Abyses 21: Up Tunnelin Dey Whorlstone

## TL;DR

* A dead Droki and a Hydra head are both in Rat King’s bag
* The Acquaintances made a Flumph friend
* There’s some weird stuff going on behind a big wooden door in the Tunnels
* Another Gray Ghost approached the Acquaintances saying it was in their best interest to form an alliance before the gang dismissed him

## Droki Killin

* Near the entrance of the Whorlstone Tunnels the gang made their way around a scum-covered pond, skirting around it on a narrow ledge that was just barely wide enough for Ivis to shuffle across on horseback
* On the other side of the pond Fegus passively percepted a recently disturbed patch of ground near the entrance of a small tunnel branching of the main cavern
* Rat King sent one of his subjects to investigate, it reported back that it saw a small gray humanoid sleeping
* The gang decided to try flanking the creature on the chance that it was Droki or someone who knew his whereabouts
* However, when Bernhol tried his typical stealthy approach a mushroom hidden in a innocuous patch of fungi let our a deafening shriek, alerting the slumbering Derro
* After seeing the Derro the Acquaintances recognized him as their target
* They attempted to bring him in alive, but his Boots of Speed made it nearly impossible to get close enough to subdue him. Ivis resolved to eldritch blast him in the back of the head
* The gang split the rewards they found in his satchel, but left his boots and tentacled cap on his him when they stuffed him into Rat King’s bag

## An Intellect Devourer!? Oh God Oh Fu- oh it's dead…

* The gang then came across two Empty Scabbard Killers guarding a thick wooden door, who attacked on sight
* Perhaps most distressing among the foes was an Intellect Devourer, who was luckily dealt with before it could get within head chomping range
* During the altercation one of the Duergar took mastery of Ivis’ mind, and commanded him to strike his loyal steed. Then again to attack Bernhol. Albeit more stiff and less confidently than his typical attack
* One of the Duegar managed to turn invisible and slip past the door, presumably alerting whatever residents dwelled inside
* There was also a lavishly dressed undead Derro mindlessly lurking in a branching tunnel the entire fight, which was swiftly laid to rest
* Fergus was understandably a bit concerned with Ivis’ friendly fire, but was wise enough to understand that it wasn’t as clear cut as it seemed. Ivis explained that he was manipulated by one of the Duegar, which put Fergus’ concerns at ease

## Sweltering Sword

* As the group passed the large door the Empty Scabbard Killers were posted in front of Ivis noticed his sword began to spontaneously grow hotter in his hand
* The Acquaintances learned as much they could about what lay beyond the door without busting it down and charging into conflict with whatever unknown creatures waited inside
* They could just barely make out many small creatures skittering just beyond the door

## More Like Gay Ghosts

* It was then they were approached by a Gray Ghost, though one who was noticeably less hostile than any they’d encountered in the tunnels
* The Derro said that, unlike his associate Nero who had approached the Acquaintances earlier, he was here on his own accord and not as part of the Ghosts
* He made the offer to build trust with the party, and agreed to answer any questions he could
* Ivis wanted to stay on task and not get caught up in any of the Gray Ghost’s conflicts or schemes, a sentiment which the other three Acquaintances supported
* The Gray Ghost warned that it was in the party’s best interest to get on better terms with his group before reluctantly disappearing the same way he came in

## Get It? Like Squidward But It’s a Flumph

* Making their way deeper into the tunnels, the group met a Flumph
* Displaying the friendliness their kind is known for, it introduced itself as Flumphward
* After exchanging pleasantries it agreed to escort the group to the Hydra they were seeking, then travel with them afterwards
* However, first they wanted to see if it could discern anything about the Empty Scabbard’s lair that they couldn’t
* Flumphward said that just beyond the door there were dozens of rats that were altered to have telepathy
* Not wanting to be ambushed, Bernhol rigged up a improvised alarm using hemp rope and the acid-resistant ore he found in the Tunnels

## Ceiling Scorpion oh and a hydra too ig

* Following Flumphward’s directions towards the Hydra, Bernhol found himself ensnared by a giant pale arachnid which was perched on the cave ceiling
* The creature was shot down and the Bernhol was caught in the firm yet gentle embrace of a giant four-armed rat monster
* Oddly enough the arachnid’s blood smelled strongly of alcohol
* The fight with the giant bug woke up the eight headed Hydra the gang was looking for
* Bernhol managed to shoot a precisely place bolt of lightning, cutting one of the heads clean off, which the gang quickly collected
* The Acquaintances then followed the Stone Guard’s orders and left the creature alive, somewhat disappointing the Commander, but not before it managed to rip apart Rat King’s Furior with its remaining seven heads
* All that remains for the party is to return their quarries to the Stone Guard and claim whatever reward Capt. Blackskull had waiting for them