February 25, 2020 - Of Caves and Death

## Ansu

I almost died this trip....... more then usual but i'm getting ahead of myself let's pick up where we left off. We made it back Monday spent our time resting and restocking we got two new sets of hands along the members of our previous contract. A adventure with some quests under his belt by the name of Bradak and a new arrival by the name of Zephyr. On the subject of getting new hands don't yell in Willow's inn that is NOT advisable for your health or wellbeing. After getting some extra help and restocking along with a newly negotiated quest we dove back into the fey wilds to the previously written location. Along our travels we found ourselves on a beach of pink sand and shortly after found some normal yellow sand that we later discovered has a temporary magic property to speed people along. Soon after this we made camp with nothing to report waking up and continuing our trek we found ourselves attacked by wasps which were quickly dispatched and harvested. we got close to the cave but sun was setting we all decided a day raid was better then a night one so we camped. during his watch as we learned in the morning Bradak scouted ahead and noticed what we originally thought was a pitfall but was actually the entrance to the cave i don't know if this was smart or just lucky. making our way inside thanks to climbing pitons and some rope

we quickly found ourselves packed in this room with many combatants. A bugbear leading the charge with a morning star. He quickly set upon me the first swing i swear cracked my jaw what i know it did do was make my vision swim as i struggled the keep my feet under me. My vision came into focus just quickly enough to see the backswing coming in before i found myself off my feet and unconscious. i do not know how much time had past but when i awoke the fight was still raging on. we were holding our own but they had the numbers advantage in spades a lot of fighting ensued and many goblins fell to ours hands in that room before Zephyr went down. shortly after Mordin followed. Tristan and i found ourselves under the influence of a spell. My body acted on it's own as i skewered Tristan with my rapier. Realizing that i just attacked the person Who is actively guarding and caring for Apophis i managed to shake off the spell. Though needless to say the fight was no longer in our favor. We swung swords and cast spells with a fervor i can only compare to a drowning man trying to swim. we all fought for our lives and the lives of those with us with every ounce of our being. we started once more making progress when three drow monks joined the fight against us. We would not be making it out of here alive this was going to be our mass grave. i kept upright long enough to see a wyrmling and his flying kobold guards start fighting our foes before one of the monks landed two blows and once again my vision was met with darkness. When i regained my vision we had won the fight but had suffered a loss. Zephyr no longer breathed he was no longer clinging to life. Mordin gave him a dwarven burial.

while Mordin did so i tried to put my mind back in the proper state a difficult task when you nearly died twice as i sat down with Apophis to do so a wind blew through the cavern seeming to carry Zephyr's last words thanking us for the moment of adventure before his passing. I found home in that breeze not where i grew up but a place i truly belonged. i felt warmth in those words it was just the calming moment we all needed

Talking with the kobolds we learned the mother of this wyrmling was no longer here. But she was protecting something trying to keep it from getting out into the world a case of sorts that we suspect was the cause of all this corruption. Who would take something like this? the goblins it's always the goblins in this place. At this point it's a infestation, not all of them are bad though. Me, Mordin and Tristan all went to check out the rest of the cave a large stone slab that the kobolds say once was open. Upon inspection we knew it was magic in nature so we went where this dragon once slept. We wanted to check everything before getting someone with more knowledge in arcane. The room was empty except for a pool of water which steeply descended in a slope. Talking quickly and quietly Mordin decided to distract the kobolds since they revered him as God while i swam through this place. The water was cold and dark i anchored pitons on my way so i could climb back out. And quickly found myself in the treasure room of this dragon, i had promised Mordin not to steal or more accurately that i wouldn't offend the wyrmling or kobolds there was a small scattering of magic items that my companions could use as much didn't interest me (to be continued when we resolve that)

## Bradak

Me n Gligo were training as usual, then that little Bard Tristan approached with a proposition. It had been a few days since my last outing here and I knew twiddlin’ thumbs ain’t gonna help me find my old crew before they find me. So, I told that goblin to get to runnin’ and listened to the Bard’s tale. Somethin’ about some sickness that’s makin everybody go mad. Not my usual schtick, but I needed some more funds and gligo can only train so much in a day, so off I went.

Tristan and Lordran were along for the ride, with some kinda air demon thing I ain’t never seen before. Along with that was a dwarf holyman, another of them air folk, and an odd lookin’ lady named..ossany? Ossias? Somethin’ like that. Anyway, I don’t trust easy but I ain’t starting fights where ain’t no need for one so I just kept a close eye on the shift lookin ones.

About a day’s travel in we found some kinda yellow sand. I knew better than to touch the stuff but apparently the air fella Zephyr didn’t think too much. He started speedin up and talkin a million miles a minute. That goblin guidin us figured it might be quick sand and Lordran and a few others bottled up a couple o’ doses. I still think everybody’s crazy for touch in’ anything in these damned fey woods.

Anyway, next day travelin’ was light and we managed to get mighty close to the cave we were hopin for. I took 4th watch and slept with an eye open next to Lordran in case any of these new folks were lookin’ for an easy mark. On 4th watch, I scoured ahead and found some big hole covered with leaves. I took a look and headed back to tell the others come mornin. At first light, we headed to that home and goblin boy told us it was the cave, not a trap. The dwarf jumped in first and I followed’ im. Lordran learned a few magic spells and was able to make that openin’ a little easier to fit through.

We musta made some noise cuz sure enough, right after we were facin down about 20 goblins, hobs, bugbears, and all kinda shit. First thing is that windy fella Ansu and his snake got his shoulder broken by that bugbear. Dropped like a bag a’ rocks. That ol’ boy was tough, but I managed to grab him and me and Lordran dropped ‘im real quick.

Everythin’ else was a blur. Somethin creeped into my head and suddenly I was surrounded by enemies. I lashed out at everything and even cleaved part of Ansu’s shoulderguard in half. That whispy fella didn’t make it through the first couple volleys of arrows and blades. On top of that, sure enough a couple more drow come barrelin through the choke. I knew it was either time to fight, or time to die so I steeled myself to accept a good death. Shit was rough. Dwarf went down, Ansu went down, ol Zephyr bled to death right in front of me. Need to remember that if I fall, I can’t count on any of these fuckers to get me up except for Joker and maybe them two druids. Same spell in my head told me to swing at everything, but I dug my sword into the dirt and held on for dear life tryin not to kill folk who are on my side.

The rest was like a dream. A roar, some screams, and a torrent of fire ‘bout burned my beard off. Them drow left us and I looked up to see it: a gold dragon. It was a baby, but it was real. Sounds like bullshit stories mothers tell, but it was sure enough there and in the flesh. The dragon and his little flyin’ sumbitches helped us clean up the rest of an otherwise lost fight. Now I ain’t never been scared a’ death, but I don’t know how many more hits me or anybody else coulda taken. Ole Lordran had half his chest plate ripped open and the rest of us weren’t much better.

Ansu, and that Mordin fella got to talkin with the dragon while Lordran, me Tristan, and Osanas. (That’s it! Osanas!) got to pickin through the spoils. Them boys had a good bit a loot they won’t be needin’ no more so we helped ourselves.

On the way back, Ansu and that Warlock were talkin’ about sellin poisons and that speedy quick sand. I don’t know. I’m just ready to get back to town. I need to have a word with Dovrahl and turn Gligo into a fightin’ machine strong enough to watch my ass.