Caves of Erythnul

General Summary

Ready'reat 12th, 595 CY

2024-10-29

Deciding they needed to clear out the citadel before moving on, they opened the door chained from the outside. In that large chamber was a creature with six clawed legs and golden fur. The place reeked of animal den. The creature, an aurumvorax charged the door which the companions closed and held as it threw its considerable weight against the door. Setting up for combat, they opened the door.
The aurumvorax had a hard time getting through Crichton's defenses, but managed to swipe with one of its claws as Malakai damaged it with a chill touch. Argan marked it, but their battleaxe failed to penetrate the creature's thick hide. Tolman and Kaszu both missed with ranged attacks, but Kaszu's spider managed to rend the creature. Crichton inflicted heavy damage with his glaive, and while Kaszu's spider deflected the creature's bit, two more claws did some major damage to Crichton, dropping him. Another chill touch from Malakai and a deadly battleaxe attack from Argan, and the creature fell. As Kaszu used a healing potion to revive Crichton, Argan took some time to skin the creature. The other Topknots moved around the room looking for secret doors or hidden loot, but found nothing.
Before leaving the Citadel of Hextor, Delilah made a decision. She would stay behind and keep the citadel as a secure location, she had the spells and the skills to fake being any of the inhabitants if others tried to make their way into the complex, as well as the skills and magic to escape if she couldn't keep it secure. Wishing her companions luck, she bolted the door behind them.
Moving back to the main hall, they noticed the black pool to the south was slowly bubbling. Choosing the blank door to the west over the door with the symbol of hand and eye of Vecna. They found it locked. Tolman was able to easily pick the lock after checking for traps. Behind the door was an unworked stone passage. Traveling through the winding tunnel, it eventually opened into a large chamber filled with stalactites and stalagmites.
As the companions made their way through the chamber, several gray-skinned humanoids, who had blended in well with the cave formations began attacking. The first moved up to Crichton and both Crichton and the grimlock exchanged blows. Malakai chill touched the same one as Argan marked it and dropped it with their battleaxe. Tolman took a shortbow shot at another the grimlock near his companions and with his companions causing some distraction, managed to bloody it with one shot. Kaszu's spider tried deflecting an attack on Argan, but failed. Crichton magically shielded himself before taking another swing at the wounded grimlock and dropping it. The steel defender took a swipe at the third grimlock as it tried to land a solid blow against Kaszu, which he used magic to shield himself against. Malakai healed Crichton as Argan felled the third grimlock. The last creature fell quickly to Tolman's bow and Crichton's glaive.
Continuing through the caverns, the companions found themselves in a large chamber. They were on a ledge with the floor of the cavern about sixty-feet below. The ledge ramped down to the south of the cavern while across the divide was another ledge and an opening into another cave. On this ledge was another grimlock caring for two lizards glowing as lightning played across their scales. One of the shocker lizards charged the group. As it neared the companions, Crichton slashed it with his glaive. Closing with the Topknots, the creature let loose with a burst of lightning shocking everyone but Tolman, who was too far back for the lightning to reach. Malakai used his halo of spores against the grimlock shaman who responded using a thorn whip to injure Malakai and drag him closer. Tolman moved into position to shoot at the shaman, but missed as Argan took another swipe against the first lizard, severely wounding it. Crichton finished it off. Kaszu then turned his infused crossbow against the other shocker lizard as the shaman cast a thunderwave against the party. Malakai's halo of spores continued to damage the shaman as Malakai used his shillelagh and Tolman his shortbow.
Severely wounded, it wouldn’t be long for the shaman as another threat emerged. Across the divide four more grimlocks trained their javelins on the party. Argan and Crichton managed to drop the shaman as the hidden grimlocks began throwing their javelins. As the grimlocks began attacking, they also began marking the companions. Malaki formed a moonbeam over two of the grimlocks as the two groups exchanged fire. Crichton wasn't sure what to do until he started picking up thrown javelins and throwing them back at the grimlocks.
During the battle, Malakai moved close enough to the north wall to see handholds carved into the wall as a way to cross safely. Crichton cast a bane spell at three of the creatures to hinder their attacks as the moonbeam ravaged the grimlocks. With Argan's bow, Tolman's fire bolts, Kaszu's infused crossbow and Malakai's chill touches, soon the grimlocks fell. With the creatures dead, Tolman remembered to search the grimlock shaman's nest before Argan made his way across using the handholds and throwing a rope to make the crossing even easier for his companions. Soon they were all across safely.

Ready'reat 12th, 595 CY

2024-11-13

While Malakai healed some of Crichton's wounds, the Topknots debated how best to enter the next cave. As they were debating, Kaszu sent his spider into the cave and provoked the creatures, two overly-muscled grimlocks, a male and female. The brutish grimlocks took turns smashing the spider, which deftly dodged out of the way of their attacks.
Crichton took up position behind the spider and began slashing one of the brutes with his glaive while Argan charged in, frustrated with the lack of planning and slashed it with his battleaxe after marking it. Kaszu ran in, took a shot with his crossbow and moved back. One of the grimlocks still attacked the spider, while the other attacked Argan, the spider tried to deflect that blow, but failed, and Argan took a serious wound. Malakai's chill touch failed to hit the grimlock and Crichton had two failed attacks as the grimlock attacking Argan felled the goliath. As Malakai entered the fray, his halo of spores damaged the brutes as one crashed its bone greataxe on his head, dropping the dwarf. Crichton missed with his main attack, but the blunt end of his glaive felled the first brute. The second brute was hemmed in by the spider, which had so far dodged all of its attacks.
Kaszu misty-stepped into the cavern and healed the dying Argan as Crichton turned his attention to the female grimlock brute. Argan stood and marked the female, getting a deep gouge with his axe. Kaszu used a healing potion to revive Malakai and ordered his spider to attack, rather than defend. Tolman entered the cave and, with his companions distracting the brute, got a precise shot in with his bow before Argan brought his axe down and felled the brute.
Seriously wounded, the Topknots took time to rest in the cave, searching the area for treasures. After about an hour's rest, they moved to the opening in the back of the cave. Malakai moved into the tunnel and saw that it led to a rope bridge over another chasm, on the other side of the bridge, four more grimlocks stood guard. The grimlocks heard Malakai's movements and prepared to attack.
Malakai started the combat off by calling down a moonbeam on the grimlocks while Argan managed the get the first strike with his longbow. One of the grimlocks moved up to engage Argan, moving through the damaging moonbeam as Tolman missed his first shot. Another grimlock moved therough the moonbeam to get into position to throw a javelin, striking Argan while Kaszu also missed his first shot. Javelins, arrows and bolts flew across the chasm with the moonbeam causing more damage than all of the volleys combined. One of the grimlocks managed to hit Kaszu's spider with a javelin as Crichton moved up enough to engage, significantly damaging one of the grimlocks. Argan marked another as he brought his axe to bear, slicing the grimlock wide open.
Tolman's fire bolt burned another grimlock as Malakai chill touched it. Crichton finished it off. The spider managed to deflect an attack targeting Argan, while Kaszu shot at another. The spider took many attacks from the grimlocks as they began to fall, one after another. The caves were proving to be a difficult battle.
As Kaszu began repairing his spider, Argan used handholds in the wall to descend into the chasm. The rest followed, with Kaszu losing his grip about thirty feet above the chasm floor. They found the tunnel leading to back to the other side, and as they began to move through, two boneless aberrations attacked. One wrapped its tentacles around Cricton's neck, trying to choke the life out of him. Kaszu was able to get a shot in with his hand crossbow, but the chokers were slippery foes. One tried to choke Malakai, and failed, but subjected itself to Malakai's halo of spores.
While the chokers were distracted by his companions, Tolman took aim and got a devastating shot in with his bow, almost dropping one of the pair as Malakai significantly damaged the other with his shillelagh, Kaszu finished the first off with his crossbow, soon after Argan cleaved through the second.
Climbing up again, the Topknots made their way deeper into the caves. After nearly a half-hour they came upon an widening where three more of the grimlock scalphunters guarded the area. Crichton got the first strike with Argan hitting the same one with his longbow, nearly dropping the grimlock. Again, Kaszu moved his spider into the front position, drawing the grimlocks fire and dodging their attacks. Malakai finished that one off with a chill touch as Kaszu hit the next with his crossbow. Tolman finished the second one off while it was distracted by combat. The third and last one managed to strike the spider before Kaszu and Crichton finished it off.
To the south a passage led to a raised ledge, about ten feet above the passage, the sounds of many grimlocks came from that area, while to the north, another raised area lay to the west, and the tunnel continued northeast beyond the ledge. The Topknots were hurting and needed to decide what to do next.

Campaign

Against the Ebon Triad

Protagonists

Tolman K’hurzz

Malakai Steelbuckle

Delilah Raincloud

Crichton Eogen

Argan Agu-Ulakanu

Chaotic Good Goliath (Outlander)
Ranger 4

36 / 36 HP

STR
18

DEX
14

CON
14

INT
10

WIS
12

CHA
8

Kaszu Billowcase

Chaotic Good Rock Gnome (Guild Artisan / Guild Merchant)
Artificer 3

24 / 24 HP

STR
8

DEX
12

CON
14

INT
17

WIS
14

CHA
10

Report Date

24 Nov 2024