-After the strange events in the tower and the
sudden loss of young Lowtrade the party stumbled through the darkness in a
partial state of shock. At the blockhouse the news of the deaths of
Preacher and the boy were met with a subdued lament and then a quiet stoicism
amongst the other Gloomlight prisoners; this was yet another reminder that
death lurked everywhere so far beneath the surface.
-The party rested for almost a full day. Time
passed strangely in the darkness and few words were spoken. Until, that is,
someone--or something--called to them from outside.
-In a high voice without inflection, something
outside called for help. It demanded the prisoners let it in, and when
questioned of its identity it claimed to be Lowtrade.
-The Cheat ran up to the second floor to get a
better look at whatever was outside. The thing heard him, though, and floated
up to the window. The Cheat saw the black eyespots of brain-like creature
looking back at him, with its tentacles wrapped around the bars.
 |
| Lowtrade 2.0 |
-Lowtrade told them he remembered swinging
across the chasm and then waking up feeling confused and very strange. His
belongings were scattered about, so he picked them up. Only then did he
realized somehow his form was different; he no longer had hands, but tentacles,
and when he moved found he merely floated a few inches above the floor. He
could now see a slight difference in the darkness between the stone walls of
the cleft and the air around it, and with this newfound ability navigated his
way back to the blockhouse.
-The party suggested traveling up into the
cleft to see if they could tell what happened.
-After a treacherous climb into the cleft
(with the exception of Lowtrade, who simply touched the wall with his tentacles
and floated up), the party pushed on. They traveled for a little while, slowed
down by the uneven terrain. Within time they found the spot where Lowtrade woke
up. They found some discarded clothing and a pile of reeking, unrecognizable
decomposed material, but nothing else.
-They explored further until they found a cave
near the back wall of the cleft. The air inside was damp and cool. They moved
inside further, the stone wet and slick beneath their feet. Hundreds of small
holes lined the walls and floor, many dripping with water. As they rounded a
curve, they saw several cave fish flopping around and gasping in the air. These
were not the fish they fought previously, which were adapted to travel on land
for short periods of time; these were standard fish, pale and blind, and for some
reason they were on the floor of the cave.
-After rounding another curve and finding more
fish and extremely wet rock, they started to piece together what was going on
in the cave. Of course, the thing they were speculating about actually happened
and the cave rapidly filled with water. The party was fortunate, though, and
managed to swim back to the entrance.
-They stood outside and shivered as the cave
completely filled and then emptied once more after twenty or so minutes.
Realizing he wasn’t actually breathing, Lowtrade volunteered to enter the cave
once more to see where it led while the other members hung back and gathered
fish to bring back to the blockhouse.
-Lowtrade went past the second curve,
encountered standing water, and swam downward. The cave funneled into a narrow
tube. Lowtrade realized he could fit into this tube, but even without the water
it would be a treacherous crawl for the rest of the party. He was just about to
head back when he saw something wedged in the mouth of the tube. He swam down further
and found something metallic. He pried it loose just as a jet of water issued
forth. It slammed him into the wall at the closest bend, but he was able to
maneuver in the rushing water and eventually make it back to the entrance.
-The party took a look at Lowtrade’s find; it
was a black, metallic thing not unlike a spider. There was a metal ring on the
underside of the thing, and they figured it was some kind of grappling hook,
although the limbs were curled to tight to be used in most situations. In more
light they saw a small retractable needle in the thing’s mouth. Ever curious,
The Cheat pricked his skin with the needle. The needle began draining some of
his blood and the legs of the grappling hook uncurled, moving slightly of their
own accord. The Cheat tied a rope to the ring and threw it up as high as he
could. The spider clung tenaciously to the sheer face of the cleft wall, and
easily took his weight. By merely thinking of it, the spider let go and fell
back to the ground.
-Glad their trip wasn’t completely in vain, the
party decided to head back. Upon climbing out of the cleft they found
Gloomlight lit up with a column of light—miles above, the sun was directly over
the shaft that led to Lord Eberhardt’s estate. However, there was something in
this column of light. A vast chain, just like they one they were lowered down
on days before. They crept forward to investigate.
-On the Quay stood one of Eberhard’s guards. He
wore the customary scale mail of the guard and bore one of the same hooks the
prisoners used to hold onto the chain and only a short sword at his waist.
–The party called out to the guard under cover
of darkness. He replied that he was sent here by Lord Eberhardt to check in on
them. Sensing their reticence, the guard assured them that while he wore the guard
uniform he was more sympathetic to their plight than it would seem. He asked
them to come out so he could see them.
-Warbaby volunteered to speak with the man. They
remained suspicious; Lowtrade floated just out of sight close to Warbaby, The Cheat snuck through the dark to the south,
and Lightfoot ducked into the arcades beneath the Quay.
-When Warbaby showed himself, the guard
introduced himself as D’Jasper Probincrux III. He said he fell into ill favor
with Lord Eberhardt after expressing concerns about the welfare of the
prisoners of Gloomlight; he was summarily sent down below to check how they
were doing with Eberhardt’s orders (reopen the mines as well as find magic
items through either adventure or trading with the denizens of the beneath.)
Probincrux looked genuinely upset when Warbaby told him only ten of the
original thirty prisoners were still alive, but asked if they had found
anything of value he could show to Eberhardt. He claimed any proof would result
in a fresh delivery of supplies.
-Reluctant to let go of anything valuable
where resources were so scarce, Warbaby asked how he could trust the guard’s
words. Probincrux pointed out that they had almost no leverage to bargain—he was
convinced his Lord would let them starve in the dark if he suspected they weren’t
doing his bidding. However, he tried to reassure them that not all who served
Eberhardt supported him. Many were merely biding their time as moves were made
in secret to depose the cruel lord. Probincrux urged them to cooperate for now
for he was confident that in time they would be rescued.
-From beneath the Quay, Lightfoot began
shouting abuse at the guard. He questioned the truth of any of his statements
and took personal offense at the notion that they needed to be rescued.
Certainly his calling as a cleric of That Which Carves the Aeons clouded his
judgement, and his companions were quick to point out to Probincrux that they
would like to escape.
-In time Lowtrade revealed himself to the
guard, which startled him a great deal. The group (save Lightfoot, who was
still making negative comments from his hiding place beneath them) decided to
give him something to take back to Eberhardt. After spending some time thinking
it over, they realized the best item they could send up was their newfound
spidery grappling hook. With a sigh, The Cheat handed it over.
-Probincrux told them he only had an hour
before the chain went back up, so he wanted to wait by the quay. He told the
group to stay safe and to expect something within the next few days.
-The party headed back to the blockhouse,
where they encountered a startling sight. Standing by the entrance were three
pale, spindly humanoids resembling eyeless cave salamanders. When the party got
close enough the beings turned to them and one stepped forward. It said, in a
distinctly feminine voice, “We seek the Warchild.”
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