Session 5: The mound and the dwarf Report

General Summary

As you go down the circling staircase the light from above ground slowly fades. Now left with barely any light Dena casts dancing lights while Rhogar lights his torch. As you all go further down the stairs and walls gradually go from dirt, mud an clay over to smooth stone. After walking down for quite some time you see a dim light seeping into the staircase. As you reach the bottom of the stairs you see a room before you, dimly lit from an unidentifiable source. The walls and floors seem to go over into each other seamlessly.   As soon as you leave the staircase and set foot into the a low rumble comes from above you, the room shakes for a few moments before everything turns silent again. Inspecting the room you discover nothing in particular only a door at the other end of the room. Rhogar taking the lead walks in front of you towards the door. After a short inspection he tries at the nob. With a click the door opens away from you. Another two clicks sound from below Rhogar, Just in time he manages to jump through the opening in front before needles as long as a mature man shoot from the ground, impaling the air where Rhogar stood just moments ago.   As you navigate the trap carefully you enter another room this time again a door at the other end as well as a crumbled staircase to the left. The trembles start again, pieces of stone tumble from the staircase. No, with caution you approach the next doors. After a longer inspection you feel confident the door is not trapped in any way. Opening the door you happen upon a hallway splitting of in several directions.   Taking the hallway straight you see it again splitting of to the left. Dena taking the lead notices a circle engraved with runes glowing with a deep blue light. As she is testing the circle out with her staff she touches the runes. As if seen something horrific she runs backwards and further into the other direction, stopping and falling to her knees against a wall, crying. Azubuike approaches her and lays a hand on her shoulder. With a sharp breath he starts looking through her eyes. Seeing the dread and horror she is now experiencing.   Hearing the commotion from the party a giant rat comes from the corner, taking an aggressive stance and hissing at the party. Azubuike moves in front of Dena, protecting her from possible attacks. As Dena regains her grip on reality she manages to produce a flame to scare away the rat.   After you discussed the way forward Rhogar decides to go past the rune circle believing in the power of an amulet he caries to protect him. Azubuike and Dena continue down the hall where the rat came from and see it sitting in the corner after taking a left further into the hall. The rat, now cornered hisses and snaps at Azubuike’s legs. Not taking any risk Azubuike, with one quick blow, snaps the spine of the rat killing it instantly.   As the hallway turns in on itself Rhogar notices Azubuike and Dena coming his way. As Azubuike walks toward Rhogar a sizzling sound starts. A greenish purple ball shoots from the wall and hits Azubuike, not managing to fully dodge it, in his side. Not waiting any longer the party moves further and into a round room containing a chest straight and another doorway to the left.   Dena, inspecting the chest, finds a glaive and shield. While you gather around the chest you can hear squeaking coming from the doorway to the left. A couple of giant rats emerge from the hallway beyond ready to attack! You kill rat after rat but they keep on coming. There seems to be no end in sight. As Azubuike blocks the doorway to prevent new rats from pouring in, again a deep rumble shaking the hallway and room as Dena starts casting a spell. Roots start sprouting from the ground in the hallway as Dena finishes her incantation trapping the rats in their place. Giving you time to escape. Back into the hallway past the Eldritch Blast trap you notice a door and run through it. Azubuike, as he held of the rats not trapped by Dena’s spell, trails behind, dashes through the doorway and slams the door shut.   You find yourself in another circular room this time with a book filled shelve and a broken glass case with an opaque with runes engraved cube inside. Taking it and several books you press on further into the room beyond.   An iron gate blocks entrance to the room to the left. After inspecting the room you notice a small bump in the otherwise flat wall. In hopes of opening the gate Rhogar presses on the bump. A click, a hiss, and steam escapes from the ceiling an both walls to the side. Rhogar jumping backwards manages to barely escape the boiling air shot at him. Trying out different ways to get to the next room, the place starts to tremble again, this time longer and more violently. At last by mere coincidence you touch the gate while holding the cube and move through the gate as if it where not there.   After you moved through the gat you see, what appears to be, your last challenge. A crackling magic field glowing in various colors, blocking the way to an altar with what seems like place to put the cube. Again the room starts to shake, longer, harder… Silence and then again quick and violent rumbles with short stops in between.   Azubuike and Dena start casting a spell in hopes of blowing up the magic field. Finishing the last syllable of their spell they release an Eldritch Blast and Firebolt. Hitting the magic field the spells are slung back Azubuike getting scorched by Dena’s fire and Dena getting hit by Azubuike’s otherworldly power.   Again a rumble not stopping and even more violently than the once before. Pieces of the ceiling start falling down. After a short deliberation you decide to run back to the exit. Across debris, traps and falling stone you manage to reach the stairs just as Rhogar loses his footing. Azubuike quick in his wits grabs Rhogar setting him up straight. You continue up the stairs as you feel the place sinking in to the ground. Jumping from the mouth of the mound you see it slowly retracting back in to the ground leaving no sign of the place behind.