Episode 153

## Summary

The party confronts Michella in the deep mines, gaining further information about the Soulforge and how powerful it really is. Negotiations eventually turn sour and a long fight between verminkin breaks out, ending with the electrifying conclusion of facing off with a Manabane Worm. A rune set is discovered, and destroyed. The Eye of Dagon watches.

## Recap

* After finishing their conversation with the strange, chill slime creature, the party heads to the crypt where they were told heads deeper into the mine. Vahlka opens the tomb doors. Behind them are more veins of the strange, blue stone that they found earlier.
* Vahlka takes the lead and strides into the first room. There she and Barkley attempt to negotiate with some pigfolk verminkin and eventually, after telling them that all they want to do is talk with Michella, are able to pass unharmed. The verminkin continue their work and everyone else carries on.
* In the second room is a fox woman (presumably Michella) and several other verminkin, mostly consisting of pigs and rats but also mice as well, lie and wait for the party to arrive. Along the outside of the room are four large stone slabs, having been uncovered from the wall. One of the mice is interacting with a series of three slimes, one of which touches a psuedopod to the slab and has the surface light up for a moment to reveal an image of some kind.
* Michella confronts the party. Vahlka tells her that they're looking for a way into the Soulforge, and that if she's correct to assume that she has some idea where to find another set of runes to help access it.
* Michella is skeptical how much she wants anyone accessing the rune sets, but explains in further context what the Soulforge is. Apparently, it's a device that can take souls from the ether (out of bodies or the dead), put them into nonliving vessels of any kind (of flesh, stone, or metal), and that it's how so many magical items were made "back in the old days". She also reveals that the Soulforge only has a limited amount of power and with that in consideration, makes the party something like competition.
* Vahlka counters that Michella has just as much obligation to convince them what her intentions for using the Soulforge are, just as much as they do to her. She explains that because the verminkin are cursed, they want to get back their human bodies. Vahlka says that she doesn't necessarily strand against that, but is quickly cut off by Michella who still has an allegiance with the nagpa who are "just as cursed". Attempts to persuade her otherwise are less than successful.
* Ultimately, Michella still wants to take the Soulforge for the verminkin and deliver it to the nagpa even after Barkley's plea that she personally has no intention of destroying it knowing that it can help people.
* Vahlka asks what the verminkin are doing with the town of Greymorrow up on the surface and Michella explains that it's merely a cover for their operations there. Barkley expresses some apprehension with the rat verminkin working on mining stone because apparently, she can feel a tremor deep within the earth that's unnatural. Everyone is pretty perplexed at this, including Michella.
* Negotiations fall apart quickly. Barkley's attempt to reason is rebuffed by Michella who says they have nothing worth bargaining. Vahlka steps forward and attempts to intimidate some of her forces which does thankfully work on some. Michella tries to cast a spell, but is counterspelled by Lucius.
* Adamant casts a series of Eldritch Blasts, which are successful, but the impacts hit off a barrier surrounding Michella instead. Michella orders the three slimes forward, the sparkling one of which flies, all of them proceeding to wreck the party's shit. Vahlka casts Beacon of Hope.
* The rat verminkin flee from the scene, having no proper weapons to fight with. Michella casts Wall of Force, cutting off all the exists. Daniel casts CAT. Lucius disintegrates the Wall of Force. The ominous tremors continue.
* It's discovered that, upon Adamant striking the sparkling slime, that it conducts metal weapons and causes damage to those who hit it with them. This... is less than ideal. Barkley casts her familiar to cast touch healing spells without having to get past the wall. Boulder's clothes slowly start receding away by being attacked by black puddings. Michella teleports out of the wall to assault Daniel. Adamant goes down, but is quickly brought back up by Kirran. Lucius casts Dimension Door on both him and Barkley, placing them on the other side of the wall. The black pudding splits.
* Lucius casts Fireball, getting rid of the black puddings but has no apparent affect on the sparkling slime. Daniel is restrained in place, slowly turning into stone thanks to Michella, but can still heal from a distance.
* Suddenly the ground cracks, sending enemies in the middle of the field away to reveal a Manabane Worm. It's revealed to be particularly attracted to spellcasters, so Lucius predictably gets smacked around easily by its tail as he attempts to cast a spell. Vahlka moves around the worm to destroy the electrified slime at last. Kirran gets swallowed by the worm. Adamant wails away at the worm, carving giant chunks out of its armor. Vahlka gets swallowed, too. Lucius willingly gets bit and swallowed so that he can get to Vahlka, who he promptly Dimension Doors out.
* On the descent from being taken out of the worm's stomach, Vahlka uses her momentum to cut through the creature with a decisive blow. As it dies, the worm sparks violently and explodes outward with electrified energy - knocking Vahlka and Lucius unconscious. Thankfully Daniel and Kirran are there to get them back up again.
* It's revealed that the subsequent explosion has lit up the slabs - a barmaid holding up a tankard, a star, a dog, and a meditating man. What order they go in or what the text around them means, however, they have no idea (since none of them speak dwarvish).
* A conversation is had whether or not to destroy the runes. Barkley isn't in favor of it, knowing that it could potentially help people. Vahlka, Lucius, and Kirran are opposed, reasoning that once the nagpa have control of the Soulforge then there's nothing stopping them from using it for their own benefit and not the benefit of others. Precautions are made and two of the slabs are destroyed, although not without difficulty.
* The party decides to take a short rest in one of the nearby supply closets. Before resting, Kirran casts his special ability Night Reveals. Daniel points out a strange object on Lucius' head, describing it as a "worm". What the creature really is looks like a lamprey with a giant, bulbous eye that disappears once being revealed (but isn't destroyed).
* Lucius panics, wondering why a demon would be attached to him there. Vahlka tells him that he knows why, and presses the half-dragon to reveal the cost of his deal in the Abyss to everyone, revealing that his soul is owned by Dagon. Kirran mentions that he might know someone that could potentially help at least with their unwanted passenger and can get in contact with her once they lie down to sleep.

## Chat Logs

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