WHAT DWELLS BELOW

***WHAT DWELLS BELOW*** is the seventh session of *Glimpses into the Fade.* The Unnamed Party head down the well of Duncaster, stumbling upon the lair of a creature. After avoiding certain death, the group of adventurers prepare for what lies ahead of them.

## Musings

*The surface world already bodes so many questions and mysteries, what more of the beings that dwell below?*

## **Synopsis**

Reaching the bottom of the well of Duncaster, the group begins moving in on a series of tunnels under the town. Proposing to proceed stealthily, toppling over one another as they made their way down the stone edge, the party rolls poorly to seemingly no consequences. Moving inward, they start investigating the vegetation -- roots, moss and vines protruding from the cracks of walls and floor.. Algae moss is the only indicator there was moisture here previously, as the rocky floor is brittle and cracking.

Hira talks to Monsoon about the different shades of moss, one of particular dark green. As the two converse Oriza touches the moss. It is flaky, like ash. Monsoon tells them not to touch it, as some of the plant life here has been **blighted.** Anthir look at the vines sprouting from the rocks, and comes to the conclusion they aren't related to the roots that are sprouting downwards, assumed to be the roots of the trees above, but the vines are sprouting *up.* Bran ascertains the vines are magically, giving off a soft magical from them, and is possibly necrotic. As Bran and Anthir move further into the cavern, they reach a portion filled with bones. Hard to discern whose, however as Anthir touches one, upon examination they seem slightly warm.

As the bones are meddled with, Hira notices the ground rumbling. Calling out to everyone as a warning, she heads towards Monsoon, and Oriza moves towards Anthir and Bran. From beneath the surface a large purple worm emerges by the trio, stabbing and biting into both Bran and Anthir. Initiating combat, the party begins to make their attacks. However as Hira attempts to approach the worm, she fails a wisdom saving throw. A voice mocks her in her head as she is frightened. Bran who is critically injured by it's stinger disengages, as Oriza, Anthir, and Monsoon begin to attack.

Bran circles back, calling out in search of Hira, whose hidden herself away in fear. Oriza, just rounds prior failed their dexterity save and cast Hellish Rebuke as they are swallowed. Sustaining more damage, Anthir begins to retreat also in search for her. The two of them find her hiding, Hira's vision is blurry and legs are shaking as the worm reminds her of something similar. Anthir exclaims that they need her, offering a bardic inspiration. On a critical success, Hira begins to calm down, anchored by a calling of sweet flowers attempting to reach out to her. She apologizes to the two of them, and heads into battle. As the three rush back towards the worm, Monsoon exclaims Oriza had been swallowed by the beast.

Oriza, stuck in the belly of the beast, struggles to make their way out. Rolling a critical failure, Oriza dealt enough damage as they hit themselves, and goes unconscious. As the battle continues, Hira fails her dexterity save, being swallowed, now also blinded and restrained. She heals Oriza before attempting to claw her way out. Meanwhile outside of the beast, the remaining three continue to stab into it. With his new knowledge, Bran mage hands a handful of bones into the worms nostrils, blocking its sense of smell, imposing disadvantage on its attack rolls. In the beast, Hira attempts to attack from the inside, however a critical failure deals the damage to herself and falls unconscious.

On deaths door, the worm takes a deep breath and inhales the bones, dealing the final points of damage. The worm convulses as it chokes, and falls dead. Monsoon immediately searches for a hollow portion of the worm, stabbing into it in search of the two missing members. He cuts the worm open, pulling the two unconscious bodies out, allowing them to be healed by Anthir. Monsoon proposes to the group to take a short rest, to which they all agree to. Monsoon stands to collect samples of the beast -- a bottle of stomach acid, a tooth of its maw, and a piece of flesh -- storing them in his bag of holding. He slides down and sits against a slab of rock, to which Hira follows. As the group gets some rest, a sending spell comes through:

> *Ambrose: “Hira, as soon as your done there i need to see you and your party at Glenwell. Urgent, bring Monsoon. Don’t go in portals please.”*
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> *Hira: “Still in Duncaster, will be there ASAP, will be careful around portals. How is my aunt last you saw her? I need help checking something.”*
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> *Ambrose: “Lost disciples entering, do not engage inside (the portals). Left days ago because of this emergency. Calypso is fine. Safe. Will send someone halfway to help escort you.”*
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> *Hira: “Will be safe, thank you. Disciples dead or missing? Need clarification.”*
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> *Ambrose: “Dead.”*
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Upon hearing this, Monsoon expresses it be best to not tell him of the Arcane Winds who are still alive in the Fade, He’s unsure if Ambrose will take advantage knowing the party is in there, and potentially put more at risk. As Bran attempts to read him, Monsoon shows a mixture of emotions, of frustration, tiredness and anger. Hira attempts to check in on herself, rolling a charisma saving throw. She is pulled into her thoughts, and goes catatonic as the rest of the party begin looting and scavenging the corpse of the worm. The worm has multiple teeth, to which the front row is very sharp, but the rows behind it is more blunted teeth to crunch at rocks. It is roughly the same size of the tunnels, and even with it dead, there is still this sense of necrotic dread.

As Oriza takes a larger tooth as a souvenir, to which Monsoon asks for the nerve ends, a soft flowery scent reaches Hira's nose, and she feels a little sleepy. Falling asleep, she wakes up to a soft wind grazing her face. Blades of grass dance as wisteria trellis hangs above you in hundreds in thousands, with petals fall on her face, Vilya appears, saying she's been trying to contact her. As she reaches a hand down and Hira reaches for it, the session ends for the night.

## Featured Characters

#### The Fireflies

* Anthir
* Bran
* Hiraeth
* Oriza
* Riya

#### Returning

* Monsoon
* Vilya
* Ambrose
* Disembodied Whisper

#### Mentioned

* Calypso