Addermarch Campaign - Session 19

Starting from their resting place in the upper mine chambers, the party finds a ventilation shaft into deeper levels, survives a careless fall, and fights serpentine ghouls as they press deeper into the mines below Serethwyn Tor.

Timeline

• May 27, 1715 DR, morning: After a long rest in the upper mine, the party backtracks through Duncan’s camp and finds a ventilation shaft.
• May 27, 1715 DR, midday: The party enters the mine, defeats serpentine ghouls, and descends to the lowest levels following signs of Duncan’s passage.

Cast of Characters

• Yvan Greenrabbit - Halfling sorcerer whose spells and a decisive fireball help break the second ghoul fight.
• Drou - Elven bard-monk who takes the lead on the rope, calls on the Staff of the Python, and brings Moonbeam to bear in the deepest tunnels.
• Fazoth de Brune - Warlock whose Witch Bolt and quick Misty Step keep the party moving in the tight passages.
• Duncan of Haldrenn - Missing shepherd; the party follows evidence of his movements into the lowest levels.
• Fazoth’s pseudodragon - Scout used to probe the ventilation shaft and harry enemies, though its poison proves ineffective.
• Serpentine ghouls - Undead encountered on multiple levels, drawn to serpentine residue in the stone.

Places

• Serethwyn Tor - The hill-fort above the mine, where the party climbs to locate an alternate route downward.
• Ventilation shaft - A vertical route into the lower levels of the mine.
• Lower mine levels - Tight, rubble-choked tunnels where serpentine ghouls lurk .

Narrative

Thursday, May 27th, 2 Robert I

After a long rest in the upper chambers, the party backtracks out of the mine, and scales the hill above the mine entrance, locating a ventilation shaft into the lower works. Fazoth’s pseudodragon scouts ahead and spots serpentine ghouls below. The descent goes badly: a poorly anchored iron spike pulls free under the combined weight of Drou and Yvan, sending both tumbling down, and forcing Fazoth to descend with Misty Step.

The ghouls are dispatched, though Drou’s Shatter rings through the rock and announces the party’s presence to whatever waits below. They burn the bodies and pocket roughly 300 silver pieces before pressing on. Following the trail of Duncan’s passage through scattered equipment and bodies that mercifully stay down, they push to the lowest level.

Here, ghouls lick serpentine from the walls and turn to attack in the cramped tunnels. The fight is brutal. Drou’s summoned constrictor snake absorbs punishment and is briefly paralyzed, while she works with daggers, fists, and Starry Wisp. Fazoth’s Witch Bolt crackles effectively, and Yvan seals the battle’s end as he steps forward into darkness and launches a Fireball that blasts the next wave ghouls moving towards the noise of combat. In the silence that follows, a rhythmic thudding echoes from the passage ahead; with the dungeon fully alerted and no safe rest in sight, the party advances as our session ends.