Grimnir is speechless. After a few minute, he asks: « did you see the same thing? »...« What was that !? »

Grimnir thinks deeply and place his hand on Oorr’s shoulder.

 »hummm, it said « back home it is then », I am no expert on Demon, but wouldn’t that suggest it is back to its plane ? Belwar, what do you think?»

Belwar quickly analyzes the events of the past few minutes. The demon, or more appropriately, demon lord, was in fact Fraz-Urb'Luu, Prince of Deception and Demon Lord of Illusions. The form, or image, as it was hard to tell if what they saw was reality or merely a projection, fit all the markers of that particular demon lord's description. Though it's hard to pin down, him being the lord of illusions and all. 

Judging by the recent events. Demogorgon showing up in Slubladoop, Zuggtmoy in the Neverlight grove, and Juiblex, or at least its spawn, in Blingdenstone, it appears Fraz-Urb'Luu was also inhabiting the material plane within this gem, though how it arrived remains a mystery. Examining the crystal shards reveals them to be simple obsidian glass. Nothing remarkable, at least anymore. 

Grimnir's observation is most astute. Fraz-Urb'Luu's home is in the Abyss, more specifically the abyssal lair known as Hollow's Heart, a featureless plain of white dust with few structures on it. If they were to believe the demon lord, and that's not something one should do lightly, then destroying the gem has forced the Demon Lord back to the Abyss where he came from, rather than releasing him upon the material plane.

The area, though now silent, pulses with faerzress energy. Staying here any longer than necessary could prove harmful. At any rate, for the moment, there doesn't seem to be anything that can be done for the gem or the demon lord it once contained. 

Your troops await orders. They are packed and ready to move out. None of them wish to stay in the city, preferring to travel at least a distance away to make camp outside the city walls. 

Before leaving, Grimnir looks for a quiet place in proximity to the giant Underdark mushrooms and meditates a few hours.
During his meditation, visions reveals new part of the mycelium... new ways to manipulates the spores comes to his mind.

Grimnir spends also  a bit of time to finally takes care of Rocky. With all these events, he couldn't have some nice company time with his little basilisk. Through his connection with the creature, he can slowly tame and teach his pet. Using some leather stripes, Grimnir creates some blinders and explain to Rocky that this is to protect his friends until he can control his power. The donation of a large piece of meat seems to seal the deal.

« Very well. We have what we need. Let’s move East, the ring is pulling me in that direction »

Animal handling : 14 + 3 (guidance if allowed) 

 Survival (mushrooms):  13 + 4 (guidance if allowed) 

With the business of the crystal behind you for now, you organize your exploration party and set out West from Mantol-Derith. No one is sure how far away Gravenhollow is, but the pull of the ring indicates it may be a fair bit of traveling before you get there. You are more familiar with the layout of the Underdark, but you are also a larger force, and who knows what madness you may run into as the threat of the Demon Lords presses closer and closer. 

The Zhentarim lead the way out of one of the secret tunnels of Mantol-Derith into the blackness of the Underdark. As they shut the way behind them, a small figure rushes out, following you It is Peebles, the deep gnome with the lightly colored pouch. You'd last seem him in the Zhentarim Enclave, but lost sight of him after the skirmish there. He requests to go with you, claiming that his home is also this direction, and it's always better to travel in groups. Whether you agree or not, he heads that way regardless, so it seems you have another companion for the time being.

(OOC Whew, sorry for the delays, but we've made it to the end of another chapter. Everyone level up to Level 9!)

Chapter 10: Descent into the Depths

Grimnir knows the ring is intuitively leading him down the most ready path to Gravenhollow. You travel from Mantol-Derith, keeping a steady pace. Your troops have been mostly well behaved, though some of the old faction quarrels flare up now and again. They've rationed well, and food and water are not an issue so far. They were provisioned well before they left Gauntlgrym. 

But Grimnir has something else to worry about now. Rocky, the pet basilisk you took under your care, is growing up, and signs of his petrifying gaze are starting to manifest. Several times, a few of the Emerald Enclave have become stunned when the lizard looked their direction. No harm has come to anyone as of yet, but the creature will continue to grow, as will its power.

After two days of mostly uneventful travel through the Underdark, you turn a corner into a cavern with a strong odor of death and decay. In the center of the cavern appear to be the bodies of about eight gricks. Each of them has been torn to pieces, and lay scattered about the place. Three Carrion Crawlers move throughout the bodies, feeding. One of the crawlers appears to have a saddle attached to it. They take no notice of you, or your large party as you enter the cavern, instead focusing on the veritable feast in front of them.

So, Furious Fighting Fools. What do you do?

Grimnir hold his hand to stop his soldiers. 8 dead Gricks is too much, something big must be around.
Perception to look for any creature trying to hide: 4

Quote from RonanKP >>

Grimnir hold his hand to stop his soldiers. 8 dead Gricks is too much, something big must be around.
Perception to look for any creature trying to hide: 4

 It's a vast cavern, and the mess of Gricks littering the cavern seems to have no rhyme or reason to it. You see nothing that could indicate what caused this.

"hummm..whaterver did this doesn't seem to be here. We should remain cautious though"

Quote from filcat >>

"Wait here, Aera and I will go scouting."

Oorr and Aera take the air, flying through the cavern to reach the location where the grick corpses are.

Perception: 15

The grick corpses lie scattered about as the crawlers pick through them. You note the general pattern of the corpses and can't discern what caused it. Whatever it was was sudden, and unexpected. The gricks were destroyed quickly, and mercilessly. It might be best not to linger.

Brox steps forward. She tries to open her senses and speaks a quick prayer to see if there is evil present in this room (divine sense). 

Then she looks at the torn bodies, trying to figure out what happened to them. Investigation 20

She looks at the carrion crawler. Then slowly approaches with her hand stretched out. "Skazz, is this you?" Brox almost whispers. 
animal handling    14 

Grimnir advances cautiously with Brox, keeping an eye out for ambush 

Quote from tiomila >>

Brox steps forward. She tries to open her senses and speaks a quick prayer to see if there is evil present in this room (divine sense). 

Then she looks at the torn bodies, trying to figure out what happened to them. Investigation 20

She looks at the carrion crawler. Then slowly approaches with her hand stretched out. "Skazz, is this you?" Brox almost whispers. 
animal handling    14 

Your divine sense reveals the area to be clear of any evil creatures or beings. The Carrion Crawlers are simply doing what they do best, cleaning up the mess. Looking at the somewhat revolting display of dead creatures, you believe you can make out a pattern. Something drew the gricks to this location and then exploded outward. The lack of damage to the terrain makes you think it may have been magical in nature, perhaps faerzress induced. The magical energy still lingers. 

When you call out to the saddled crawler, it turns its face towards you and wiggles tendrils slowly in the air. You can't tell if it recognized the name, or just reacted to the noise you made. A moment passes, and the creature returns to its feasting, clearing away the body of a small grick. 

The area is infused with dim light from the faerzress in this area. Those of you investigating sense a pulse in the light as the magic flares. ((I need Grimnir, Brox, Oorr, and Aera to make wisdom saving throws.))

Wis: 11

WIS save: 20

Though you suffer no madness, you all feel the familiar effects of Faerzress, and the density seems to be increasing. Belwar can sense it from the edge of the cavern, but it gets thicker as some of you approach the center. Your companions look on, worried. Some of them start to grumble. With nothing else seeming of interest among the grick bodies, you leave them to the carrion crawlers and continue on the path of the ring towards the West. 

You travel deeper into the Underdark, through caverns and caves, along dark water streams, and encounter nothing much of interest of the next few days. On the evening of your 5th night out of Mantol-Derith, your troops are eating rations and foraged mushrooms around their camps when a group of the Lord's Alliance members becomes ill. Anzar, Kirlsil, Hilvius, and Zilna begin to shake and vomit, unable to keep their food down. Efforts to comfort them seem to have no effect. Griswalla, from the Emerald Enclave, recognizes the symptoms as those of a disease called Sewer Plague, but comments that it's usually transmitted through the bite of a creature such as a rat or an Otyugh. The people turn to Brox and Grimnir to see if there's anything that can be done for the sick members. 

Brox goes over to the group of the Lord's Alliance. "I am sorry you feel badly. What have you been eating, that was different to the other members of our group?" Brox tries to figure out which one of the four sick members looks worse and will lightly touch them on the shoulder with Dawnbringer, letting the light of the sword cure one disease (casting lesser restoration with Dawnbringer). "Tomorrow I can replenish my magic and I can heal the rest of you. Just hang on!"