Undermountain Session 4 - boners and beginnings

After the food fight and renegotiating their stay at the Academy with the Headmaster, the Spear found themselves fighting the great devil summoned in the bowels of the Lower Quarters. The skeletal guardians and immense devil raised offered no answers to the questions that started distracting our heroes.  How did they get there?

In the hours prior, they’d sidestepped murderous run-ins with most of the students.  The absent Yazol, who’s dorm was littered with old treatises on the Blood War and notes on summoning. Gemma Shadowdusk, the girls from Pessius’ dream, who they’d learned sent Yazol on a fool's errand and other students to meet their death* with ‘the Apprentice’.  Nylas and his ogre bodyguard, asking them to steal spellbooks from the Headmaster, and suggesting that the Headmaster, like Optimus Prime, is more than meets the eye.  The drow Elan Thor, who entreated them to kill Spite Harrowdale and restart a smuggling ring, saying there was a secret portal back to Undercity he’s used for this purpose.  Everyone wants everyone dead but unwilling to take action.  The Spear soon found that Yazol had not been idle, and summoned the great bone devil ‘to battle the darkness’ but was overcome, if they read the small puddle of intestines correctly.

*(Dorothea to meet the wizard, the lion, the tin man and her death in Wyllowood)

With great gorilla punches and the sun sword swinging blindly in the arcane darkness, the Spear ultimately vanquished the devil and its guardians.  Still tending to their many many wounds, they staggered back towards the common room, only to meet another band of adventurers. 

The Dungeon Delvers had negotiated the shimmering gates and runes, talking to the disembodied voice of the mountain who led them towards the gates of the Academy.  Faint recognition and short greetings passes among many of them; Pessius had helped shepherd them in their quest for the Dragon Vault, Nuitt testing their mettle, Zanalor trying to steer them from trouble and then being freed from his captivity after their appeal to the Open Lord.  Promising to reunite and compare notes, the heroes engaged with another set of newcomers. 

Standing near the arcane cabinet and the ‘Thay You Will’ game, three figures doffed their hoods, revealing Helion Moonstar, his engineer MocGeiver, and the Open Lord herself.  Lareal Silverhand remarked that the party had apparently been enjoying themselves.  She confessed that a smuggling portal had been found in Skullport, letting them come to find the party.  The Spear was dubious and chagrined at having been sent ‘the long way’, but Lareal insists that the need is great.  The terrors that continue to spill into Waterdeep are now only part of her concern.  She needs the Spear to honor their oaths and stop the Mad Mage at all costs.  As the Spear goes to find the Headmaster to secure his promise for safe passage below, the Open Lord turned to the Delvers.  She did not send them on this errand below, but is grateful to find them, as another need is one only they can address.

The Delvers learn that the Sword Coast is plagued by more than the monsters of Waterdeep.  Temples and towns all over Faer’un have been defiled right at the time of the Shieldmeet, and the lords of the great cities are at a loss.  Esvele told her new companions that she’d visited many of these temples during her wandering hunt for Boo and other truths and filled in some lore.  Shieldmeet is a festival every four years, aligning with many important rites and rituals among the races of the world. Elves celebrate Cinnaelos'Cor where elven archers celebrate the start of a new age, the Wild Hunt of Meliki rides against the beasts and Gods of Fury, and the priestesses of Selune perform the Conjuring of the Second Moon, calling astral shards from the Goddess herself to fall to earth and push back the evils and darkness in the world.  Lareal told the Delvers that she’s had to dispatch every able-bodied soul to protect the temples, but the death toll has been too great and the damage already done.  She appealed to the healers in particular, but confronted with their hesitancy confesses that she can’t sent the Spear.  In sending the Queen’s Guard, she’s also allowed the daughter of Pessius and Zanalor to assist, and that daughter – like so many others – has not returned.  She needs the Spear to fulfill their charge while asking the Delvers to help her honor her promise to them, rescue Galiana and restore the Waterdeep’s temple if they can.

Their escorts led the Delvers to the small Academy store and the false wall, passing to a small portal in a hidden room.  The Open Lord noted that she’ll come find them again; the portal can’t be used from above, as the portal’s key is a jeweled skull that Lareal must keep herself.  She promised to find them in short order and activated the portal, triggering the mountains glowing rune as the Delvers pass through, returning them to Skullport and a hurried slog back to the frightened streets of Waterdeep above.

Even as the Delvers made their way to Selune’s Temple in the city, down below the face of Lareal turned to her companions.  The glamour on her features faded, showing her to be drow Cai’lel Cadarn.  She regards her drow companions.  “Find the others.  Time is short.”

·       The Spear is still tasked with stopping Halaster and flood of evils from Undermountain.  They need to get past the Academy and the Headmaster promised to provide them passage.

·       The Delvers are standing in darkened entrance of Waterdeep’s Temple of Selune, the steps clogged with frightened and injured townsfolk unable to get any respite within

·       The DM is looking at a parade of still unpainted minis and futher truncating his adventure but promising to do better at OBX!

(The Headmaster granted the Spear two spellbooks (mage and archmage). They also have

• 1 journal
• 1 note
• 345 gp
• 1 glaive (L)
• 1 chainmail (L)
• 1 gem (chime of openning)