Game-Summaries:3/10/2018 Recollections

Recollections by Ci

The Book of the Mountain says "Never interrupt an enemy when he is making a mistake." We unfortunately did just that last night while setting a trap for the Drow Hune. Rather than trust to our plan and let him walk into our ambush, we revealed ourselves early and were forced to fight on ground not of our choosing. Hune utilized a spider to scout ahead, and Tallulah was discovered outside the cave where we had set our trap. We were forced to fight him on the Hillock outside. The battle was brief but intense, with Hune throwing devastating Magic and summoning a creature from the Underdark. Tallulah and her wolf companion were both hit. I was struck by fiendish fire every time my arrows or my blade pierced Hune's flesh. It was Hune's death, however, that unleashed his most dangerous magic.

With our entire party focused on defeating Hune, he finally fell to our attacks. With his dying breath he spit one final curse, and his body was consumed by flames which then erupted outwards to engulf us all. I seemed to have particularly drawn his ire, and was twice burned by the otherworldly flames. Indeed, if not for the help of my companions, I would have gone early to walk the paths of the life beyond this one. I was revived by Loco and his magic projectiles, and as we gathered ourselves to face our remaining foe, the imposing Draegloth, we were again surprised. The creature did not attack again, and instead sued for peace! Zifu Poe's words echoed in my head as we listened to the Draegloth's proposal, "No life is insignificant. If we have the wisdom to learn, all may teach us their virtues." I could not see the virtue in this creature, but in honor of the Grandmaster and in deference to my companions wishes, I agreed to let the creature go. It is my hope that some peaceful solution may be found to the chaos of these incursions from the Underdark, but I wonder if these creatures truly know or value peace. As the Book says, "While I breathe, I hope, but while I hope, I prepare."

Finally, a personal note for Jeroy... I am afraid there wasn't enough left of Hune to put on a spike. We did bring you back a bottle of what little was left of him to set on your mantle. May you spend many happy hours contemplating the horrible way he died!

Recollections by Sakura no Kaze

We had a very nice and elaborate trap laid out which went all to hell at first contact. Someone said, "nothing survives past first contact." Our trap and the battle with Hune was only interesting in that it revealed some interesting bits of information. At his defeat, Hune performed a Death Curse that nearly wiped out half the party. It seemed a version of Hellish Feedback.

Hune also summoned a Draegloth, who was quite annoyed by the entire episode. To avoid death, the Draegloth conversed with us and told us some of their plans. He tells us that his mistress is Halisstra and that Lolth has abandoned all Drow and the Underdark. Hune's job was probably to open portals to let the Drow enter this realm. Draegloth is telling us that Drow are kind and peaceful and his example given leads me to believe that his definition of kind is wildly different from mine. I, one of the people, cannot abide by such a waste of life, of the common people. The Draegloth also tells us that Halisstra is his mother.

The Dragoloth seems genuine in wanting a home and brokering peace and despite our gut instinct to kill him, we let him live and he says that an emissary will be sent to Solace in two 10-days. The pass phrase to be used is "Hune's head on a spike."

We collect some of the bloody remains in a spare vial we have for Jeroy's pleasure. There was no actual head left to put on a spike for him.

Back at Solace

We speak to Grandmaster Aetheres at the top of the tower, where he is currently tending to the ravens. We told him about our encounter with Hune and that he said something about ley lines upon death. The Grandmaster suggested that the mage might be a ley mage. We also tell him of Lloth's silence/abandonement and that Drow are seeking a new realm. Millions of them. To this, the Grandmaster suggested that we were naive to believe the Draegoloth and that we have already sent an emissary to the Underdark. In a couple of months we're mounting an expedition to retrieve them and are currently accepting volunteers for the job.