beyond is a massive chamber with a high ceiling, and a crack letting in thin light and water from above. Ivy has grown down to cover the walls and creep along the floor, filling in between the crumbling stones. It also hides a danger: five pale snakes, venom-spitting cobras, uncoil from against the far wall as the party looks around the room. By the time they're noticed, they're within striking distance!