Emerald Spire 21.0 - Trouble in the Volcanic Depths

Investigating the filth-coated room they were in, the group found two potential exits: a rough hole in the wall that led to another hallway, and a small, hidden passageway lined with feces that was dug through a pile of rubble, ending in a trapdoor in the ceiling. Marin carefully peeked under the trapdoor but could see nothing in the darkness, though the sounds of loud, crude voices cursing in a loud argument could be heard. He changed places with Ismail, whose metaphorical eyes could hopefully pierce the darkness, but the undead accidentally alerted the creatures: a trio of morlocks, one of whom was bigger and better armed than the others. The screeching creatures came tearing through the passageway towards them, so they pulled back and prepared for battle. Ismail used Vomit Swarm to slow their assailants with vermin as they passed through the tunnel. The leader crashed out first, but Marin, Ismail and Kormon prevented him from leaving the tunnel entrance. The goblin-like creature swung brutally at Marin, but he could not stand up to all three of the fighters that pinned him. The other two morlocks bounded out when the way became clear but they were quickly dispatched as well.
 After taking the valuable equipment from the corpses, the adventurers crawled through the disgusting tunnel and found themselves in a now-empty room covered in crass graffiti. A door beckoned them onwards. Kormon opened it and entered the room blithely, pitching forwards into a pit trap that he hadn't looked for. Marin tittered as Kormon tried to pull himself up with what dignity he could manage before everyone hopped over the hole and through the following door. The stairs down lay before them and it was with firm conviction the group left this area behind.
 A few flights of stairs down, a spell was triggered causing a Magic Mouth to appear and deliver a message from Tiana, the Quicksilver Conclave member they were looking for. Apparently she was alive and still on her mission but she feared that she would be unable to escape; she pleaded for assistance from whomever heard this message. Once they had traveled some distance further, the stairs melded into a natural, winding tunnel, and they decided to camp for the night in a small alcove.
 Refreshed, they pressed forwards. They could feel the temperature rising and the smell of sulfur was in the air. The winding tunnel eventually opened up into a small room and when they rounded a corner, they saw what seemed to be the remains of a battle: dead knights of the Adamantine Order lay scattered among shattered, rainbow crystals. As they considered what might have happened here, a strange scorpion-like creature made of rainbow crystal scuttled in; it was about the size of a dog, seemed wounded, and ran like it was being chased. Its pursuer was a large, familiar crab-like creature who clubbed the crystal insect it on its back with its claw, shattering it to pieces. Vibol recognized them just as easily as they recognized the eidolon, and the crab scuttled up to them with its now-familiar shy demeanor. Vibol asked them timidly for help: Jaquarl had been captured by dragons. This was not good news for the adventurers, moreso because it meant that monsters stood between them and the next floor. It was difficult to get any particularly firm information from the quiet eidolon, but he explained that there were two individuals who seemed to bicker among each other as well as with the other violent firey creatures who lived down here. Jaquaral had been captured and the drakes were apparently keeping him prisoner rather than eating or killing him, which for the extraplanar would only be a means of escape. Vibol had to find help and since Dayana was upstairs, Senethar was discharged (which Vibol feared meant that she had been eaten by Sabreal), and Teuthida had their own business elsewhere, he didn't know where to go.
 The group agreed to help the eidolon mainly because of the heart-wrenching whimpers he was making. Vibol agreed to show them where to go, but first they took a moment to investigate the site of the battle, making note of the bodies, taking their valuables, and finding a journal that would serve as proof for Dominica that they had fulfilled their quest and deserved payment.Category:Emerald Spire