Monday, August 16, 2021

Dungeon of the Mad Mage: Magic mushrooms

After last time, we resolved to start the game at an earlier hour. We were somewhat successful. I played my hand quickly and made a deal with Azok regarding the large amount of barrels containing Undermountain beer - his goblins took it all to the surface for 10% of the barrels and then 25% of the price. We still made decent money, as I could then sell the beer to pre-established taverns. I bought another Bag of Holding to hold all my minions, and placed an order for a Wand of Lightning Bolts.

Next up: descend to level 4.

We explored the caverns to meet a friendly ettin, Jibber/Jabber.[1] I asked about what's in the caverns, and he/they said they'll tell us in return for "treasure". Szivem tried offering rope, an oar, Selene tried with a giant pot - nothing worked. The ettin admitted that he needs 50 gold, which Selene provided. He then told us about fish-men and spider-men, all dangerous denizens of the caverns, as well as a friendly alchemist. We convinced him to take us to this alchemist, who turned out to be an elderly man making potions from the local plantlife. We established that he can make potions for us as well, if we provide the mushrooms and some gems or gear. 50gp for a greater healing potion sounds good, so we set out to find mushrooms.

Well technically, we set out in the direction where he said some hidden danger lurks and many adventurers had died. The transparent stuff represents huge rock formations, with the water bottle representing a collapsed stalagmite filling up with water. I sent in the invisible owl, but it did not notice anything dangerous, just bones strewn everywhere.

I noticed that a giant snails looks to have passed through the bones, so I assumed it is hiding somewhere, and came up with making noise in the middle of the cavern to lure it out. As we advanced...

...two of the stalagmites came alive, grew tentacles, and we rolled for initiative!

The monsters did not damage us  much, rather trying to catch us with tentacles and drag in to be bitten. Chance determined that they mostly went for my undead minions. A couple of well placed Fireballs, as well as Tari's arrows guided by my Faerie Fire made short work of them. Their flesh was quite stony, and their corpse resembled a stalagmite.

RIP skellies :(

Out of habit and frustration at my minions dying, I cut up the corpses to look for treasure. I actually found some gems. Good... fodder for the alchemist. But only a few mushrooms were around, so not yet.

Lastly, we found a human wizard sitting alone in the dark, stroking a pet toad. She turned out to be friendly, asking about Urgala[2] and demons. She asked to be escorted outside in return for a Rope of Climbing, and we agreed. We rolled a single random encounter on the 2nd level, to be played out next session.

[1] Szivem started punching the rocks, and he heard the noise.
[2] An innkeeper from Triboar. I had very vague memories, and so did Zyn.

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