Session 22-B: Cragmaw's Crest

## Key Plot Developments

The group, led by Tremble, retrieves Jimjar's father's statue from the Rockblight. They carefully return it to the Ruby in the Rough enclave, bypassing acolyte Glyphic Shroomlight. Tremble has a private moment with Jimjar's mother, Reina. Reina's ghost inspects the statue and concludes that, while her soul is unable to move on, his already has. She takes time to reflect on their relationship and her loneliness. Tremble, eyes swelling with tears, promises to return Jimjar to her.

Tremble rejoins Bogtooth and Pix. He insists they track down Ilvara and reclaim Jimjar. Bogtooth is concerned about the imminent threat of ooze invasion. He considers reaching out to the wererats for help; Pix agrees.

Bogteam takes a moment to see Tappy at his inn. Tappy explains how many patrons are increasingly nervous about an ooze invasion. Bogtooth, once again, suggests Tappy create a drive-through business model.

Tremble shows Pix the drow-craft dress he discovered in the medusa's cavern. She wears it, reflecting on her emergent status as a goblin "matron mother" in the K'Gaust family's mold. The party sees Kazook Pickshine, the gnomish merchant, and orders a series of shields with carvings and totems indicative of their journeys this far.

Next, The group revisits Priest Gunrik, who re-articulates the importance of purifying the menhirs in the Rockblight. They also see Chief Dorbo, who gives them a gnome-crafted spell gem that he says contains a powerful magic in recognition of their efforts to help the city thus far.

Finally, they re-enter the Rockblight. They travel to its farthest corner. The floor of this cavern is worn smooth, but the walls are rough. A great menhir carved from a stalagmite stands in the center of the chamber, pockmarked with dozens of empty sockets that might once have held gems. They place Gunrik's token--a ruby--in one of the sockets.

As the ruby begins to glow against the menhir, the walls begin to rumble. Part of one wall shifts, detaches, and charges toward them.

An earth elemental, crackling with red and black veins, materializes out of the wall and attacks. When the elemental is destroyed, it crumbles, and a galeb duhr emerges from the ground near the menhir. This process repeats twice more.

Finally, a white light shines from the menhir, producing a *hallow* effect protecting the galeb duhr from the influence of the malevolent forces of the Rockblight. The galeb duhr then animate and acknowledge the Bogteam with a grave nod, before settling down in their boulder guise around the menhir.

Completely exhausted--in mechanical terms, every member of the party failed at least two death saves at some point during the fight--they inspect the area. Tremble remembers the room with all of the drow statues. Bogtooth and Pix try to find a magical aura around the room, and conclude that a corrupting extraplanar entity is likely the source of the earth elementals' corruption. If it can be banished, the gnomes can regain control of their elementals, which is key to saving the city from the oozes' attack. There is hope!

## Memorable Quotations

**Priest Gunrik:** I hope the Smoothhands won't dub this sacrilegious, but some things are beyond even the gods' control. It comes down to a roll of the dice. That, too, is fate.

* **Bogtooth:** Ya think we gotta pay a visit to the wererats? I mean, I know if it were me, I wouldn’t help. But, hey, maybe wererats have a different value system!
* **Pix:** If the world we grew up in didn't want us, I'd still want an invitation to fight for it.

**Bogtooth**: God. Imagine not maintaining your dress. Disgusting.

* **Pix:** Bogtooth, if you ever want to borrow the dress, you're welcome to!
* **Bogtooth:** ALRIGHT! Dresses are POWERFUL and REGAL. Important people get to wear them. Like ME!

**Tappy:** So many things are happening! We were attacked, business is booming, and people are partying! Anyway, we listened to that recommendation about a drive-through, and we'll keep it on TAP-Y. Ha. Okay, that's my name. I'm saying it in a different way. Can I get a tip?

**Pix:** Geo-Billie "Rocky" Kill-Crusher, you're my sweet boy.