Expedition 22: Fungal Chains

### Summary

We find a Yugoloth chained in the fungal caverns, producing drip that lets the fungus produce ink. Marzipan banishes the Yugoloth, despite Tolyr's protestations.

### Detailed Writeup

The party of four (the same who had discovered the cavern over a month ago) set out into the cavern, walking over the surface of the water with Lahont’s dagger. Tolyr had determined that one species of fungus converted ***drip*** into ***ichor*** (the dilute ink), while the other converted ***ichor*** into ***ink***, and transported it up to the surface. Tolyr gathered a sample of the ichor near the exit, and they made their way to the spell circle a couple hundred feet from the entrance.

Marzipan cast identify on the two circles. He identified one as a teleportation circle, the other was a spell circle of tiny hut, that could be activated with the phrase “Mulvrash”, or protection in stonespeak.

As they left the circle two Ink Wyrds ambushed them, but were eventually fought off.

As they moved on, they found an organic structure hanging low from the ceiling with several glowing balls around a foot wide filled with fluid suspended from thin lines. After discussing several complicated ways to get at them, Lahont climbed up and attached a block and tackle to the ceiling, and the party lifted Tolyr up in range to hold Marzipan’s pot up with his mage hand. Lahont then shot at the threads with his crossbow, and they managed to collect most of the orbs. These were later identified as Everglow fluid, and were sold to various people for a small fortune.

They continued on towards the chains, when they were a mile away, Tolyr released Annie to fly to the farside of the cavern. She fluttered around the chains to confirm they were real, and then dove in the dark water, and was killed in an instant.

They continued on, and encountered a group of 10 myconids. While last time they had nearly killed us, this time with a fireball and multiple good hits and lucky saves the party annihilated them. One of Lahont’s crossbow bolts was imbued with lightning, and had been transformed into glass, a power granted by his bronze dragon friend. They noted that the glassification was somewhat similar to what had happened to the leaves in the Blue Wood.

They continued to the chains, staying well out of reach of them, and Tolyr initiated contact, feeling confident this was an Aboleth they could interrogate, with contingency plans should combat begin.

Rising from the depths and communicating telepathically with the party was a large invisible creature displacing the water. In addition to the 4 chains, a 5th spike of Orichalcum was driven up from below, with black fluid ***drip***ping from the invisible wound.

The creature was open to answering questions, but never quite gave straight answers. It said it had been chained here by the “forefathers and mages”

Marzipan looked into the Ethereal plane, and saw what the invisible creature looked like. He described it to the rest: it had wings, multiple arms, horns, tail, and was green. It was a Nycaloth.

It had forgotten its name, but it had been referred to as “The Drip”. It had been a soldier for many in its army, and informed them it loved violence. It offered the party each a wish if they would release it. While Tolyr waved that off as a ridiculous lie, the rest of the party talked about the offer, though all but Calliope insisted they had no interest in wishes. Marzipan expressed his desire to free the creature and send it back to where it belonged. The Yugoloth got more insistent, saying it would grant one less wish the longer they delayed. Tolyr laughed at this, and turned to walk away, but the rest of the party didn’t follow as he had expected.

Marzipan asked if banishing it to its home plane would earn them wishes, it informed him it wouldn’t, but that they would be grateful. Tolyr quietly begged Marzipan not to do this, imploring him to consider the violence that could occur if it was released (The fact that this creature was vital for ink production also on his mind). But Marzipan had made up his mind, he cast Banishment, and the creature willingly failed its save and was transported back to its home plane (presumably the Blood Rift). Tolyr stood in stunned silence as Marzipan waited the minute to make the banishment permanent, and Calliope went and collected the Orichalcum spike that had been embedded in the creature, from which two units of the material could be harvested.

The party returned in silence, Tolyr going ahead and avoiding everyone else, as they left the caverns.