Return to Under Drop-Off Tower, Second Trip

This session happened Friday, May 7, 2010, and is the first of two sessions I ran this weekend.

Adventuring Group:
Khallas (human ranger)
Agnes Sunbeard (dwarven rogue)
Tycho von Helmont (elven alchemist)
Sal Ty (elven wizard)

Seeking to continue their investigation of the Moldy Halls under Drop-Off Tower, Agnes, Tycho, and Sal hooked up with Khallas and headed out (Su Bel was not available due to trouble at the mines). Most of the first day was spent lost in the Edgewood and the group ended the day encamped in the wooded hills inside the Edgewood, still miles from Drop-Off Tower.

The next day they finally arrived at the Tower, finding 6 boars grazing around the entrance. The boars noticed them and got aggressive. A minute later and there was suddenly lots of ham at the cost of all of the healing magic. The group decided to camp in the Tower to finish healing up before entering the Under area. [Sal also made 2nd level here and needed the extended rest to level-up.] Sal spent the evening studying the spellbook Tycho has been carrying around and learned two new spells from it: mage armor and grease. Tycho used all of his healing capability to get the group healthy again and so needed to rest yet another day.

On the fourth day of their expedition, the group finally took the spiral stairs down. At what they now call “the Front Door”, they were faced with a rust monster that was nibbling on the ever-present purple fungus. They ranged attacked it but failed to kill it. After a short bout of melee combat, the rust monster withdrew and ran away towards the octagon room. Not wanting to face it or the other rust monster they knew to be down here, the group went the other way, heading deeper into the fungus covered area.

They found a few more statues covered with the fungus along a back hallway and a room with a teleportation area. They threw a (non-mobile) skeleton and two marked skulls into the mist, hoping that they could find the ending point later.

Following the back hallway further, they discovered it led back to the fungus room with the pools and the fungal stalks, which were in the process of re-growing. They also found a very heavy brass portcullis blocking off passage west and were unable to lift it, even with all their strength.

They next explored the rest of the pool room and discovered a fungus choked stairwell further down. Not having the tools to clear that much fungus safely, they instead followed a different exit from the pool room. Down this hallway they found a u-shaped room that was free of the fungus and cut in half by brass bars (at the base of the “U”). There were (non-mobile) skeletons on the other side that were reaching through the bars as if to escape or beg for release. This creeped the party out a bit.

A very thorough search of the room by Agnes located a secret door! Beyond was the remains of a small hidden armory, complete with several sets of armor, long swords, barrels of arrows (needing to be re-fletched), and two locked chests. Tired, and with Sal wanting to memorize different spells, the party decided to camp here.

The next day, Sal was able to identify three of the swords as magical, one being a flaming +1 long sword and very valuable. Agnes attempted to open one of the chests and set off a fireball trap in the process. This required the use of the rest of their healing magic to cure. Additionally, Sal no longer had offensive magic spells ready, so the group camped again in the secret armory. Agnes spent the rest of the day searching the room while the others re-fletched arrows and found another secret door in the armory. She decided to leave it alone for now.

The next day, Agnes made a try at the second chest and set off the fireball trap on it. Deciding this was a sign, the group headed back to Iron Keep. They got lost in the Edgewood, but found their way out at Jericho’s Grave and made camp there. Luckily, nothing bothered them that night.

The next day they made it back to the Iron Keep and sold magic swords and all the armor. They then agreed to purchase a bag of holding for party use, being kept in Spider’s Bar when not in use. This would become useful in later sessions.