Session #20: Deeper into the Green Creek Mines Report

Session #20: Deeper into the Green Creek Mines

Date: 22 Memun, 530

Mysterious Excavations

  After the ambush, the Deputies returned to the Grand Hotel to rest and recover. Following a brief respite, they set out again, cautiously making their way across the small town toward the Temple of Urdon. Their goal: to assess the temple for potential barricades and plan defenses in preparation for the next attempt at the re-sanctification ceremony.

Inside the central rotunda, they discovered a large, deep hole in the center of the floor. At the bottom lay an empty, lidless iron-and-concrete box—roughly three feet across on each side, with walls nearly four inches thick and an interior lined with heavy lead. Iron ribs reinforced its structure. The lid had been torn away, leaving behind tattered, faded prayer ribbons and traces of crimson wax along the edges.

The Deputies concluded the hole had likely been dug by a large, clawed creature—perhaps even the same red dragon they had fought earlier that day. After conducting a careful investigation, they spent the remainder of the afternoon cleaning the rotunda and filling the pit with the scattered earth and stones nearby.

Once their work was complete, the Deputies returned to the Grand Hotel for supper and rest. Suffering Succotash cast Leomund’s Tiny Hut, ensuring that Zefyola would be protected within the spell’s radius.

Date: 23 Memun, 530

A Stranger at the Grand Hotel

During Alaric’s pre-dawn watch, he heard noises downstairs. After waking Urxes, he descended to investigate. On the ground floor, an unusually dressed man was stepping through the front door—yet the doorway behind him revealed not the familiar dining room, but a bright vista of white sand, palm trees, and blue sky.

The stranger introduced himself as A.M. Azon, a traveling salesman from Sigil, and promptly launched into a spirited sales pitch. Joined by Urxes and Cordoch, Alaric browsed the merchant’s wares, and the group decided to purchase his remaining stock of magical goods. Azon counted his coins with satisfaction, thanked them for their business, and departed. As the door closed behind him, a blast of icy wind and snow swept across the floor, replacing the tropical scene with a wintry gale.

When the rest of the Deputies awoke, they examined their new items, allocated them accordingly, and shared breakfast before setting out once more.

Into the Mines

Following the tracks left by the retreating wights (from Session #19), the Deputies trekked back to the Green Creek Mines. The trail led them steadily downward through narrow tunnels, past several dark side passages. One tunnel flickered with strange lights, but they decided to press onward until they reached a larger open chamber.

From the north-east came the sound of grinding stone, and ahead of them stood four skeletal sentinels guarding a southern passage—the direction of the wights’ trail. The Deputies struck swiftly, shattering the skeletons in a brief but fierce skirmish.

As silence fell, Urxes caught the stench of carrion from further south. He and Fourth-Knife went ahead to investigate—and were suddenly ambushed by massive leonine creatures with human-like faces, spiked tails, and rows of jagged teeth: Manticores.

The battle that followed was brutal. The Manticores attacked with claws, spikes, and cruel mockery that sapped the Deputies’ focus. Twig cast Bane upon all three beasts while Suffering Succotash unleashed Fireball. Cordoch fought valiantly with his longsword, Urxes wielded his glaive, Fourth-Knife conjured a flaming blade, and Alaric hurled bolts of fire.

When the fight ended, Cordoch and Fourth-Knife were both wounded, though the others suffered only minor injuries. Healing magic soon restored their strength.

While searching the chamber, the Deputies found coins scattered among the manticores’ half-eaten victims. They also discovered something far more disturbing—each Manticore bore a black, fungal spike growing from the base of its skull. Fourth-Knife could not identify the growth as anything natural, but Suffering Succotash recalled arcane hints of parasitic fungi used for domination or control, known to spread their influence through spores.

As the cautious mages stepped back from the infected corpses, Session #21 came to a close.