Day 3: Part 1: Back at the Drow below

After tending to their wounds and getting some much-needed rest, the team gradually awakens in ADC’s hut, finding themselves in a room on the entry floor of Snure’s volcano fortress. The spacious chamber is adorned with giant-sized beds and scattered personal belongings. Refreshed and rejuvenated, they feel a marked improvement in their physical condition.

The team directs their attention to Snure’s crown, which is crafted from the same obsidian-like metal they’ve encountered in the giant’s weaponry. The crown is embellished with an abundance of red garnet inlays, exuding an aura of regal grandeur. Czolg, intrigued by the crown, attempts to remove it but realizes that pulling any harder may cause the delicate garnets to shatter. Considering the potential consequences, the team decides to conceal the crown within a heap of laundry nestled in the corner of the room, safeguarding it for later examination. They also examine 3 necklaces and a broach the Drow were wearing. They seem to be totems of some kind but nobody can make out exactly what the mean or stand for.

Determined to complete their mission of tracking down the Drow and Ombi, the team resolves to descend to the lower levels of Snure’s fortress. However, as they approach the staircase leading downward, they stumble upon the lifeless bodies of Snure and the keeper. Carefully inspecting the corpses, they find nothing of significance. Silvius glances at the keeper’s imposing long axe and, recalling the harm it caused earlier, suggests disposing of it. In agreement, the team carries the weapon to a nearby garbage chute and hurls it down, the sound of its descent echoing through the fortress in hopeful anticipation of its plunge into the molten lava below.

Aware of the presence of invisible adversaries encountered previously, Silvius takes activates the lantern of revealing. Illuminated by its mystical light, the team proceeds cautiously down the stairs, beginning their exploration by heading southward. They come across a series of locked doors that neither Silvius nor Kalinar can open. The area appears to be the sleeping quarters of the giants, filled with numerous beds and personal belongings. However, there are no giants present, and nothing of interest remains within the chambers.

Turning their attention to the southwest, the team enters a room brimming with giant-sized sarcophagi. Some of the sarcophagi lie broken and damaged, while others remain intact. However, it becomes apparent that these burial chambers have already been looted and thoroughly searched. With nothing left to discover, the team decides to continue their journey by heading northward.

As they proceed along their chosen path, a hallway to the east catches Silvius’ attention. His keen eyes spot two grotesque creatures hanging from the ceiling attempting to hide behind some sort of illustion the light of the lantern shines through, their long tentacles swaying ominously. Recognizing the threat, Silvius urgently signals the party to halt, bringing their progress to a sudden stop.

Thinking quickly, Silvius conjures a small illusion in the shape of a gnome, bearing a striking resemblance to the legendary Dimble he had heard tales of in his youth. He places the illusionary gnome in front of the monsters, hoping to discover their nature and intentions. Reacting instinctively, one of the creatures lunges forward, attempting to snatch the illusion with its writhing tentacle.

Reacting swiftly to the imminent danger, the entire team launches a coordinated assault on the menacing creatures. Fennuris skillfully fires arrows, her hands trembling with adrenaline, while Kalinar channels powerful blasts of magic. ADC hurls a vial of corrosive acid towards their adversaries, and Silvius, undeterred by his precarious situation, taunts one of the monsters for its inappropriate tentacle antics involving the illusionary Dimble.

In the chaotic fray, the monster on the right strikes out, managing to seize hold of Kalinar, attempting to drag him closer to its gaping maw. However, Kalinar skillfully evades the creature’s biting jaws, narrowly escaping its clutches. In a parallel encounter, Silvius finds himself ensnared by the other creature’s tentacles but deftly avoids its bite, thanks to his quick reflexes.

Recognizing an opportunity, Fennuris and Oscorn concentrate their attacks on the monster restraining Silvius, successfully weakening it. With a final volley of arrows, the creature plummets from the ceiling, lifeless, revealing a passage to a room concealed behind it. Seizing the moment, Czolg charges forward, thrusting his weapon into the monster’s vulnerable flesh.

Taking advantage of the distraction, Kalinar breaks free from the tentacles, swiftly maneuvering through the newly opened path. As he rushes forward, he enters a chamber adorned with vibrant purple wall hangings. Thick black cloths cover the floor and hang from the walls, casting an eerie ambiance throughout the room.

Silvius, his determination unwavering, lands a fierce blow on the remaining living monster before swiftly charging forward and joining Kalinar inside the room, seeking safety in its mysterious confines.

In a disorienting turn of events, several Drow, the same dark elves encountered earlier, seemingly materialize out of thin air as a passage opens within the eastern wall of the room. One Drow, upon emerging, forcefully slams their staff into the ground, summoning a crashing bolt of lightning that strikes Silvius, sending arcs of electricity coursing through his body.

Reacting swiftly, three Drow warriors swiftly converge upon Silvius, slashing at him with their deadly poisonous swords, inflicting painful wounds. Meanwhile, a thick yellow cloud materializes above Czolg, releasing a noxious gas. Though affected by the toxic fumes, Czolg manages to shake off the worst of its effects, his resilience prevailing.

Kalinar, fueled by a surge of determination, directs a powerful blast of magic towards the Drow warrior who had struck Silvius, simultaneously summoning a tentacle to join the fight, which flails menacingly. Seizing the opportunity, Czolg charges into the fray, impaling one of the Drow warriors with his spear named Panzerfaust. Undeterred, Czolg swiftly shifts his focus to a Drow mage, striking them down with a decisive blow.

Silvius, wielding his flaming shortsword, pulls it forth with fervor, exclaiming “Flamingo!” before delivering a powerful strike against the Drow warrior, unleashing a fierce attack. ADC, Oscorn, and Fennuris find themselves locked in a fierce battle with the remaining ceiling-dwelling monster, their combined efforts focused on bringing it down.

Amidst the chaos, Kazik the wolf, sensing the imminent danger to Silvius, charges forward. However, as he rushes in, the ceiling monster bites down hard on the valiant wolf. Similarly, the creature turns its attention towards Kalinar, sinking its teeth into him with a forceful bite, inflicting significant damage.

In a relentless onslaught, the Drow warriors renew their attack on Silvius, their strikes becoming increasingly vicious as they inflict wounds with their poisonous swords. The chaotic scene is further exacerbated as another bolt of lightning surges forth, striking Czolg and tragically claiming the life of Kazik, leaving the loyal wolf motionless.

Amidst the turmoil, a Drow mage near Czolg utilizes their elusive abilities, disappearing from sight only to reappear deeper within the second room. Oscorn, quick to respond, invokes the power of necromancy, casting Toll the Dead in an attempt to weaken the ceiling monster. Kalinar, desperate to counter the creature’s menace, unleashes a barrage of magical blasts, causing erratic explosions of arcane energy to erupt in all directions.

With a keen sense of observation, Czolg exclaims, “He went that way!” before charging into the adjacent chamber where the Drow had fled. Sensing the urgency, Silvius momentarily distracts the Drow warrior with a swift swing of his sword before tending to Kazik, providing him with healing magic. Silvius then swiftly follows Czolg’s lead, charging forward to join him.

ADC, recognizing the need for additional support, retrieves his fairy companion from his pocket and sends it forth as a scout. Meanwhile, the Drow mage once again attempts to vanish into the shadows, but Silvius, ever vigilant, foils the mage’s escape. Frustrated, the Drow warrior lunges forward to attack, only to be impeded by the protective tentacle conjured by Kalinar.

Fennuris, displaying her exceptional archery skills, releases a flurry of arrows that find their mark in the Drow warrior’s body, while Oscorn charges into the fray, wielding his hammer with purpose. In a coordinated effort, Kalinar’s tentacle delivers a decisive blow, ending the Drow warrior’s life with a resounding icy smack.

Czolg, driven by determination, charges towards the Drow mage and seizes him, intent on extracting information. The mage struggles, nearly breaking free from Czolg’s grasp, but Silvius, employing his quick thinking, provides a vital distraction. Czolg demands to know the whereabouts of the door, to which the Drow mage responds with a mixture of defiance and confusion, stating, “You want the door? That doesn’t make any sense. You may as well kill me now.”

Can the team finish the Drow they’ve encountered? What will the Drow mage tell them? What will Czolg do with the Drow in his grasp?