Oorr gathers his comrades of the Black Network. He has never truly been fond of them, being motivated more something as worthless as coins and gold. Nevertheless, they have been useful. Now, maybe, this is one of the most crucial, final task he has for them.

Oorr addresses Aligor: "Listen, Aligor, you and your team have demonstrated your value. Now, we must part ways for one undeniable reason: in the case we fail, you must be the one passing the knowledge to Gauntlgrym. They must know what happened, and what we are planning to do. Go with my blessings and may the winds blow stronger at your wing... feet."

Brox is overwhelmed from all the visions they received. She takes some time to meditate and pray to Silvanus. [Religion 8]

Then she addresses her followers. "Grimnir offered you to leave. I won't keep you here. But if you want to see this through, please stay and fight with us. Also I fear we might need to send more messages to the surface world later, so if some of you could come with us, I would be in your debt."

Then she packs her belongings and gets ready to leave to make a plan with a drow. She is wondering if he can be believed. [Insight 7]

Quote from tiomila >>

Brox is overwhelmed from all the visions they received. She takes some time to meditate and pray to Silvanus. [Religion 8]

Then she addresses her followers. "Grimnir offered you to leave. I won't keep you here. But if you want to see this through, please stay and fight with us. Also I fear we might need to send more messages to the surface world later, so if some of you could come with us, I would be in your debt."

Then she packs her belongings and gets ready to leave to make a plan with a drow. She is wondering if he can be believed. [Insight 7]

 Brox, your prayers go unanswered, or at least, you don't sense anything. Whether it is because Silvanus is silent, or you're too deep within the Underdark to be reached, you aren't sure. Your followers agree to stay, they will do what they can. You can't discern anything for certain from Vizeran. He seems to be telling the truth, that his goals and your goals align. 

The Zhentarim part ways. Aligor agrees to give a report to the leaders above ground. At the very least, they can prepare for what to do should you fail in the Underdark and the Demon Lords emerge into the upper lands. The rest of your followers agree to stay the course. Some of them seem happy that the Zhentarim are leaving. Perhaps some of the infighting will stop now.

You gather your things, bid farewell to the massive library of Gravenhollow, and follow Vizeran out into the Underdark once more.

((OOG Everyone levels up to level 10!))

Chapter 12: The Tower of Vengeance

Vizeran picks a path, and follows it at a quick pace. You and your entourage follow behind. "My tower is on the other side of the Wormwrithings, about a month of travel, give or take. It's a dangerous place full of purple worms and other abominations. I know a direct path, but be on the lookout. You never know what you'll come across in this day and age," he says.

Your first few days of travel are uneventful, but you sense yourself leaving the magic sanctuary of Gravenhollow. The weight of the Underdark returns, and the smell and dim light of faerzress seems to stretch on in every direction. Eventually you come across a large round circular cavern. Vizern leads the way, but just as he is about to step forward, Kleve runs ahead and thrusts out a hand to block Vizeran from proceeding. Seconds later a rumbling intensifies as a massive purple creature burrows across the tunnel in front of you. It bursts from the rock on your right and plows through the tunnel, chewing through the rock to the left of you and creating a new tunnel behind it. "Ah, so we've arrived," mumbles the wizard, and then he proceeds into the tunnel.

After two weeks of travel you emerge into a cavern full of nests. The nests seem to be carved out of the cave walls, and filled with rocks and debris. As you draw closer you see Gricks. Dozens of them, guarding their young in the nests. Several make hissing noises, and snap at you, but retreat to the nests upon viewing the size of your entourage. Vizeran conjures fire and uses it to push back the more aggressive gricks. "Vermin! There's more and more of them every time I come through here!" he shouts. Kleve assists him, growling at the gricks, and tossing rocks in their direction. "Best just to hurry through," shouts the drow. "They won't attack us if we keep as far from the nests as possible." Vizeran begins to thread a path through the cavern that avoids the larger nests, and eventually you make it through the cavern unscathed. But just as you round the final nesting area, the largest Grick you've ever seen drops from the wall, and lunges at Kleve before he has a chance to react. Smaller gricks rise up from the sides of the cavern to join the attack.

Roll Initiative!

Grick Alpha: 9
Gricks: 14

Initiative: 14

Initiative: 11

Brox Initiative: 3

Oorr and Aera fly off to engage the big Grick. Oorr tries to assess the monster's defence with two simple thrusts, without activating the wind power of the scimitar. Aera circumvents the Grick's head, trying to distract it.

Oorr:
Attack: 23 Damage: 8
Attack: 22 Damage: 9

Aera: ---> Help action for Oorr next round 

Grimnir rushes forward, jumps over a small creature and delivers a blow to the large Alpha. "Let's tame their boss, the small ones might think twice before coming back at us..."

Amanita 1: 15 damage piercing 6
Amanita 2: 13 damage piercing 7
Bonus action fist 1: 7 damage bludgeoning 6
Bonus action fist 2 (Ki point - Flurry of blow): 8 damage bludgeoning 3

Grimnir will then evades and fall back a good 30ft away from the creature

Oor's attacks connect viciously with the large monstrosity, but Grimnir isn't able to get through it's tough outer carapace. It follows through on it's attack on Kleve

Grick Alpha Tail Attack on Kleve: 9 Damage: 11
Grick Alpha Tentacle Attack on Kleve: 17 Damage: 15

Both attacks hit, and the tentacles pull Kleve into its beak.
Grick Alpha Beak attack on Kleve: 27 Damage: 22

The other gricks spread out around and nip at you individuall, with two on Oorr.
Grick 1 tentacle attack on Oorr: 12 Damage: 10
Grick 2 tentacle attack on Grimnir: 22 Damage: 7
Grick 3 tentacle attack on Brox: 13 Damage: 11
Grick 4 tentacle attack on Belwar: 5 Damage: 6
Grick 5 tentacle attack on Vizeran: 15 Damage: 8
Grick 6 tentacle attack on Oorr: 16 Damage: 11

Grimnir and Belwar, both of you receive a beak attack as the tentacles grab you:
Beak Attack on Grimnir: 17 Damage: 4
Beak Attack on Belwar: 6 Damage: 6

Kleve regenerates from his wounds, and then grumbles. Vizeran glares at him. "Well, you should have been paying more attention. Now clean this up, we're on a schedule," shouts Vizeran. Kleve, angry, rips into the Grick Alpha.

Kleve bite Attack on Alpha: 29 Piercing Damage: 14 Necrotic Damage: 13 
Kleve claw Attack 1 on Alpha: 14 Piercing Damage: 7 Necrotic Damage: 10 
Kleve claw Attack 2 on Alpha: 28 Piercing Damage: 15 Necrotic Damage: 5 

Only Kleve's final claw attack is able to get past the defenses of the wriggling Grick.

Round 1: 
20 Vizeran
14 Oorr
14 Grimnir
14 Gricks
09 Grick Alpha 17 dmg | Injured
07 Kleve 128/170 HP
07 Belwar
03 Brox

Brox, having been at the end of the group, trying to make sense of all the information in her head, is able to get a good overview of the battle before joining in.

In a tactical move, she positions herself, so that she can line up as many little gricks as possible with the alpha grick at the end and throws her javelin of lightning.

DC 13 for half damage. Damage: 11 for everyone in the row without the final target 

Final target: to hit: 18 for damage 10 + damage above 

Then she swings Dawnbringer against the closest small grick: 

to hit 15 damage 12

Grimnir is slightly frustrated that none of his attacks managed to hurt the creature. " Alright, let's focus..."

Amanita 1: 11 damage piercing 5
Amanita 2: 22 damage piercing 5 >> if this one hits I will try to Stun the Grick: DC 14 CON or STUNNED)
Bonus action fist 1: 13 damage bludgeoning 7 >> (if Stunned, I can reroll for advantage)
Bonus action fist 2 (Ki point - Flurry of blow): 14 damage bludgeoning 7 >> (if Stunned, I can reroll for advantage)

Grimnir will then put a good 20ft between him and the creature, not before activating his halo of spores (DC 14 CON or 2 Necrotic Damage)

Oorr and Aera synchronise their movements perfectly. The aarakocra calls upon the power of Windborn, then goes for a double thrust.

Oorr:
Bonus Action ---> Windborn's command word
Attack 1 (with advantage from Aera): 27 Damage: 17
Attack 2: 21 Damage: 10

Aera ---> Dodge

Brox, your lightning fries three gricks. Their skin turns black and peels away from their bodies as they shriek and fall back. The javelin misses the final Grick Alpha, but returns to your hand.

Grimnir, you only manage one hit on the Grick Alpha, and try to stun it, but it's spongy flesh resists being manipulated, and it seems unaffected. However the spores sting at it.

Oorr, your blade cuts ribbons of blood from the Grick Alpha, as it thrashes about in pain. You have deeply wounded it.

Vizeran holds his staff out in front of him, and begins an incanation In the language of the Drow. Ice crystals begin to form on the top of the staff, just before he thrusts it out, and a cone of cold blasts over the remaining regular gricks. They take 36 cold damage and are frozen in place. He sighs, then begins to move on down the tunnel, telling Kleve to help you finish off the only remaining creature, the Grick Alpha.

Kleve pauses, looks at the Grick Alpha, looks at the party, looks at the Grick Alpha, then snorts, and follows after Vizeran, apparently disobeying, and not offering any further help.

The Grick Alpha lashes out at Oorr and Grimnir, in a bit of a panic.

Tail Attack on Oorr: 13 Damage: 11
Tentacles Attack on Grimnir: 9 Damage: 27

Grimnir, the tentacles pull you in to the beast's beak, where it snaps at you.
Beak attack on Grimnir: Attack: 20 Damage: 15

Round 2: 
20 Vizeran
14 Oorr
14 Grimnir
14 Gricks (dead)
09 Grick Alpha 59 dmg | bloodied
07 Kleve 128/170 HP
07 Belwar
03 Brox

Brox runs forward and hits the alpha grick twice with Dawnbringer:

to hit 20 for damage 12

to hit 11 for damage 15

Calling upon more wind magic (Zephyr Strike), Oorr strikes twice again.

Oorr
Attack 1: 16 Damage: 20
Attack 2: 12 Damage: 16

Aera --> Dodge

Grimnir follows Oorr attacks:

Amanita 1: 16 damage piercing 10
Amanita 2: 28 damage piercing 8
Bonus action fist: 16 damage bludgeoning 6

Quote from _Grimnir_ >>

Grimnir follows Oorr attacks:

Amanita 1: 14 damage piercing 10
Amanita 2: 22 damage piercing 6
Bonus action fist: 25 damage bludgeoning 6

 Grimnir slices up the Grick Alpha, delivering a final punch that knocks the creature flat on the ground. With the creatures killed, the tunnel path is clear, and the group hurries after Vizeran and Kleve into the Underdark once more.