You walk for a few hours, mourning your losses, patching up your wounds, and listening as Glabbagool tells you what has transpired in the past months since you've seen each other.
"After the Pudding... King fell, I found myself in unfamiliar... territory, surrounded by other... oozes who were now wandering without... purpose. I found others who had... abilities like mine, transformed by the chaos around... us, yet somehow not beholden... to them. We gathered the lost ones, and... united against the amorphous... one. We... have been tracking its movements, its... influences, but it has been... difficult. We are... lucky to have been near by... when Juiblex attacked you. I am sorry for those... that fell."
After a moment of silence, Glabbagool continues,"Tell... me, why have... you returned? And... how can I... assist you, as you once assisted... me?"
"Glabbagol, it is so nice to see you again. If it was possible to hug you, I would"says Grimnir smilling.
"We thought you were lost during the big battle in Blingdenstone. As you can see, we are back in the Underdark, we have been charged to investigate the demon incursion on our realm by the dwarf King Bruenor and we are now on our way to a secret place of knowledge that might help us."
"I see you made new friends"
As he speaks, Grimnir can see that his soldier are not at ease "Do not worry lads, I can vouch for this gelatinous cube. It may seem strange but it is a friends. He fought with us again demons."
"I see. That is a... commendable quest. Yes I... have united other... of my kind, but... it is a struggle to... prevent them from coming... under the sway of Juiblex," replies the Ooze.
As Grimnir and Glabbagool catch up, some of the dwindling members of your entourage look uneasy. Despite the reassuring words from the monk. Some are shaken from the encounter with a demon lord. Other's seem on guard, as if they aren't sure they're out of danger yet. But no one makes any aggressive moves, following your lead.
After a short time of walking, you come to a large cavern. It appears unusually clean, with no debris anywhere in site. The ground is completely free of dust and rocks, and is a completely flat surface. Glabbagool explains that the oozes use this room to discuss their plans, and the constant traffic keeps the floor cleared. However, tonight, it will be for you and your followers. You can rest, recuperate from the demon lord attack, and discuss your next plan of action.
Grimnir, the ring continues to guide you on. You sense you are not far from your destination.
"Rest friends... I will ensure you are safe... tonight,"comforts Glabagool.
((OOC You gain the benefits of a long rest, but I need everyone to make a Wisdom Saving throw.))
Sleep comes slowly, but each of you in turn finds some rest. Fitful images and dreams come to each of you:
Belwar: You watch from outside your body as you see yourself enter into a cave. It is filled with books of knowledge, magical focuses, material components, and stacks of gems and coins. You dive into the plethora of items, trying to consume them. When you awaken, you think about your personal belongings, how miniscule they are. You crave more. You must own more. ((OOC You obtain the flaw: “I must possess as many material goods as I can.”))
Grimnir: You also watch your dream-self as you travel down a long river inside a dark cave. The river ends at a huge lake, but instead of just water, the lake is filled with mushrooms, plants, gourds, vegetables, fruits, and all manner of edible goods. You see this and have an urge to make sure everyone you know eats and drinks of its bounty. All of it. When you awake, you feel that you aren't doing enough to provide for your friends. ((OOC You obtain the flaw: “I’ll do everything I can to get others to eat and drink beyond their normal limits.”))
Brox: In your dream, you see yourself kneeling before an altar of Silvanus. You stand up, and you appear unhappy, and then your dream-self smashes the altar. You begin to pick up the pieces, and eat them. Bit by bit. You eat the entire altar, then leave the room. You awake in a sweat, and feel sick. You grapple with your purpose, and your dedication, and more than any of that, you are ravenously hungry. ((OOC You obtain the flaw: “My personality is irrelevant. I am defined by what I consume.”))
Oorr and Aera: Oorr, your dreams are of your homeland. You miss the freedom of flying through open skies. For the brief time while you dream, you forget how cramped and stiff your wings feel. Aera soars beside you. When you awaken, you are rested, and eager to push through to your destination, but you immediately sense something is off with your companions.
In addition to the odd conditions of Brox, Grimnir, and Belwar, the Zhentarim and others seem restless. They've been underground now for months, and are audibly upset with the conditions. Especially the last encounter with Juiblex.
Glabbagool enters the room, " Friends, quickly break... your camp. My comrades have... succeeded in distracting the amorphous... demon lord, but... the Faerzress now presses in... on us. Let us... go."
"You are right Glabbagool, we should move. But my men need something in their belly before moving."
Grimnir reaches in his Bag of holding and gets his stock of mushrooms. Moving from one group to the other, he gave away all his Ripplebarks and Barrelstacks. "Take those, I roasted them last time. They taste delicious. And take these Barrelstacks, it's full of protein and water. Taste a bit like Kale, but better" Hesitating for a few second, Grinir reach again in his bag and adds: "Let's be sure everyone has a full belly. Takes those Waterorbs, Bluecaps and Trillimacs. I found that when you mix all of them together. It gives a taste close to dry beef with a hint of mint. Quite strange..... Here have everything..."
"I also have this two" said Grimnir, showing two strange fungi that are shaped like human tongues. "Not sure of what it does, but I'm sure it can make your belly full. Anyone tempted ?"
Grimnir finally meet Brox and give her some mushroom and add one with orange and red stripes across its beige cap." This is a Timmask - it is quite tasty. I'm not sure but I think it has some magical properties..."
Later on, during the walk, Grimnir looks around, using more time than he should foraging for nice mushrooms (if needed, Survival: 19)
"You are right Glabbagool, we should move. But my men need something in their belly before moving."
Grimnir reaches in his Bag of holding and gets his stock of mushrooms. Moving from one group to the other, he gave away all his Ripplebarks and Barrelstacks. "Take those, I roasted them last time. They taste delicious. And take these Barrelstacks, it's full of protein and water. Taste a bit like Kale, but better" Hesitating for a few second, Grinir reach again in his bag and adds: "Let's be sure everyone has a full belly. Takes those Waterorbs, Bluecaps and Trillimacs. I found that when you mix all of them together. It gives a taste close to dry beef with a hint of mint. Quite strange..... Here have everything..."
"I also have this two" said Grimnir, showing two strange fungi that are shaped like human tongues. "Not sure of what it does, but I'm sure it can make your belly full. Anyone tempted ?"
Grimnir finally meet Brox and give her some mushroom and add one with orange and red stripes across its beige cap." This is a Timmask - it is quite tasty. I'm not sure but I think it has some magical properties..."
Later on, during the walk, Grimnir looks around, using more time than he should foraging for nice mushrooms (if needed, Survival: 19)
Most of the company seems amused, but thankful for the additional rations. A few that eat the Timmasks become violently ill for a few hours. Those that eat the tongue shaped mushrooms begin yelling loudly about how terrible the Underdark is, and how they wish they were home right this instant. This goes on for about an hour, after which they seem embarrassed.
Your foraging slows the process of moving forward. Glabbagool grows increasingly annoyed, much unlike the typical amenable manner of the ooze. Instead of saving your foraged mushrooms for later, you continue to feed them to your followers. They grow irritable, and begin to refuse, which upsets you. Eventually, Glabbagool threatens to absorb you if you don't stop and move on. Disgruntled, you agree, but linger at the edges of the march, picking what you can.
Brox, with the plethora of Mushrooms provided by Grimnir, you begin to believe you are a mushroom, or some other sort of sentient fungi. You begin to wonder if you are in fact, a Myconid, and wonder aloud if any of their kind are near to your location.
Belwar, you take mushrooms from Grimnir, but do not eat them, instead stuffing them, along with any other items of value, into your bags.
Though your progress is slowed by the creeping madness, you press forward. Three days from the site of the encounter with Juiblex, a fight breaks out among your followers. The remaining members of the Emerald Enclave, Lord's Alliance, and Order of the Gauntlet, accuse the Zhentarim of sealing supplies and rations while they sleep. The Zhentarim adamantly deny this, claiming they are also missing supplies.
If you don't do anything, a fight is likely to break out between them.
Brox watches a little from the outside trying to figure out what actually happened. Insight 23
Brox, you sit still, and silent, watching the argument play out. You see beads of sweat on the faces of all of your companions. None of them seem to be backing down, nor do any of them seem to be lying. The earnestness with which they argue indicates that they all believe they've had items stolen from them. The lack of sunlight, and trudging through the Underdark has shortened tempers, so you suspect they may be overlooking some obvious answer to the missing supplies. Everyone seems to be going mad.
It could also be a byproduct of the strange mushrooms that Grimnir has been insisting people eat. You wonder again if you'd not be better off leaving this group and joining a Myconid colony.
This post has potentially manipulated dice roll results.
Grimnir sees the situation getting worse and feels it is his duty to act. He approaches with his arms open, Rocky following his master but looking down to avoid using his terrible gaze on friends.
"Friends, I know the situation is tense. We've been in these tunnels for now what...months ? I have lost track of time. We have been fighting creatures from nightmares, succumbed to madness and even met a Lord demon. But we survived and this is because we let the petty fights and differences from the surface at the doors of the Underdark."
Grimnir pauses, looks around, trying to reach for the bound he has now with his companion and continues: "If we are to survive once more, we need to regroup, we need to help each other. I would even say that there are no Zhent here, no Lord's Alliance or Order of the Gauntlet, nor Emerald Enclave. It is just us.. us against the demons of the Underdark." "I will make a vow, when we reach the Library. Anyone who wants to go back to the surface will be able, no question asked. You already have proven to us that you are great fighters. We will need messengers before moving to the next step of our journey, so we will need some of you to go back.
"Now... if you excuse me, I need to prepare the dinner... Mushroom soup anybody ?"
Grimnir sees the situation getting worse and feels it is his duty to act. He approaches with his arms open, Rocky following his master but looking down to avoid using his terrible gaze on friends.
"Friends, I know the situation is tense. We've been in these tunnels for now what...months ? I have lost track of time. We have been fighting creatures from nightmares, succumbed to madness and even met a Lord demon. But we survived and this is because we let the petty fights and differences from the surface at the doors of the Underdark."
Grimnir pauses, looks around, trying to reach for the bound he has now with his companion and continues: "If we are to survive once more, we need to regroup, we need to help each other. I would even say that there are no Zhent here, no Lord's Alliance or Order of the Gauntlet, nor Emerald Enclave. It is just us.. us against the demons of the Underdark." "I will make a vow, when we reach the Library. Anyone who wants to go back to the surface will be able, no question asked. You already have proven to us that you are great fighters. We will need messengers before moving to the next step of our journey, so we will need some of you to go back.
"Now... if you excuse me, I need to prepare the dinner... Mushroom soup anybody ?"
Persuasion: 16 + 1 (guidance if allowed)
Grimnir is able to calm the tension of the followers for now. They eat the soup provided, and after some time, most agree they were just hungry, and feel much better with full bellies.
You all continue on, following the pull of the ring. Glabbagool fills you in on much of what has been happening in the underdark since it last saw you.
After your defeat of the Pudding King, the oozes retreated from Blingdenstone. Glabbagool was able to draw some to him, but many continue to serve the demon lord Juiblex. Oozes have since been migrating south, but Glabbaggol is unsure to what end. The word "Araumycos" has been whispered between the more intelligent oozes.
Sloobludoo was completely destroyed when Demogorgon rampaged through the town. What few Kua-toa survived have gone mad, setting up makeshift altars, separating into factions, and trying to eke out a living in the ruined city. A few reports, though potentially unreliable, say that all out fighting between the various factions have been quelled by a single Kuo-Toa who mediates disputes and keeps an uneasy peace.
Gracklstugh is now in an all out civil war. The derro and duergar factions are at each other's throats, and the common folk fear to walk the streets. Thermberchaud, the red dragon, plots against the Keepers of the Flame, who in turn are thwarting the demonic aspirations of the Gray Ghosts. It is rumored this latter group wishes to summon a demon lord to the city in order to extinquish their enemies.
Through all of this, rumors abound that the demonic incursions may have originated from the drow city of Menzoberranzan. Some travelers have said a demon lord destroyed the city, but there has been no confirmation of such an attack.
You make good time, traveling for six more days. You eventually find yourself winding down a long tunnel, with no obvious end in sight. Most caverns and tunnels within the Underdark have plenty of side paths as well, but this is a single long tunnel with no exits. The ring indicates you are on the right path, but you begin to worry that you are being led without your knowledge to a singular location.
Eventually some of you begin to hear a voice, echoing down the tunnels. The voice is singing, and it changes languages, sometimes singing in common, then dwarvish, then orcish, and so on. When you at last come upon an intersection within the tunnel, you spot the source of a singing. A single basilisk sits dozing on the floor in the middle of the intersection. The song it sings cascading in every direction.
Grimnir smiles at Oorr "I don't know all basilisks on a name basis, my friend" He continues "I must say that a singing basilisk that can talk in so many languages is quite particular. Be on your guard, I'll see if can talk to us."
Grimnir calls out Rocky to his feet. "Come here Rocky, this is a time where I definitively need you." He grabs his whiskey flask and have a large drink of it, thinking "Better have a drink, might be the last one". He then then slowly comes out of the shadows, keeping his eyes down, clears his throat and says: "Humm..Humm...Excuse me but you seems a quite extraordinary creature. Me and my companions mean no harm. Can we approach ?"
If possible Grimnir will use action Dodge while approaching
The many-legged reptile stretches out as if it has been sitting for a long while, avoiding your eyes as it looks to the rocky floor at your feet. It mutters a few things in odd languages before settling on common.“About time you lot arrived! Come! The library bid me guide you to the gates, and I’ve waited too long for you already.”
It turns away from you and begins to head down one of the tunnels...
Grimnir turns towards his team with a smile “Weirdly, it seems that we arrived ! This basilisk will show us the way”
Used to be with Rocky, Grimnir trusts the basilisk but remains on his guard. He follows the creature and starts a conversation “Is the library far? And how did you know we were coming?”
You walk for a few hours, mourning your losses, patching up your wounds, and listening as Glabbagool tells you what has transpired in the past months since you've seen each other.
"After the Pudding... King fell, I found myself in unfamiliar... territory, surrounded by other... oozes who were now wandering without... purpose. I found others who had... abilities like mine, transformed by the chaos around... us, yet somehow not beholden... to them. We gathered the lost ones, and... united against the amorphous... one. We... have been tracking its movements, its... influences, but it has been... difficult. We are... lucky to have been near by... when Juiblex attacked you. I am sorry for those... that fell."
After a moment of silence, Glabbagool continues, "Tell... me, why have... you returned? And... how can I... assist you, as you once assisted... me?"
"Glabbagol, it is so nice to see you again. If it was possible to hug you, I would" says Grimnir smilling.
"We thought you were lost during the big battle in Blingdenstone. As you can see, we are back in the Underdark, we have been charged to investigate the demon incursion on our realm by the dwarf King Bruenor and we are now on our way to a secret place of knowledge that might help us."
"I see you made new friends"
As he speaks, Grimnir can see that his soldier are not at ease "Do not worry lads, I can vouch for this gelatinous cube. It may seem strange but it is a friends. He fought with us again demons."
Currently Playing: Regdus Ironfist (Greyhawk) Lvl 1 Storm Sorcerer ; Goraseth Drerjoxian (Icespeak) Lvl 3 Paladin Oath of Glory; Lerak (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight) Lvl 3 Barbarian Wild Magic
In Pause: Grimnir " Shadow-Feet", Lv 11 Owner of "The Basilisk & the Monk" (OotA) - Kurma Kappa, Lv 8 Priest of Oghma (ToA)
Currently DM'ing: Princes of Apocalypse >> Tomb of Annihilation
"I see. That is a... commendable quest. Yes I... have united other... of my kind, but... it is a struggle to... prevent them from coming... under the sway of Juiblex," replies the Ooze.
As Grimnir and Glabbagool catch up, some of the dwindling members of your entourage look uneasy. Despite the reassuring words from the monk. Some are shaken from the encounter with a demon lord. Other's seem on guard, as if they aren't sure they're out of danger yet. But no one makes any aggressive moves, following your lead.
After a short time of walking, you come to a large cavern. It appears unusually clean, with no debris anywhere in site. The ground is completely free of dust and rocks, and is a completely flat surface. Glabbagool explains that the oozes use this room to discuss their plans, and the constant traffic keeps the floor cleared. However, tonight, it will be for you and your followers. You can rest, recuperate from the demon lord attack, and discuss your next plan of action.
Grimnir, the ring continues to guide you on. You sense you are not far from your destination.
"Rest friends... I will ensure you are safe... tonight," comforts Glabagool.
((OOC You gain the benefits of a long rest, but I need everyone to make a Wisdom Saving throw.))
WIS save (including the +3 from paladin's aura): 13
Currently Playing: Regdus Ironfist (Greyhawk) Lvl 1 Storm Sorcerer ; Goraseth Drerjoxian (Icespeak) Lvl 3 Paladin Oath of Glory; Lerak (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight) Lvl 3 Barbarian Wild Magic
In Pause: Grimnir " Shadow-Feet", Lv 11 Owner of "The Basilisk & the Monk" (OotA) - Kurma Kappa, Lv 8 Priest of Oghma (ToA)
Currently DM'ing: Princes of Apocalypse >> Tomb of Annihilation
WIS save 14
Oorr WIS save: 15; Aera WIS save: 19
Sleep comes slowly, but each of you in turn finds some rest. Fitful images and dreams come to each of you:
Belwar: You watch from outside your body as you see yourself enter into a cave. It is filled with books of knowledge, magical focuses, material components, and stacks of gems and coins. You dive into the plethora of items, trying to consume them. When you awaken, you think about your personal belongings, how miniscule they are. You crave more. You must own more. ((OOC You obtain the flaw: “I must possess as many material goods as I can.”))
Grimnir: You also watch your dream-self as you travel down a long river inside a dark cave. The river ends at a huge lake, but instead of just water, the lake is filled with mushrooms, plants, gourds, vegetables, fruits, and all manner of edible goods. You see this and have an urge to make sure everyone you know eats and drinks of its bounty. All of it. When you awake, you feel that you aren't doing enough to provide for your friends. ((OOC You obtain the flaw: “I’ll do everything I can to get others to eat and drink beyond their normal limits.”))
Brox: In your dream, you see yourself kneeling before an altar of Silvanus. You stand up, and you appear unhappy, and then your dream-self smashes the altar. You begin to pick up the pieces, and eat them. Bit by bit. You eat the entire altar, then leave the room. You awake in a sweat, and feel sick. You grapple with your purpose, and your dedication, and more than any of that, you are ravenously hungry. ((OOC You obtain the flaw: “My personality is irrelevant. I am defined by what I consume.”))
Oorr and Aera: Oorr, your dreams are of your homeland. You miss the freedom of flying through open skies. For the brief time while you dream, you forget how cramped and stiff your wings feel. Aera soars beside you. When you awaken, you are rested, and eager to push through to your destination, but you immediately sense something is off with your companions.
In addition to the odd conditions of Brox, Grimnir, and Belwar, the Zhentarim and others seem restless. They've been underground now for months, and are audibly upset with the conditions. Especially the last encounter with Juiblex.
Glabbagool enters the room, " Friends, quickly break... your camp. My comrades have... succeeded in distracting the amorphous... demon lord, but... the Faerzress now presses in... on us. Let us... go."
"You are right Glabbagool, we should move. But my men need something in their belly before moving."
Grimnir reaches in his Bag of holding and gets his stock of mushrooms. Moving from one group to the other, he gave away all his Ripplebarks and Barrelstacks. "Take those, I roasted them last time. They taste delicious. And take these Barrelstacks, it's full of protein and water. Taste a bit like Kale, but better"
Hesitating for a few second, Grinir reach again in his bag and adds: "Let's be sure everyone has a full belly. Takes those Waterorbs, Bluecaps and Trillimacs. I found that when you mix all of them together. It gives a taste close to dry beef with a hint of mint. Quite strange..... Here have everything..."
"I also have this two" said Grimnir, showing two strange fungi that are shaped like human tongues. "Not sure of what it does, but I'm sure it can make your belly full. Anyone tempted ?"
Grimnir finally meet Brox and give her some mushroom and add one with orange and red stripes across its beige cap. " This is a Timmask - it is quite tasty. I'm not sure but I think it has some magical properties..."
Later on, during the walk, Grimnir looks around, using more time than he should foraging for nice mushrooms
(if needed, Survival: 19)
Currently Playing: Regdus Ironfist (Greyhawk) Lvl 1 Storm Sorcerer ; Goraseth Drerjoxian (Icespeak) Lvl 3 Paladin Oath of Glory; Lerak (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight) Lvl 3 Barbarian Wild Magic
In Pause: Grimnir " Shadow-Feet", Lv 11 Owner of "The Basilisk & the Monk" (OotA) - Kurma Kappa, Lv 8 Priest of Oghma (ToA)
Currently DM'ing: Princes of Apocalypse >> Tomb of Annihilation
Most of the company seems amused, but thankful for the additional rations. A few that eat the Timmasks become violently ill for a few hours. Those that eat the tongue shaped mushrooms begin yelling loudly about how terrible the Underdark is, and how they wish they were home right this instant. This goes on for about an hour, after which they seem embarrassed.
Your foraging slows the process of moving forward. Glabbagool grows increasingly annoyed, much unlike the typical amenable manner of the ooze. Instead of saving your foraged mushrooms for later, you continue to feed them to your followers. They grow irritable, and begin to refuse, which upsets you. Eventually, Glabbagool threatens to absorb you if you don't stop and move on. Disgruntled, you agree, but linger at the edges of the march, picking what you can.
Brox, with the plethora of Mushrooms provided by Grimnir, you begin to believe you are a mushroom, or some other sort of sentient fungi. You begin to wonder if you are in fact, a Myconid, and wonder aloud if any of their kind are near to your location.
Belwar, you take mushrooms from Grimnir, but do not eat them, instead stuffing them, along with any other items of value, into your bags.
Though your progress is slowed by the creeping madness, you press forward. Three days from the site of the encounter with Juiblex, a fight breaks out among your followers. The remaining members of the Emerald Enclave, Lord's Alliance, and Order of the Gauntlet, accuse the Zhentarim of sealing supplies and rations while they sleep. The Zhentarim adamantly deny this, claiming they are also missing supplies.
If you don't do anything, a fight is likely to break out between them.
Brox watches a little from the outside trying to figure out what actually happened. Insight 23
Brox, you sit still, and silent, watching the argument play out. You see beads of sweat on the faces of all of your companions. None of them seem to be backing down, nor do any of them seem to be lying. The earnestness with which they argue indicates that they all believe they've had items stolen from them. The lack of sunlight, and trudging through the Underdark has shortened tempers, so you suspect they may be overlooking some obvious answer to the missing supplies. Everyone seems to be going mad.
It could also be a byproduct of the strange mushrooms that Grimnir has been insisting people eat. You wonder again if you'd not be better off leaving this group and joining a Myconid colony.
Grimnir sees the situation getting worse and feels it is his duty to act. He approaches with his arms open, Rocky following his master but looking down to avoid using his terrible gaze on friends.
"Friends, I know the situation is tense. We've been in these tunnels for now what...months ? I have lost track of time. We have been fighting creatures from nightmares, succumbed to madness and even met a Lord demon. But we survived and this is because we let the petty fights and differences from the surface at the doors of the Underdark."
Grimnir pauses, looks around, trying to reach for the bound he has now with his companion and continues:
"If we are to survive once more, we need to regroup, we need to help each other. I would even say that there are no Zhent here, no Lord's Alliance or Order of the Gauntlet, nor Emerald Enclave. It is just us.. us against the demons of the Underdark."
"I will make a vow, when we reach the Library. Anyone who wants to go back to the surface will be able, no question asked. You already have proven to us that you are great fighters. We will need messengers before moving to the next step of our journey, so we will need some of you to go back.
"Now... if you excuse me, I need to prepare the dinner... Mushroom soup anybody ?"
Persuasion: 12 + 3 (guidance if allowed)
Currently Playing: Regdus Ironfist (Greyhawk) Lvl 1 Storm Sorcerer ; Goraseth Drerjoxian (Icespeak) Lvl 3 Paladin Oath of Glory; Lerak (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight) Lvl 3 Barbarian Wild Magic
In Pause: Grimnir " Shadow-Feet", Lv 11 Owner of "The Basilisk & the Monk" (OotA) - Kurma Kappa, Lv 8 Priest of Oghma (ToA)
Currently DM'ing: Princes of Apocalypse >> Tomb of Annihilation
Grimnir is able to calm the tension of the followers for now. They eat the soup provided, and after some time, most agree they were just hungry, and feel much better with full bellies.
You all continue on, following the pull of the ring. Glabbagool fills you in on much of what has been happening in the underdark since it last saw you.
After your defeat of the Pudding King, the oozes retreated from Blingdenstone. Glabbagool was able to draw some to him, but many continue to serve the demon lord Juiblex. Oozes have since been migrating south, but Glabbaggol is unsure to what end. The word "Araumycos" has been whispered between the more intelligent oozes.
Sloobludoo was completely destroyed when Demogorgon rampaged through the town. What few Kua-toa survived have gone mad, setting up makeshift altars, separating into factions, and trying to eke out a living in the ruined city. A few reports, though potentially unreliable, say that all out fighting between the various factions have been quelled by a single Kuo-Toa who mediates disputes and keeps an uneasy peace.
Gracklstugh is now in an all out civil war. The derro and duergar factions are at each other's throats, and the common folk fear to walk the streets. Thermberchaud, the red dragon, plots against the Keepers of the Flame, who in turn are thwarting the demonic aspirations of the Gray Ghosts. It is rumored this latter group wishes to summon a demon lord to the city in order to extinquish their enemies.
Through all of this, rumors abound that the demonic incursions may have originated from the drow city of Menzoberranzan. Some travelers have said a demon lord destroyed the city, but there has been no confirmation of such an attack.
You make good time, traveling for six more days. You eventually find yourself winding down a long tunnel, with no obvious end in sight. Most caverns and tunnels within the Underdark have plenty of side paths as well, but this is a single long tunnel with no exits. The ring indicates you are on the right path, but you begin to worry that you are being led without your knowledge to a singular location.
Eventually some of you begin to hear a voice, echoing down the tunnels. The voice is singing, and it changes languages, sometimes singing in common, then dwarvish, then orcish, and so on. When you at last come upon an intersection within the tunnel, you spot the source of a singing. A single basilisk sits dozing on the floor in the middle of the intersection. The song it sings cascading in every direction.
"Grimnir, is that a friend of yours?"
Grimnir smiles at Oorr "I don't know all basilisks on a name basis, my friend"
He continues "I must say that a singing basilisk that can talk in so many languages is quite particular. Be on your guard, I'll see if can talk to us."
Grimnir calls out Rocky to his feet. "Come here Rocky, this is a time where I definitively need you."
He grabs his whiskey flask and have a large drink of it, thinking "Better have a drink, might be the last one". He then then slowly comes out of the shadows, keeping his eyes down, clears his throat and says: "Humm..Humm...Excuse me but you seems a quite extraordinary creature. Me and my companions mean no harm. Can we approach ?"
If possible Grimnir will use action Dodge while approaching
Currently Playing: Regdus Ironfist (Greyhawk) Lvl 1 Storm Sorcerer ; Goraseth Drerjoxian (Icespeak) Lvl 3 Paladin Oath of Glory; Lerak (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight) Lvl 3 Barbarian Wild Magic
In Pause: Grimnir " Shadow-Feet", Lv 11 Owner of "The Basilisk & the Monk" (OotA) - Kurma Kappa, Lv 8 Priest of Oghma (ToA)
Currently DM'ing: Princes of Apocalypse >> Tomb of Annihilation
Oorr will stay right behind Grimnir and Rocky, ready to draw Winborn, if need be.
The many-legged reptile stretches out as if it has been sitting for a long while, avoiding your eyes as it looks to the rocky floor at your feet. It mutters a few things in odd languages before settling on common. “About time you lot arrived! Come! The library bid me guide you to the gates, and I’ve waited too long for you already.”
It turns away from you and begins to head down one of the tunnels...
Grimnir turns towards his team with a smile “Weirdly, it seems that we arrived ! This basilisk will show us the way”
Used to be with Rocky, Grimnir trusts the basilisk but remains on his guard. He follows the creature and starts a conversation “Is the library far? And how did you know we were coming?”
Currently Playing: Regdus Ironfist (Greyhawk) Lvl 1 Storm Sorcerer ; Goraseth Drerjoxian (Icespeak) Lvl 3 Paladin Oath of Glory; Lerak (The Wild Beyond the Witchlight) Lvl 3 Barbarian Wild Magic
In Pause: Grimnir " Shadow-Feet", Lv 11 Owner of "The Basilisk & the Monk" (OotA) - Kurma Kappa, Lv 8 Priest of Oghma (ToA)
Currently DM'ing: Princes of Apocalypse >> Tomb of Annihilation
Oorr will follow, but still not trusting the weird basilisk.