Dimir's Out of the Abyss

Aimon, the mushrooms have caps that stretch nearly 30 feet across. As you get closer, you can see that many insects live in these mushrooms. Multiple burrows mark the fungal flesh. Slick vines grow down and wraps around the stem.

Aimon looks at the giant zhurkwood mushroom, the insect burrows and the vines and not for the first time he wonders why anyone lives down here. He turns back to see the others burying Sarith. While he hasn't shared what Dawnbringer told him with them, it is making it hard to want to honor him. I supposed she could be wrong he thinks to himself, but I doubt she has anything to gain, she's already been rescued and Sarith is already dead.

He looks around the beach some more.

(OOC - Does this cove have rock face/cliffs all around it - ie the only way out would be to climb up, go back through the tunnel or go into the water? )

Caelynn solemnly helps Oak dig a grave in the sands near the giant mushrooms and lower Sarith in. Once it has been filled, she lays out the fungi-covered rocks she has collected in a circular pattern, embedding them an inch or two in the ground. Kneeling before the grave, she bows her head and begins reciting a phrase in Elvish that every soldier from her home was taught, but she herself has only spoken once.

”Noble warrior, today you have made a great sacrifice and passed on from this life. You are remembered by those who fought at your side and by the earth on which you stood. Let the spirits come forth now, and guide you to the next step of your journey.”

With deft hands, she starts adding another braid to the cluster forming on them left side of her head.

After the ceremony, Oak asks Caelynn, “My hair is short and course but could you add a braid to my hair too, just here?”. He indicates the hair just behind his left ear, where it’s a little more shaggy than elsewhere.

Then he asks Aimon and the group in general, “Have we come to a dead end? The water doesn’t look inviting!”.

((Yes, the only ways out are the ones you described.))

Jimjar walks up behind Aimon and says, "The few times I've been to the Darklake, I've always had a guide. If we build a raft out of these," he gestures to the zhurkwood, " and travel to the East, we should come across a town of kua-toa. They are known to act as guides if the price is right. " He looks out across the water for moment before saying, "They are a tad crazy however."

After Caelynn gives her eulogy (nicely done by the way), Stool wanders over and sprays her with his spores. When the connection is established, he says somewhat nervously, "When you took him out, he smelled like home. He smelled like my people. Do you know what that means?"

“Of course.” Caelynn stands on her toes and does her best to braid Oak’s hair. She knows that they all have their own cultures and traditions, and she‘d never want to force anyone to partake in hers, but she’s touched that he would ask her this. While she’s braiding, she responds to Stool, “I’m not sure. Maybe he had been there recently?”

"That sounds about right," Aimon says to Jimjar. "We have to take a mushroom raft across the creepy Darklake to meet crazy fish people."

He looks back at the chest sitting in the sand.

"At least we have the gold for a guide. Unless the right price has nothing to do with coins."

He turns back away from looking at the dark water in front of them and faces Jimjar.

"Do you think it's safe to camp here tonight? Oak is exhausted. I could still use some sleep, and I think the rest are in the same boat."

He then looks back over at the group.

"How're Eldeth and Topsy making out?"

As Sarith is being laid to rest, Trill pulls out her lute and plucks a slow, mournful melody, interspersed with soaring vocal harmonies, not speaking any words weaving her instruments together in a farewell song.

Oak nods solemnly to Trill, acknowledging the beautiful tune.

He says to Aimon, “If it’s safe here maybe we should rest, we don’t know when we might get a chance later... Is the village across the lake safe??”.

Then he pulls out his axe, and offers, “I can gather materials from the large mushrooms, if we want to build a raft. What do we need? I can try and take pieces off or fell a whole mushroom?”.

As he moves nearer to the huge mushrooms, he takes a look at the insect holes and the vines. Are the vines moving? How big are the insect holes exactly?

Eldeth has been leaning against one of the mushrooms for support during the funeral. A thin sheet of sweat clings to her features. Topsy has been standing near Jimjar looking sad.

Jimjar turns back to the group and says, "We'll camp here tonight. As long as we stay away from the water, we should be fine. Tomorrow, we will build a raft out of zhurkwood."

 Oak, the vines look like normal vines. The insect holes range from the size of a pinhead to the size of an apple. Most of them are very small. 

Caelynn scrounge around for some food and brings up several rats, a few patches of edible moss, and a banded snake nearly 10 feet long for dinner. It isn't the best even when cooked over a small fire, but it will do.

Let me know what order you are taking watch.

Trill would still like anyone with more magic knowledge to have a look at the Tear. She holds it up and says in Sarith's voice, "Maybe it's magical."

Aimon grimaces and gags a little, but manages to keep the rat and snake down. 

"That might take a while to digest," he says, as his stomach gurgles at what he just ate. He rubs his stomach. "Maybe I'll take first watch to let this settle."

(Passive Perception 17, and if needed Active Perception: 13  )

“Thanks Caelynn, that was hearty fare”, Oak praises honestly, he’s eaten all sorts in his career. “I can take 2nd watch... ...Eldeth, may I take my bow back now that we’re out of imminent danger? Thank you...”.

”Where should we camp? Back in the tunnel? Or just on the beach back against the cliff? I think against the cliff between the tunnel mouth and the mushrooms”.

When Oak takes over the watch, he will light a torch and stake it in the ground.

Perception (disadvantage from exhaustion): 18 (passive 13 (-5 for d/adv?)) 

Caelynn sighs. "I know it isn't great, but my main concern is keeping you lot from being poisoned. A lot of the plants and animals down here will make you sick or even kill you if you eat them." Turning to Trill, she takes the dark gem from her hands. Noting that it seems a bit larger than when she last saw it, she rolls it over in her hands. (Arcana: 19). "I don't think I know much more about magic than you do, Trill, but I'll look." While she inspects the Tear, she tells the group, "I'll take the last two shifts tonight, as promised. I don't need more than four hours of rest, anyways. If anyone wants to join me for part of it, I'd welcome the company, but feel free to get some rest. You deserve it."

Perception: 11 (passive 14)

((Sorry Trill. I forgot you asked for that a while ago))

Trill and Caelynn, you spend the next half hour after dinner examining and exchanging notes about the Tear of Sorrow. You come to the conclusion that when things die around it, it absorbs their soul and gains power. You're not sure for what reason, and your not sure if you want to know. You believe that if you want to get accurate information, you'll have to find someone to cast an identify spell.

That night as you rest where Oak made a camping site, you think of your journeys in the depth of the earth. Just nine days ago, you were rotting in a drow prison. Now, you're on a quest to help Caelynn banish demon lords. So much has happened, and so many have been lost. You can't help but feel a little small in the grand scheme of life.

The night passes relatively uneventful. During Caelynn's first watch, a sudden bout of bestial screeching echoes distantly from across the lake. The screeching lasts for nearly 10 minutes before subsiding.

When everyone gradually wakes up, Caelynn has amassed a small heap of fungi for breakfast. Jimjar then begins to explain his plan to build a raft out of zhurkwood. Eldeth, who is looking much better, soon takes over the plans of construction. She becomes excited at the thought of building something. 

After plans are layer out, the party begins construction. I assume that Oak will be chopping down the zhurkwood. Despite being a fungus, it is surprisingly hard. Other members of the party set about lashing sections together, making paddles, carving notches for the rope, and other raft related projects. Make a Survival check with advantage to see how good this raft is.

While this is happening, Topsy pulls out the treasure chest and tips it upside down with the lid open. All its contents gush out pile on the ground. She and Stool begins sorting the treasure into piles a while everyone else is working. When the raft is done, she has finished also. There are 14 platinum pieces, 8,322 gold pieces, 665 copper pieces, a strand of orange pearls that are hot to the touch, a silver diadem with a large sapphire set into it worth around 200 gold, a dagger made of blue metal with a snarling dragon for its pommel, a small painting of a mountainous landscape framed in brass, a small wooden carving of a winking owl with a string looped through it, and a bronze ring with a small jacinth set in the center.

Survival: 19

Caelynn follows Eldeth and Jimjar's directions to help build the raft. Noting the dwarven woman's improved condition, she smiles to herself. Upon seeing the amassed treasure, she asks Aimon, "Does your sword know anything about these items? Are they magical at all?" She spends a moment looking over the large pile, an idea forming in her head. "I know you've just gone through a lot of work sorting the spoils, and I appreciate that, but perhaps it would be best to keep them in the chest for now. It seems that whatever is put in there becomes much lighter. We could try using rope to form some sort of strap to make it less awkward to carry."

Survival check (straight roll since advantage cancelled by last remaining level of exhaustion!): 22 

Oak wakes up to the smell of mushrooms cooking. He sits up on his bedroll and smiles over at Caelynn and the rest of the party. Seeing Eldeth and the others looking better lifts his heart.

He stretches his arms above his head and twists his spine this way and that. His joints pop, and his rough hide and muscles stretch and creak, like a tough, old, leather armchair straining under too much weight.

He jumps up and does a quick jog on the spot to get his blood going. His hooves stomping rapidly into the black sand. He’s noticeably refreshed and ready for the day.

As he eats, he looks over to the water, snorts, and asks “Anyone been over to the water yet? I wouldn’t mind getting properly clean. And I have bandages to wash before they’ll be useful. But maybe it’s too dangerous?”.

After breakfast, he goes about chopping enough mushroom-wood for the construction of the raft. Under the others’ instruction and guidance, he aims to get pieces of the required dimensions.

He’ll also try to chop enough additional wooden batons, so he’d have the kind of splints commonly found in a healers kit ((is that possible?)).

Aimon nods at Caelynn's suggestion. It couldn't hurt to ask.

He takes Dawnbringer out and sits over by the treasure from the chest.

Do you know anything about the other items you were trapped with? Are any of them magical?

Then he thinks about something else.

How about you? How did you end up in the chest? Is there anything you can tell me about yourself?

((Has Trill's strength returned? I'd been thinking of having her pick up identify, but going to have her wait until picking up a pearl, I guess...))

((Yes, your strength has returned))

Dawnbringer says in your mind, "The only on that I know to be magical are the pearls. They would glow in the dark."

"As for me, my previous swordsman was a man named Donomin Grivvishix. He was a Paladin of Kord, the God of Strength and War. Brysis was once a powerful sorceress that almost succeeded in overthrowing the Netherese Empire. When she was defeated, Donomin was tasked with hunting her down. In the battle, she had help from an undead known as a devourer. She killed him, and the devoured consumed his soul. She took me as a souvenir," she says in a bitter tone before continuing. "Anyways, she came down here to make some sort of weapon to destroy those she had a grudge against. I'm not sure if she was successful."

Oaf, make a Medicine check if you want to make some splints.

At Caelynn's words, Topsy's small smile and sense of accomplishment fades a little. She nods and begins to scoop the good back into the chest, but she leaves out the interesting items. Stool helps her, but he isn't much help.

If anyone wants to try to see if any of the items are magical, you can make an Arcana check or just wear them to see if they attune.

((Aimon, I'm not sure if you can just add Dawnbringer to your inventory. If you can't, she is sun sword with a few extra abilities that I control))