Going to Ground (ooc)

Starting at the top of the mountain, the party investigated for any way the cult may get into the mountain from this campsite. Manny (on a Nat 20 investigation) found a trap door underneath the altar cart. The door was trapped with fire, which Manny avoided, but Dara was too slow and got singed.
 
We took a short rest, Eles brought Guatir back, who Manny was VERY worried about. A skinnier Guatir returned. Merrli lobbed his very round and happy ghost into the dark opening. Everything looked clear of people and he could see a light at the end of the tunnel.
 
We went down the ladder and down the corridor, going further down into the mountain. There are more and more little bits of crystal that Dara chipped a little bit of the crystals off for all of us. I had some note about "Best Friends Forever", "What a weird thing to say". I have no idea what that was in reference to.
 
After about a half an hour walk, the light getting brighter. We have to look around a corner (an obtuse corner?) with a straight up campfire.
 
There were like, 9 people, 9 dwarf-like beings. On someone's religion check, we discover these aren't real dwarves. They were fey. These fey were trapped. I think it was Eles that heard them say "set us free". They turned into firey/icy piles. On some other check, we discover fey can be summoned to do different tasks. 1. act as sentries 2. act on the front lines 3. act as miners.
 
Someone got a Nat 20 for something (Merrli on a perception check?). We walk 10 more minutes, everything getting brighter still. Also still descending. We reach a cavern with 4 Dwarves, 2 hobgoblins, 1 gnome and 1 being hidden in the shadows that only Merrli could see thanks to the Nat 20.
 
now fighting notes are nonsense:
 
"staff dwarf + druid dimension door" (complete meta-gaming from Dutton: a multiclass Circle of Spores Druid and Blood Hunter is rad af)
"suck mommy"
"The priest"
A Yuan-ti ended up
 
*Kindness as a swords name.
 
Manny ended up charmed by the Yuan-ti (?) and ordered to "kill the cleric"-talking about Eles. He hit Eles at least once, for not a paltry amount.
 
We killed everything except the Yuan-ti, and one of the more powerful druids.
 
We decide to not continue to follow the bad guys and turn back.
Eles cast Speak with Dead and asked: (to the best of my memory)
1. Is your priest the boss (We thought about asking what the priest's name was)
-Yes, he's the boss/leader
2. Why are you contracting hobgoblins?
-IDK
3. Who is Abbathor working with?
-Abbathor insists that Shug-wai is good (?)
4. Are you attacking the halflings for a tactical reason?
-They do not deserve it (wtf is "it"? to know their god? Happiness?)
5. Where would the 2 guys end up if they continued down the corridor?
-the start of the mine.
 
I think we camped at the top of the mountain. Some of us were concerned that we might being bad heat on Half Town if we went there for the night.
 
In the morning, we headed to Affgroth, to something large and unexpected, groups of people. We see Affgroth has sufferent an attack overnight. It wasn't at the same time we were battling stuff, but afterward? So did our battle rush along plans?
 
We meet Captain O'Hare who reports attacks, explosions, and "armies of people" Lots of dead in the street. Dorath hadn't been seen, Eles cast a sending spell to him. Something along the lines of "I am Dara's friend. Where are you, who are you with"
 
His answer: "We are stuck in the box. Youthstone has Tiny, LirBith, Yanef, and I. Umstrek is undercover to get to Captain Ohare. Is Dara safe?"
Eles didn't answer him, to not use another spell slot. I originally thought Captain O'Hare was bad from that phrasing, but that might not be the case.
 
We ended on a sneak mission to the Colosseum boxes.
 
 
Also important to note that our fearless leader and DM decided to lie on the ground and physically role-play the dead body lol