(Chapters are divided by level. I have yet to re-read any of this or edit it! Will edit soon!)
Chapter 1:
The four adventurers set out from Waterdeep looking for adventure and hoping to help people in the process. They arrived in Daggerford with wide eyes and hope to make a change, yet it didn't come as quick as they hoped. They worked at the Lady Luck until they received their first job offer from Martin Goodbottom. He sent them looking for a place known as the "Whispering Cairne". After some looking, they managed to locate the cavern they believed to be the place and began exploring. The place had an eerie feel about it, whispering voices, strange arcane devices, and starving wolves.
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Ella's Journal
I have decided to start recording the events of our journey. Upon some exploring and frustration, as well as an unpleasant encounter with some wildlife--we found a sarcophogus. It is a long story, but essentially I felt there was some mystery to be undiscovered--perhaps a message from the long since dead. It turns out it was, indeed, a puzzle. After we pushed the sarcophogus clockwise, we discovered a secret chamber, I have decided that if one of us should investigate it should be me. After all, it has the look of a horrid and painful trap. Blah, blah.
Once eveyone came down, Rayla's keen eyes spotted a trap. Unfournately she was unable to disable the tricky thing and it spewed a wretched gas out upon us. We were all sickened and unable to push down the wall. I convinced the halflings to try to squeeze through the crack between the cieling and door after our repeated attempts to push over the wall had failed. The idea of everyone perishing because I failed to push over the wall was not something I could live with. To my releif, both halflings managed to squeeze through. It was just Hern and I left in the gas, but I could not live with his death on my concience either. Consumed with that nightmarish thought, we both gave it one last effort and by the grace of Ilmater, the wall tumbled down.
Once we left the room, Rayla was hit by some... ray of light but was unharmed. Then, more disturbingly, we were encountered by a pair of floating eyes connected by raw tendons. Lameras charged the creature but it stared at him, mystically causing him to fall over asleep. I rushed to his aid and sliced the tendons in half, causing the eyes to... cease to be animated. I have never seen or heard of such a creature. I worry that dark magic is at work down here. Hern says this place is sacred but it is filled with whispers, lies, traps, tricks and puzzles. Nothing in this place is honest or straightforward. It gives me an eerie feeling.
We explored more and came into a large chamber with a pillar from floor to ceiling. The air felt cooler and cooler as Rayla and I walked to the north and Hern and Lameras to the south. Rayla and I noticed a strange film and feared the entire area in the north of the chamber was covered by what appeared to be a strange mold. Sometimes these deep dungeon molds are said to be sinister to humans. I cautioned Rayla and we decided to go south with the men. They had discovered more remains of some poor adventurer in this place. Lameras picked through his belongings and gave some goggles Rayla and armor to Hern. He found some stone figures of buildings. They were very intricate and I thought maybe they had something to do with one of the puzzles, so I collected them.
Our group explored more but made little discoveries. There was no where to go but past the mold, so after several suggestions to burn it I decided to agree. I worried that it might set ablaze wildly, cast spores in the air and smoke. Well—to my surprise—quite the opposite happened. The fire fed the mold and it shot out wildly, causing Lameras' warm to be sucked from his body. He was left unconsious. I wrapped him in my cloak and tried to stablize him. Hern came and called upon his God to heal him.
We decided against trying to get past the fridgid mold. Fortunately, Lameras managed to find a button that made the moving chamber return. We let Lameras rest for a time—he still felt chilled—and then we moved the sarcophogus again. This time, the ground collapsed and Hern and Rayla heard what they described as “scrittering” sounds. I do not care to detail what happened next. Essentially another unknown creature emerged and I rushed to destroy it before it could harm my companions. We dispatched the creature swiftly but the beetle-like monster had a swarm of smaller beetle minions. Trying to get between them and Rayla, the beetles consumed my form. Their biting and stinging was filled with acid and was excruitating. I am glad my companions were not exposed to this. Lameras cleverly used fire to back them off, Rayla splashed them with lantern oil and Lameras torched them. Hern healed me and let me just say, thank goodness for friends.
We decided to go back to town, restock our goods and rest in a more comfortable enviornment. I cannot say that I look forward to returning but I am curious to unearth its mysteries. We had some of our belongings evaluated by the local Sage. He also wasn't sure what the buildings represented--however they seem to be worth quite a bit. We could use the gold but at the same time, I fear selling something that is part of this greater puzzle. I'm mulling over what to do. Do I sell them or do I save them?
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We returned to the "Whispering Cairne" for further investigation. Once back in the room that was centered with the sarcophogus, Lameras lowered himself down into the collapsed floor (from which the creature and beetles emerged) and explored. It seemed to be a chamber with statues similar to the sarcophogus--only many of these were in rough shape. The group lowered me in, tied to a rope, then Hern (who took a bit of a spill and bruised his cheek quite badly--but nothing serious). Rayla and Lameras scrambled down last.
I am not quite sure what to think of this place.
We were attacked by giant beetles and more swarms. Luckily, we survived but not without serious injuries to myself and injuries to Rayla. It is difficult to deal with so many tiny foes.
One room was full of a goo-like substance. I noticed to oblong shapes in the ooz and featured they might be human remains. The halflings dug into the ooz, pulled out its contents and yes, to my dismay the shapes were indeed corpses. The skeletal remains wore red leather armor adorned with symbols. The halflings collected some of the belongings--Rayla collected a pearl and handed me some vials (perhaps potions or remedies). Lameras collected a rather lovely ring which appears to be magical. The corpses wore uniforms that Hern recognized as a specific group dedicated to Oghama. He added a sinister note that this particular group believes in the pursuit of knowledge at any cost. This troubles me.
With further exploring we discovered another room—again inhabited by a giant beetle. We also discovered another corpse wearing the same garb from this assosciation for Oghama. While in the room we found ourselves extremely fatigued. When we left the room we instantly felt refreshed. I've said it before but I'll write again. Something sinister is at work down here. I wish I had answers.
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Chapter 2:
As the Four Helpful Friends surveyed the stone rooms of the Whispering Cairne, they thought about what to do next. Lameras explored the room that made them all so tired, but found nothing, dragging the decaying body back out behind him. They quickly decided to continue up the narrow corridor northward, Ella and Rayla leading the way.
Stone steps at the end of corridor led downward, into a room flooded with clear water. Unsure how deep the water was, Rayla waded into it down the stairs. With a sudden churning of water, the halfling woman was suddenly battered by something unseen, sustaining terrible injuries. Hern rushed forward, grabbed her, and pulled her from the dangerous waters. She staggered farther away, gravely injured, and aimed her bow at the creature, waiting for a clear shot.
Erupting from the surface, a creature of water itself appeared, whirling and splashing, with tendrils of water slamming at the companions. Ella slashed with her enormous sword, the 5 feet of steel splashing harmlessly through the water, and Lameras attacked with his long knife to no effect. Hern called for a retreat, stepping back from the water's edge, and Ella and Lameras considered the water monster, trying to decide on a course of action. Finally Ella decided to try another swing, and her massive sword clove the creature into nothingness. The water calmed, but was the thing truly gone, or was it hiding beneath the waters, waiting for someone to venture into its domain?
Calling upon his god Shaundakul, Hern healed the worst of Rayla’s injuries; easing her pain and helping her regain her health. Rayla was grateful that such a friend had her back!
After the water settled, Lameras asked his friends if they wished him to explore, and as they agreed he stripped himself of his possessions, retaining only his short sword and lasso. He lashed his silk rope to his left ankle, and the others held the free end, 'just in case'. The feral halfling waded into the water, and with a smooth dive sank below the surface. Exploring the area, Lameras swam around stone columns and blocks, finding a door that opened onto a two-seater toilet. To the left he found a small room, lined with niches and containing benches of stone. There, as he searched, a figure floated out at him! It was a man, or it had been. The body was long dead, with signs of having been torn and rent. It wore the leather armor, marked with the symbol Hern had recognized as that of The Seekers. Sheathed on its belt was a short sword, still gleaming like new despite having been underwater for an untold time. On the floor next to the body sat another lantern, this one red in color. Lameras tied the body and lantern to his lasso, and hitched that to his ankle as well, before swimming back to the stairs and his friends. There, Ella examined the body, and concluded something had eaten parts of it, and cracked the bones to suck out the marrow! Nobody else claimed the sword, and Rayla and Ella both suggested Lameras keep it, which he happily did, replacing his old long knife with the masterfully crafted blade.
After a brief rest, the halfling returned to the water, exploring the remaining room and searching for a drain or switch, or another means of draining the water. As he entered a small room to the right, another figure lurched out at him, as in the previous room. This one, however, did not simply drift about. It shot straight at him, gaping jaws and bony hands curled into talons. The feral halfling stabbed it with his sword, then retreated through the waters a short distance. The thing swiftly caught Lameras sank its yellow fangs into him, rasping a long tongue over his flesh. The halfling felt a strange knotting of his muscles, but with a grimace he shrugged it off, and stabbed again with his sword, killing the creature. He hesitated, itching to celebrate this victory, but finally forgave such an action, and instead looked over the body quickly. He discovered it wore the now familiar red armor. In a locker in the small room he found a pouch with some coins, and a ring bearing the symbol of The Seekers. He gathered it all up, and swam back to his friends, eager to see their faces.
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We returned to the "Whispering Cairne" for further investigation. Once back in the room that was centered with the sarcophogus, Lameras lowered himself down into the collapsed floor (from which the creature and beetles emerged) and explored. It seemed to be a chamber with statues similar to the sarcophogus--only many of these were in rough shape. The group lowered me in, tied to a rope, then Hern (who took a bit of a spill and bruised his cheek quite badly--but nothing serious). Rayla and Lameras scrambled down last.
I am not quite sure what to think of this place.
We were attacked by giant beetles and more swarms. Luckily, we survived but not without serious injuries to myself and injuries to Rayla. It is difficult to deal with so many tiny foes.
One room was full of a goo-like substance. I noticed to oblong shapes in the ooz and featured they might be human remains. The halflings dug into the ooz, pulled out its contents and yes, to my dismay the shapes were indeed corpses. The skeletal remains wore red leather armor adorned with symbols. The halflings collected some of the belongings--Rayla collected a pearl and handed me some vials (perhaps potions or remedies). Lameras collected a rather lovely ring which appears to be magical. The corpses wore uniforms that Hern recognized as a specific group dedicated to Oghama. He added a sinister note that this particular group believes in the pursuit of knowledge at any cost. This troubles me.
With further exploring we discovered another room—again inhabited by a giant beetle. We also discovered another corpse wearing the same garb from this assosciation for Oghama. While in the room we found ourselves extremely fatigued. When we left the room we instantly felt refreshed. I've said it before but I'll write again. Something sinister is at work down here. I wish I had answers.
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Chapter 2:
As the Four Helpful Friends surveyed the stone rooms of the Whispering Cairne, they thought about what to do next. Lameras explored the room that made them all so tired, but found nothing, dragging the decaying body back out behind him. They quickly decided to continue up the narrow corridor northward, Ella and Rayla leading the way.
Stone steps at the end of corridor led downward, into a room flooded with clear water. Unsure how deep the water was, Rayla waded into it down the stairs. With a sudden churning of water, the halfling woman was suddenly battered by something unseen, sustaining terrible injuries. Hern rushed forward, grabbed her, and pulled her from the dangerous waters. She staggered farther away, gravely injured, and aimed her bow at the creature, waiting for a clear shot.
Erupting from the surface, a creature of water itself appeared, whirling and splashing, with tendrils of water slamming at the companions. Ella slashed with her enormous sword, the 5 feet of steel splashing harmlessly through the water, and Lameras attacked with his long knife to no effect. Hern called for a retreat, stepping back from the water's edge, and Ella and Lameras considered the water monster, trying to decide on a course of action. Finally Ella decided to try another swing, and her massive sword clove the creature into nothingness. The water calmed, but was the thing truly gone, or was it hiding beneath the waters, waiting for someone to venture into its domain?
Calling upon his god Shaundakul, Hern healed the worst of Rayla’s injuries; easing her pain and helping her regain her health. Rayla was grateful that such a friend had her back!
After the water settled, Lameras asked his friends if they wished him to explore, and as they agreed he stripped himself of his possessions, retaining only his short sword and lasso. He lashed his silk rope to his left ankle, and the others held the free end, 'just in case'. The feral halfling waded into the water, and with a smooth dive sank below the surface. Exploring the area, Lameras swam around stone columns and blocks, finding a door that opened onto a two-seater toilet. To the left he found a small room, lined with niches and containing benches of stone. There, as he searched, a figure floated out at him! It was a man, or it had been. The body was long dead, with signs of having been torn and rent. It wore the leather armor, marked with the symbol Hern had recognized as that of The Seekers. Sheathed on its belt was a short sword, still gleaming like new despite having been underwater for an untold time. On the floor next to the body sat another lantern, this one red in color. Lameras tied the body and lantern to his lasso, and hitched that to his ankle as well, before swimming back to the stairs and his friends. There, Ella examined the body, and concluded something had eaten parts of it, and cracked the bones to suck out the marrow! Nobody else claimed the sword, and Rayla and Ella both suggested Lameras keep it, which he happily did, replacing his old long knife with the masterfully crafted blade.