Enter the Void Hollow - Episode Five

== Summary: ==
"The Void Hollow," also known as the Endless Dungeon, was a tapestry woven from the remnants of ancient caves, fallen cities, and forgotten temples dedicated to obscure deities. Its halls whispered of a history littered with those who never returned and monsters that thrived in the shadows.
The dungeon was not merely a collection of corridors and chambers; it was an entire world unto itself, a realm where the very walls seemed to pulse with a malevolent life. There were secondhand accounts and a curious wizard's notes describing a place where dark fey drifts intersected with the remnants of lost civilizations. The dungeon's inhabitants ranged from lost souls unable to find their way back, to malevolent creatures luring unwary adventurers with hoarded gold as bait.
This place was a crossroad of the vast caverns, exiled fey, and fiendish domains. Legends spoke of dark fey banished from their realms, demons and devils trapped in a purgatory of their own making, and entire ecosystems thriving in the dungeon's depths. Six mercenaries navigated this living, everchanging dungeon, where every step could lead to fortune or death.
In this episode, the party tricked giant flies into a spider’s trap. They defeated a deathweaver and discovered that they were likely in Avadon’s domain. Tar’ren contracted a deadly disease, but Gobin went to great lengths to heal his friend.
== Mercenaries: ==
* Asher "Whiffle-Tongue" - Lizardfolk Wizard
* Eisen Mistburo - Human Cleric
* Eyalon Bogpyre - Deerfolk Sorcerer
* Gobin Glowstep - Halfling Druid
* Nwalmë Shadhavar - Shadar-Kai Rogue
* Tar’ren r'Eehp r'Eehp - Warlock
== Adventure: ==
After having vanquished the spiders, the party looked around. Behind them was the large tomblike door with fresh air coming out of it. Further north was the sealed sarcophagus. To the west was the unknown, filled with the stench of decay.
Nwalmë foraged the spiders for venom. He almost pricked himself on a fang, but was able to successfully retrieve a dose of poison.
Tar’ren headed deeper into darkness, flying so that he didn’t touch the floor. His chwinga cast Pass Without Trace to keep them secret. Nwalmë also smacked Tar’ren on the butt as he passed by to cast Invisibility on him.
Tar’ren saw passages. One cavern looked like a battleground. Three Humans were eviscerated on the floor. It looked like a large creature had torn them to shreds. There were large bits of rock and tendrils of web lying about. He also saw a dark chasm with a stairwell descending down. Moving further, he found a cocoon. It looked like whatever was in there was long deceased. The webs were denser there, as if a nest had been constructed.
Tar’ren returned to the party and relayed the information.
Nwalmë returned to the locked door with fresh air and tried to unlock it. He nearly snapped his thieves’ tools but was able to unlock the door.
Peering into the cavern was a sunken bit of cave. A passage above it let fresh air into the room. A breeze blew over Nwalmë’s face. There were four large crates, some rotting camp supplies, and some flies buzzing about. Nwalmë decided that the flies looked large enough to ride.
The flies did not see Nwalmë but they did notice the door was open. They hovered over the supplies in the failed camp.
Nwalmë snuck away from the door and told the party what he saw.
Tar’ren proposed that they lead the flies to the spiders. The party agreed that this was an excellent idea.
Nwalmë tied bright coral to Gobin to attract the flies. Tar’ren cast Prestidigitation to make Gobin smell like rotting meat. Gobin, still a goat, went to the door to be bait. Using his nature knowledge, Gobin knew the flies were giant robber flies. They could drain creatures of all their nutrients and had digestive saliva that could prevent a creature from moving.
Eyalon cast a Minor Illusion to hide some of the party members in one of the alcoves along the walls, keeping them secret when the flies passed by. Eisen ordered Blossom, one of his skeletons, to climb on Gobin. Blossom made a giddy up motion.
Asher used his insight to determine which fly should be focused on; with it coming their way, the rest would follow.
The flies started to chase after the delicious-looking goat. The largest fly led the charge. It got a little too close to Gobin, so Asher, hiding behind Eyalon’s illusion, reached out with his Staff of Tripping and grappled the fly, delaying it.
Tar’ren brought out his chwinga, who cast Pass Without Trace. Eyalon whispered with Message something encouraging to Gobin, though the sudden voice in his head confused him.
Nwalmë worked towards the timing of making sure everyone moved stealthily behind the flies. Eisen commanded Blossom to pat Gobin as encouragement. Gobin realized that he would succeed. He Zachalan drifted around the corner, dodging the flies and darting down the passageways. Ahead of him was the webbed cavern. The flies followed him closely behind.
Gobin dropped his wildshape, causing Blossom to fall off his back. Gobin yelled, “I brought you food, my friends.”
Eyalon ducked behind a rock, sneaking carefully nearer to the spiders. Eisen ordered Blossom to continue walking into the room to keep the flies’ attention. Blossom used her sword to push the flies back and over her.
Tar’ren used his perception to watch the flies. Asher prayed to Tanas for luck so the spiders would go after the flies and not his friends. Nwalmë kept his eyes looking for the spiders in case they came after his friends.
Suddenly, Asher’s prayer was answered: A tricky gust of wind howled around the corner, dispersing the flies and forcing them into the webbing.
A huge spider dropped from the ceiling. The black and crimson spider’s fangs dripped with poison. Its front two legs were arms. It was a darkweaver spider. Gobin knew that it could infuse corpses with necrotic energy. The cocoons could be deathweaver zombies.
The party positioned themselves to fight the deathweaver as it looked at the flies. Meanwhile, the cocoons ripped open, revealing zombies that trudged towards the party.
Asher lunged forward and wove the energies of a spiritual dragon, casting Summon Draconic Spirit. The energies spiraled around his arm. Smoldering heat crawled up his back, and a voice demanded he burn everything, but he snapped the spell shut, drawing the dragon spirit under his control. The dragon, gleaming like rose quartz, gained physical form and rended the spider, shooting out radiant breath to bathe their foes.
Roger said it was good to fight a big boss again. He sent out Magic Missiles to damage the spider.
The deathweaver tugged webs and sent a stalactite on the dragon’s head. It bit the dragon once, but the second shot clashed against scales without effect.
Nwalmë shot the deathweaver with an arrow, doing massive sneak attack damage. He then used Wails from the Grave to harm a zombie. He aimed another arrow and let fly, critically harming the spider.
Eisen used Sacred Flame at a zombie but it dodged. Blossom and Buttercup attacked the zombie, piercing it with their swords.
The web zombies used their slam attack, shattering Blossom and Buttercup into shards.
Gobin dropped a Moonbeam on the deathweaver. The beam burned the spider, though it hardly flinched. A thin burst of necrotic energy lashed out towards Gobin. The Halfling lurched out of the way, narrowly dodging.
Eyalon cast Chaos Bolt at the spider. Unfortunately, it went wide. He used his Tides of Chaos to manipulate the bolt, redirecting it, but it still flew over the spider.
Tar’ren told his chwinga to drop its Pass Without Trace. He asked the chwinga to give a charm to Nwalmë. The nature spirit scrunched up their face and channeled a charm towards Nwalmë, giving him the ability to jump and spring better.
A zombie went to attack the dragon, but missed.
Asher cast Psychic Lance, though the spider forced itself to resist. The dragon ripped into the spider. The deathweaver started to cast a shroud of Darkness around itself, but Asher Counterspelled.
The deathweaver launched a web at the dragon spirit, but missed. It bit the dragon and cracked its scales.
Nwalmë leapt onto the spider, using his chainblades to wrap around it like a lasso. The spider tried to buck him off, but failed. “Yeehaw,” Nwalmë shouted, though the bucking got him into the Moonbeam, which sizzled his flesh.
Eisen cast Toll the Dead on a zombie, damaging it with his dolorous tone. The zombie’s neck snapped back, then slowly raised to its normal position as its undead fortitude kept it moving.
The zombies tried to slam Gobin, but he dodged, hiding amongst the protrusions in the rock walls.
A zombie started climbing up a stalagmite near Nwalmë.
Gobin cast Conjure Animals, creating four giant wasps. The wasps stung the zombies and the deathweaver. Gobin backed away from a zombie, dodging its opportunity attack.
Eyalon cast a careful Fireball, letting Nwalmë and the two wasps dodge the brunt of the blast. One zombie and the robber flies were incinerated. The deathweaver forced itself to resist the damage.
A zombie swung at a wasp, but missed. The deathweaver used Vampiric Touch, sucking the life from a giant wasp.
Asher cast Wither and Bloom, healing his dragon and harming the zombies and deathweaver. With two rends of the dragon’s claws, the deathweaver fell. With the dragon’s breath, one zombie fell.
Roger rushed into the room and cast Fireball, incinerating the webs, some wasps, and the last zombie. “I am the trap now!” Roger yelled.
The fight done, the party saw very little in the way of treasure. The group took a collective breath and returned to the camp where the flies had been, Asher riding the dragon.
The party decided that the fresh air in the cave could lead outside. If they used mining tools, they could escape. Where it would go, however, they did not know. Gobin transformed into a mole and crawled into the hole to look for an exit.
Investigating through the camp, the party found gemstones, tents, and bedrolls. There were five silver pearls, two chrysoberyl, and seven bloodstones. There were also sixty-two silver and sixty-one copper coins. There were three scrolls and a glowing light hammer.
Asher determined the hammer was of dwarven make and was adamantine. It was the Hammer of Decrees. It could improve the use of smith’s tools for its bearer.
Gobin’s climb through the tunnel became a harrowing experience, the ground becoming jagged. Molten lava cracked through the rock. The air was thick with sulfur, and he could hear screams in the distance.
Gobin backed up and returned to the party. “I think I found a way to Hell,” he said.
Nwalmë and Asher looked at each other. They both were aware that the Mouth of Chaos crossed through Vilithk’s domain. The Shadowlands didn’t have a hellish terrain, however. It was possible that they were in Avadon’s realm. There were stories of the Gray Gods working together, which they had seen. It was concerning.
Asher, Nwalmë, and Gobin deciphered the scrolls. They contained the spells Animate Objects, Arcane Sword, and Delayed Blast Fireball. Asher gladly stashed the scrolls for later study.
The party went back to the final sarcophagus. Nwalmë hid above a shelf while Asher prepared to open the lid. Eyalon cast Minor Illusion to make the lid look like it was still on when Asher lifted it. Asher cracked the lid off as a blinding flash flooded out. It failed to blind anyone, but then the lid was thrown off as a darakhul captain rose up from the coffin.
Asher backed away and cast Psychic Lance. The darakhul barely flinched. Asher’s dragon spirit rended and blew radiance on the ghoul.
The darakhul tried to conscript Roger, commanding the undead skull to fight for it. Roger was able to resist, however. The ghoul crashed its weapons into the dragon, shattering it into dust that winked out of existence. Finally, the ghoul reached over and bit Tar’ren. Tar’ren screamed in pain as he felt darakhul fever take hold.
Eisen Blessed the party while Gobin gathered his druidic power. He willed the ghoul to change forms. The darakhul at first resisted, but Eyalon cast Silvery Barbs, breaking its focus. The ghoul polymorphed, body scrunching into the form of a helpless turtle.
Nwalmë picked up the turtle and tossed it back into the sarcophagus.
Everyone prepared strong attacks. Nwalmë pierced the turtle’s shell with an arrow, reverting the polymorph and doing massive damage. Eyalon cast Chaos Bolt while Tar’ren cast Eldritch Blast. One of the bubble beams critically missed, grazing Eyalon’s shoulder. Roger shot fire rays and Asher tossed a Fireball that blasted the ghoul. Eisen cast Guiding Bolt, though it missed. Gobin tried to polymorph the ghoul once more, but it resisted.
Eyalon cast Fire Bolt. The ice cold flesh of the ghoul seemed to be resisting the fire.
Asher cast a thunder Chromatic Orb and struck, then backed out of the room. The ghoul lunged forward and attacked Roger, the claws raking against Roger’s skull. A large crack formed the bone, alarming the party. The darakhul then bit at Eisen, but he deflected the fangs and claws with his shield.
Tar’ren cast Chill Touch, which did very little damage, but would prevent the ghoul from healing. He then backed away.
Eisen used Sacred Flame, but the ghoul twirled and avoided it.
Gobin turned into a giant snake and constricted the darakhul. The ghoul struggled and writhed, but couldn’t escape. The nape of the ghoul’s neck was exposed, just enough that Nwalmë was able to shoot it and land a killing blow.
Gobin lifted the ghoul up by the leg and shook it. It dropped thirteen silver and thirteen electrum. Its vestments were magic as well, as was its shortsword.
The party bunked to rest. They identified the items. The sword was a Shortsword of Lifestealing. The vestments had charms and wards made of claws and scales. It was decently powerful hide armor called the Armor of Warding.
Nwalmë wrote a note to Dulwin, saying that the level was cleared and that he could follow them for more treasure.
Gobin cast Lesser Restoration on Tar’ren, but it didn’t seem to affect his fever much. Determined to help his friend, Gobin pulled out his Gob Tags. “Okay, Tar’ren, don’t move. This might feel weird.”
With that, Gobin broke the dog tag. A small cloud of dust rose from the floor, swirling up into a helix. A bright light emitted from the broken chain. Gobin slammed the necklace into Tar'ren's chest, grunting with exertion. The light pierced Tar'ren, filling him with a cleansing glow as Greater Restoration revitalized his health.
As the spell subsided and the dust settled, Gobin leaned back on his haunches, panting. “So… Do any of you speak goat?”
While adventuring with Crystal Academy Squad Tourmaline, Tar’ren had known Asher and Xilon to be thoughtful, Krixx always clever, and Gobin always a wild card. Tar'ren was unprepared to protest the destruction of the magic item, it happened so quickly. As he was cleansed, he remembered how Nwalmë risked everything to rescue Tarmak, and while he would do almost anything for those with whom he had adventured, he never expected someone would go as far as that for him. After months of wearing other people’s faces, other people’s expressions, Tar'ren became overcome with emotion that was his own. His body shuddered, and he placed a meaty orcish hand on Gobin's shoulder, pulling him in close. Tears welled in his eyes as he said, “Thank you.”
The party hale from the sacrifice and encouraged by the strength of their bonds, they rested and descended to the next level.
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Enter the Void Hollow - 05