Dragons Slayers of the Drinking Crow Sessions #45, 46, & 47: In The Tunnels of the Cave Elves

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 The Dragon Slayers had let word drift towards the Athenaeum of the Dying Sun that they were interested in a meeting of minds between them and one of the library's founders, Phasmo. The adventuring crew had a growing fascinations that aligned with the magic-users interests: experimenting with the water that flowed upwards in the Complex, a long simmering poison plot against the forces of the Eye of Terror, and the mystery of the strange mirrors beings haunting Level 3 of the Complex to name just a few. 

While the Dragon Slayers awaited for Phasmo to make the next move, they turned their eye towards other concerns: Rillis Atamar Kerym and the Caduceus Staff. Armeen of the Two Rivers had approached ShopShop proprietor PakPak about the Caduceus Staff. The cleric left his conversation with PakPak with promise of future rates or price of purchase forthcoming. As for Rillis Atamar Kerym, the flaming sword was lost when the blade's last weilder, the duelist Wolfgang, was temporarily captured by members of the aspiring Nightmare Court (known more commonly as 'Cave Elves'). To retrieve the weapon, the Dragon Slayers would have to launch an expedition to the Twilight Shores.

Only one hiring who has ever ventured to underground shrine of the Cave Elves was still selling her services: Smokey Proag. The halfling adventurer had only the most brief of experiences there but it was enough for the party to hire her services as a guide. And with that, the party departed for the Twilight Shores under the lead of their elfin member Petra P. The following group was seen fading away into the burnt copse of trees in the center of Orm:

  • Armeen of the Two Rivers (Level 1 Cleric of Danu)
  • Copra Kaan (Level 6 Vatspawn antaur)
  • Crambo (Level 4 Magic-User)
    • Agera (Level 1 Fighting Mutant)
  • Father Bert (Level 3 Errant Friar)
  • Petra P (Level 3 Elf)
  • Will the Wisp (Level 3 Illusionist)
    • Smokey Proag (Level 3 Halfling hireling)

For three weeks, no one heard hide nor hair from the Dragon Slayers. Three weeks their stools at the Drinking Crow grew cool. And with each of those passing weeks, the retired Bors Redbeard pulled ever more worriedly upon his beard. The last time the Dragon Slayers were gone this long, they returned with dead and maimed party members along with the dreaded Oloth El'gg Ssuson unknowingly at their heels.

It was not from that copse of trees that the Dragon Slayers return was first spied but at the Iron Door of the Rani. Imagine the Sargent's surprise then the door's bell rang when no party had been sent through the portal in weeks. But when the heavy door was swung open, the Dragon Slayers paraded out with as freed prisoners filed out after them. They had a pair of bound captives of their own. These hostages had skin the color of pail pastels and pointed ears. A hefty tax of was paid from the treasure that made the party's sacks and packs heavy. They lead the following rescuees to temporary shelter at the Drinking Crow:

  • A humanoid snail known as Shelby the Sibling Snail- can vomit of stream of mucus (always levels as a Sibling Snail)
  • A adolescent human hostage of the Margrave Quinus named Luua- can twitch her nose to cast Detect Magic once a day(Levels as: Beggar 1-40/ Same Class As PC 41-70/Acrobat 71-95/Illusionist 96-100)
  • An itinerant dog shaver named Jubal- all dogs like him including bad dogs (Level as: Beast Master 1-35/Same Class as PC 36-75/Fighter 76-90/Ne'er-Do-Well 91-100)
  • A wizard's factotum named Newt- +1 To Saves Vs Spells (Levels as: Ne'er-Do-Well 1-35/Same as PC 36-60/Ratcatcher 61-85/Magic-User 86-100)
  • A fanatical acolyte of a lawful mystery cult named Narsiz- 1d12 chance of becoming frenzied while battling chaotic foes (Levels as: Cleric 1-35/Fighter 36-70/Same Class as PC 71-85/)
  •  A brother named Pick No. 2- can share simple thoughts to the minds of others (always levels as a Brother)
Any of the Dragon Slayers may take one of the rescuees as a retainer. Otherwise, they will join the underground hireling pool of Orm. The first time they gain experience, 

The prisoners, a pair of cave elves needs Glazrajam and Levazax, are currently being detained in the Drinking Crow's cellars.

Smokey Proag headed off with Agera to show the mutant retainer the ropes of carousing in Orm. The filled the Drinking Crow with tale of how the Dragon Slayers were welcomed as heroes in the court of Lady Blackmarsh. They frightened patrons of the Burning Witch with vivid descriptions of the hideous shoulder goblin Willow the Wisp traded the shirt off her back for and of how it feed from her very lifeforce. The cautioned at Riverwine about how an ill-fated kneeing at the foot of statue in the entrance to the Shrine of the Nightmare Court can trap a party inside (unless they can to perform a ritual sacrifice to the Oloth El'gg Ssuson). They wowed crowds at the market ale tents with swashbuckling yarns of heated fights and uncanny escapes from over two dozen blood thristy cave elves. They filled smoky speak-easys with torrid descriptions of the cave elves anti-human dogma and dark rituals. Back at the Burning Witch, the pair divulged the secrets of secret ladder that joins the Twilight Shores to a hidden closet in Level 1 of 'The Complex'. When Agera rejoined Crambo's service, she had misplaced her silver dagger and her traditonal woven grab. Instead, she now was outfitted with the following: sabre, three bone javelins, an oval shield, a trihorn beetle in a cage, a hookah, and 10 doses of smoking paste in a leather case. She has no idea where she got them or where her old stuff is located.

Treasure

  • The Swords of Light- a pair of magical +1 weapons (one claimed by Copra Kaan and the other by Father Bert)
  • A pair of black pearls with 300gp ea.
  • A dose of everlasting dye with color highlight kit (claimed by Willow the Wisp)
  • Everflowing Paint Brush with lime green paint (given to Crambo)
  • Arcadian Meadows Towel- ever clean and dry towel (found by Father Bert but taken by Armeen)
  •  Magical Mattress (claimed by Copra)
  • 2600gp in coins bearing the lion stamp of the Empire-That-Was
  • A pair of Potions of Healing (heal 1d6+1 ea.)
  • A Potion of Control Undead.

Experience Points

  • 3200xp from treasure
  • Undead dwarves re-deceased 5 x 50xp ea.
  • Cave Elves Glazrajam and Levazax captured 2 x 20xp ea.
  • Cave Elves colored sprayed, stabbed, or otherwise defeated 12 x 20xp ea.
  • Prisoners rescued from the cells of the Cave Elves 6 x 50xp ea.

Player Character Cut

  • 420gp ea. (180gp to Agera)
  • 671xp ea. (335xp to Agera)
Write-ups, art, or maps reporting on the session earn PC Level x 100xp. Let me know if anyone wants to take a downtime activity.

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