Expedition 8: A Shot in the Dark

### Summary

We enter the fungal caverns for the first time, and are nearly wiped out by a band of myconids.

### Detailed Writeup

The group makes their way through Arha's Pass. The trip is uneventful and they find the cavern where they fought the bears easily enough. The rocks they placed last time were undisturbed until the group itself pried them away.

A torch was light and the Light spell was cast as they ventured into the inky water. They found it to be two feet deep meaning that Lahont had some trouble navigating it and Calliope was carried by Steelstaff. They made their way further in to the first mushroom they saw. It was rather large and dripping a veil of ink.

Feng places a hand upon the mushroom and learns that it produces the ink for its forefathers, the ones that planted it here in this fertile space. Feng passes this onto the group when their conversation is interrupted by another fungus. This one was another huge creature dripping a veil of ink off of itself, but it had the key advantage of being able to move. Steelstaff and Calliope traversed to the top of the stationary mushroom and combat begins.

Feng tries to talk the thing into being peaceable, but it views the group only as food. Tolyr tries to levitate it, but it proves too heavy. Calliope and Lahont both fire at it, but they find the veil of ink make it difficult to make an accurate shot. Steelstaff jumps on top of it and Feng bashes at it from below. Tolyr runs in and joins the fight with his own weapon. Everyone gets some hits on it and it eventually tumbles down dead, Lahont getting the final blow.

Steelstaff is healed some by Calliope and Tolyr heals himself as the group discusses the morality of killing and what constitutes a sentient creature. Tolyr investigates a part of dry land the group found during the fight with two arcane sigils on it. One appears to be able to produce a Leomund's Tiny Hut through some magical mechanism while the other has an unknown purpose of conjuration.

The group ventures onward for another two hours as they try to reach the chain that was seen on the previous expedition. Another threat approaches and everyone moves to an area where the water is only a few inches deep.

Eight myconids approach with hostile intent. One of them obviously special by virtue of having a gem in its head. Feng again tries diplomacy and is again rebuffed as being 'dinner'. Combat breaks out once more.

The lesser fungi are ineffective against Feng's living heavy armor. The gem mushroom is able to knock Steelstaff into incapacitation and hallucination with some type of spore. Tolyr casts faerie fire into the fray hitting four fungi and Calliope. This quickly proves a double edged sword as while the fungi begin to crumple to Feng and Calliope's attacks, Calliope is hit hard in return.

Lahont focuses his attention on the gem mushroom which reciprocates by focusing attention on Lahont. Lahont is able to keep some distance and fire upon the fungus until it is weak enough to try to take Steelstaff and retreat.

As this happens Calliope falls victim to the incapacitating spores. Feng runs after the gem mushroom and the same fate befalls him. Tolyr is attacked by the four remaining lesser fungi and falls unconscious. Lahont remains the last man standing. He takes careful aim and fells the gem mushroom which was now carrying Steelstaff and Feng. Tolyr manages to rouse himself (with a critical success) and casts burning hands upon the remaining enemies and Calliope. Calliope had just woken herself from her stupor and was able to dodge the vast majority of the fire.

The same could not be said for the foes, who all fell save one. Steelstaff rouses himself and finishes the last one just as Feng also escapes his incapacitation. The group decides to take the gem fungus's body and gem and leave.

They escape without further incident, though not achieving their primary objective.