^
Circle: Old Man’s Cave

mots / Fink / 2 Ranger
Seph / Olivia / 2, 1 Rogue, 1 Wiz
Lloyd / Torch / 2 Sorcerer
Mal / Glanfath / 3 Barbarian
Greg / Arkyn / 2 Paladin
Carric / Vivienne / 3 Pugilist

GM: Geo
Objective: End the centipede threat in Old Man’s Cave
Date of Excursion: Sept 8, 2020

A Kook and His Hooch

While the group was staying at Black Footpad Inn, an older tiefling named Hank informed us of a cave of centipedes that were causing a lot of problems for the local trappers. The cave itself used to be the home of Old Man Coots, a curious individual who partook in many ventures prior to his death. Hank claimed he made moonshine–an all-purpose elixir that Doc Tom might be interested in purchasing.

Hunted Like Dogs

We found the cave in a clearing half a day north of the inn and stood around deliberating a strategy: smoke them out, set traps, ambush them while they slept. We were interrupted by a pack of hounds that resembled clouds (we learned later that these were Lightning Dogs). They crackled with thunder and teleported around the glade. Vivienne, Glanfath, and Arkyn all fell to their loud snarling. I ran to the cave entrance to get out of the sun, and inadvertently tripped an alarm, causing the cave to emit a spooky moan. The hounds fled, and we stabilized the three tall-folk.

Not wanting to risk further injury in the cave, we marched back to the inn. On the way, we spotted a couple kobolds of the Grey Tribe: Nimbletoe and Gephyr. They informed us about the Lightning Dogs, their owner is in the north, and that we could shield ourselves from their aggression by donning a simple cinder-root herb. Separately they warned us of a Dracolich to the north/northwest. We convinced them to join us tomorrow for centipede hunting.

Into the Cave

We recovered at the inn and met with four Grey Tribe kobolds that were mustered for our delve into the cave. Olivia first disarmed the Alarm magics on the entrance, and we cautiously entered. We had to fight past a host of shuffling zombies. As we descended long caverns, clouds of noxious fumes started appearing. Holding our breaths and dashing through them, we came upon a large chamber with a rectangular monolith cover in runes. The pillar seemed to be summoning these clouds; it also zapped anyone who got too close. Our arcane-trained compatriots discovered that the monolith was alive, and we hacked and slashed it to death.

As we were killing this living structure, swarms of centipedes emerged from the dark tunnels. They overwhelmed both Arkyn and Torch just as a monstrous centipede arrived. It was big enough to eat both of our fallen friends. Glanfath turned tail and fled, but the kobold contingent of our party stood strong and pelted the huge bug to death.

After slaying all threats, the kobolds took the opportunity to stuff their satchels with dead bugs while we stuffed ours with coins we found underneath the monolith. Olivia was able to translate some text on the broken structure.

“In the Time of Tabaxi the keeper of the flame… there knowledge… hidden in the gardens of the realm. Seek the… …own as Tormonitate in the… of the black blood… gathers… 12521”

The skittering of centipedes could still be heard down the tunnels that surround this central chamber. The centipedes are not fully extinguished, and there might be more relics (and moonshine!) deeper in Old Man’s Cave.

-Fink