Fungi Isn’t Fun

Year, Season, Month, Days: 5992 F.Y. Pranst, Loquin 19-Nox 1

First and second watch occured without incident. Marasennah took watch and noticed the growing glow within the cave and heard scuttling. She moved closer, attempting to hide within the bushes, but poked herself in the stomach with said bush, exclaimed and then ripped half the bush out of the ground, snapping it and tossing it away. The light became larger and the movement was more furious. Marasennah saw four large beetles with orange glows emanating from them. Realizing the beetles could likely see camp, Marasennah woke the party.

The group engaged with the beetles, which are killed easily. Bae and Mandilyon were covered in golden glowing,spicy smelling, blood. Cal and Marasennah cleaned them off. The party identified the creatures as Fire Beetles. Mandilyon was unfamiliar with beetles.

Cal completed the watch for the night, noticing the owlbear had cubs and were eating a creature that appeared similar to a crab. The group ate breakfast, and placed the animals in a place to graze, taking some gear from their Packrat, mule, and cart.

The party drank the preventative medicine before heading into the cave. There was a trickling of water in the distance. The party reached a fork in the cave. Cal illuminated both sides of the cave with Dancing Lights. To the left was a very slight spattering of purple, to the right was water seeping through the cave wall. Bae yelled out “Hello”. From both ends of the cave a scuttling was heard.

The party headed to the right. Marasennah analyzed the water, it doesn’t feel oily or smell of sulfur. The water had no growth, but did feel warm. Mandilyon noticed several many-legged creatures on the ceiling. Cal casted Color Spray on the creatures. They all fell to the floor, unconscious. The giant centipedes fell upon Cal and Bae. Cal was knocked unconscious. Bae stabilized Cal by pushing a rock into the wound in his neck, which was surprisingly effective. Mandilyon and Bae performed a coup de grâce on the centipedes.

As the group continued into the cave, the amount of water increased, growing warmer. Mandilyon noticed egg sacs on the ceiling. Bae carried Marasennah. There was a small glitter in the distance, which the party moved towards. The group found crab-like creatures and a pile of bones in the water beneath them. The group identified them as Cave Fishers, which they managed to avoid.

The water continued to get deeper and warmer, to the point of becoming uncomfortable as the group neared the light, which was emanating from within a rock pile. Cal somehow summoned a glass flute for a minute, which Marasennah played beautifully until it faded away. Bae offered to teach Marasennah to swim as they reached the stone pile. As part of the group exited the water, they noticed the heat of the water immediately dissipating.

Mandilyon crushed both of her feet, and Cal injured his left arm, which is made of greenwood. The left side of his chest was revealed to have spider-web-like scarring. The crack in the hand was leaking sap. Mandilyon’s feet were dug out. Bae managed to uncover a small metal box with slits from which the light was emitting. Bae placed the box in their backpack.

The end of the tunnel was revealed to have a green “X” on it, Cal used Detect Magic and found moderate abjuration magic upon the wall. He threw a rock that stopped before reaching the wall, falling into the water without making a ripple. Marasennah, noticing the lack of ripples used the Bardic Performance Distraction. The water, heat, and wetness was revealed to be an illusion. Cal was fascinated. Mandilyon had pools of blood beneath her feet from her wounds.

Cal touched the green “X” and the stone wall began to grow around his hand. Cal and Bae managed to pull Cal from the wall. The stone was still on Cal’s hand, but no longer growing. A melodic humming was heard from within the hole in the wall. Marasennah recognized it to be an ancient Elven funeral dirge. The wall began to close from where it’s broken. The party debated about free will, then Bae broke the wall which collapsed and was no longer appearing to repair.

Mandilyon saw a sliver of silver or white color in the distance, which was revealed to be an elven ghost of a woman. She was humming the funeral dirge. As Bae stated they are going to leave, the woman held out a skull with a hole from eye socket to the back of the skull. Cal took the skull and the woman faded away, as well as the funeral dirge.

Cal noticed a small glowing vial of Universal Solvent, as well as a chain attached to the floor with an ankle lock. Cal and Marasennah spoke to each other in Elven, much to the chagrin of the rest of the party.

As the party passed through the remains of the wall with the green “X” on it, a brief portion of the funeral dirge was heard. The group made it back out of the cave. The remains of the Giant Centipedes were gone. The party agreed to take the skull outside of the cave to bury.

Bae broke the stone on Cals’ hand. The skull was stored with Delores. Marasennah, privately, gave Mandilyon her potion. The group marched back into the cave and headed to the left. After an hour of walking and substantial mold, the group took their second potion. The mold began to form a canopy and envelop the entire cave wall, ceiling, and floor. A bit further, the mold started to form vining tendrils. Parts of it had been recently cut and had withered.

The party entered a larger set of caves, where vertical etches into the stone were visible through the vines, which Mandilyon realized these were areas mined for resources. She also breathed in a part of the mold and managed to sneeze it out.

A pitter patter was heard behind the party running across the room. No creatures were seen. Bae called out several times and the pitter patter was heard each time. Marasennah played a light tune as the party advanced. The party moved deeper into the larger cave and noticed more frequent and fresh marks of mining encountering a somewhat-fresh campsite. Bae learned of phrases with multiple meanings and displayed the language Terran.

The group pressed on, calling out for Markoso. The vines became thicker, and there was evidence of a freshly cut path. Bae cut a larger path through the vine mold. The pitter patter was heard again by Mandilyon, who noticed six pairs of eyes. Bae spoke to them and they ran away. Marasennah played louder and sang in Abyssal. The marks on the walls became more frequent. Bae found a 6 pound gold nugget, which they pocketed.

Cart tracks werre seen wildly jumping around. Marasennah and Cal spoke in Elven. Mandilyon cursed in Draconic, which Cal responded too. In agitation, Mandilyon cursed in Giant. Bae spoke in Druidic to the plants (not actually Speak with Plants, just talking to the plants with no aim for response).

Mandilyon noticed 12 pairs of eyes behind them. They took a single step back. They were revealed to be Vegepygmys infused with Purple Mold. Marasennah crawled up onto Mandilyon’s shoulders. Marasennah understood their Undercommon and realized they were attempting to ambush the party. She intimidated them, casting Haunted Fey Aspect, and yelled, in Undercommon “I’m a motherfucking Queen, bitch!” and laughed maniacally. The Vegepygmys ran in fear.

The trail of tracks became more and more wild, appearing as if in trouble. The group came up to the cart and found the wheel broken, filled with gold and gemstones. Cal and Mandilyon took a handful of gemstones, Bae took several special stones, and Marasennah grabbed an incredibly valuable ruby.

Footprints continued in the direction the cart was going in large running strides. The party followed until they reached a strange hard line where no mold grew. The group hustled for awhile longer and reached a large pit. After calling into the pit and hearing a faint noise, Cal dropped a stone with Light cast upon it. The group saw the pit was about 300 feet deep with about 100 feet of water. A body can be seen floating on the water.

Cal detected a faint illusion magic. Marasennah played Distraction again and revealed a spiral of steps along the outside of the pit, about 6 inches in depth. Bae, Mandilyon, and Marasennah descended into the pit, Cal waited at the top.

Mandilyon and Marasennah started to fall when descending the stairs. Bazamine caught Marasennah several times. Mandilyon fell several floors before managing to catch themselves on the subsequent round of steps, injuring themselves in the process. Marasennah stopped their performance and the steps faded from view.

After a graceful swan dive, Bae swam up to the body. Mandilyon and Bae discovered they were infected with the Purple Mold and Bae pulled them to shore, identifying him as Markoso. They cured him and protected him from the Purple Mold. After a notably difficult climb for Mandilyon in particular, the quartet ascended the staircase.

On the way out of the cave, the group grabbed a bag of gemstones and gold and continued forward, terrifying the Vegepygmys again. At the fork in the cave, the group encountered a grey-skinned creature chattering in Undercommon. They fought the creature. After several chokings, the group manages to kill the creature and escape, slicing its body to ribbons. Cal was gravely injured.

The group exited the cave, where Bae and Marasennah buried the skull. Marasennah played the funeral dirge from the cave, Bae layed out gemstones and buried the skull in a special ritual, burying a single obal on the grave. Marsennah lit a candle for the burial, and also lit a second candle.

Dinner was consumed, Cal removed his greenwood arm and planted it in the ground over several days on the journey back to Kors. On the first night, Bae took first watch, said a prayer for guidance to The Crown, and woke no one else for watches, choosing to provide care to Cal overnight and make breakfast in the morning, a traditional Samsaran dish that tasted of soap suds and dirt to the other party members.

The group traveled for another day and made it back to Kors. Markoso gave the party a gift a black opal as thanks, then returned to Eurice. The party learned of his 10,000 gold debt and Marasennah pulled him aside to give him the ruby she pulled from his broken cart earlier.

Cal pulled away to the group and returned to the docks and attempted to buy 4 tickets from the harbor master, but is then told she will not sell a ticket to a Gnome. Cal bought 3 tickets for two days later, as the Night of Cursed Luck was tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the remaining trio purchased 3 rooms for a night at The Wayward Traveler. The group met up and were undecided if they would travel together, but Marasennah offered to take Bae to Valak a’tesh, which was unfamiliar. Bae asked if Marasennah would be their friend; Marasennah said she would let them know in the morning. The group ate dinner and then went to their respective rooms for the night.

The party leveled up!