🧠7. into the basement
session 7 • 01/29/2022 • 4,823 words
『 📜 』 adventure log
🌞 DAY 2 • 📅 ELEINT 23
Tactical Phase
We revisit our strategies and Hugh wonders if the best course of action would be to confront Harold directly, especially with the fading sunlight. Colt promises to stay in the back during the inevitable conflict. Sorennar instructs the group to not be too prideful to run if the fight turns sour, pointedly looking at Sildar due to their earlier conversation about Cragmaw Castle.
The group, with much gusto, believes that since the tavern is empty, Harold might also be gone. They decide to enter the tavern and investigate the basement while Harold is not there. As they walk by the window, Harold is standing at the bar, watching them with a smile.
The group turns around immediately and returns to the stables.
We talk a little more, and decide it would be best to simply confront Harold at this point -- knock him unconscious and investigate the basement then. Combat suggestions are thrown around: Lera and Sorennar will stay back to support the group while Sildar and Hugh take the front line. Colt is instructed to be flexible and "stab and run". Everyone agrees to their roles.
Sorennar is unsure about confronting an enemy he knows nothing about, and asks for Sildar's opinion. Sildar offers that they should bring the fight to Harold on their own terms.
The group takes a breather outside as Sorennar plays his music to proc Inspiring Leader for the group. Sildar recognizes it as what he did in the Bad Piano, before the group fought him, and complimented him on his abilities. (Happy Sorennar Noises)
After affirming the plan once more, the group heads into the inn. Harold watches them incessantly as they approach. Sorennar feigns conversation with Harold as Sildar and Hugh get into position. Hugh lunges at Harold and misses, but this creates and opportunity for Sildar to clock him with great force. Though the hit connects, Harold SINKS INTO THE FUCKING FLOOR through the slit, like slime.
Harold pops out of another slit across the room. He seems confident, but mildly confused how the group found out. Sorennar recognizes the creature, at this point, as an Oblex -- Mind-Flayer-tampered oozes that feed off of memories. Sorennar realizes that Harold and the rest of the patrons are likely dead, that they only take the forms of those they've eaten.
Sorennar tries to hold some conversation to distract the Oblex while Sildar and Hugh get back over the counter and into position. The Oblex informs Sorennar that it had been driven out of its home of the Underdark, which Sorennar takes interest in.
Harold approaches the group, with tethers of red slime connecting him through the slits in the floor. The group realizes that the source of the Oblex is downstairs. Sorennar informs the rest of the group that they should use fire against the creature.
Hugh, still on the bar, tackles Harold. Colt and Lera work together to set the Oblex on fire, Colt pours some oil on it and Lera uses her tinderbox to set it aflame. It seems extremely distressed by the fire, and when Sildar cleaves it in half, it sinks back into the basement and does not reform for the moment.
Going Down
The group briefly discuss and decide to chase it down into the basement, with Hugh breaking down the locked door to the basement and finding a basement full of various crates, chest, and the Oblex in the middle of the room. Hugh informs the group, helpfully, that "it's down here!!!!"
The Oblex's true form looks like this (without the human):
The rest of the group rushes down and sees the Oblex, and its slime-like webbing spread across the whole basement. Lera tries to initiate conversation with the Oblex to learn that it does have intelligence. Colt launches his attack on the Oblex's webbing. Sildar rushes in in the darkness, so Sorennar lights up the room with Dancing Lights for Sildar, specifically for Sildar and only Sildar.
Sorennar tries to question the Oblex but it's not forthcoming at all, and threatens to devour the group instead. Sorennar instructs Hugh to kill it, as it's clearly not going to talk.
The Oblex begins its assault by swinging at Sildar with one of its pseudopod clubs, which misses but cracks the stone floor -- showing the group that it would be bad news to get hit by one. It immediately seems to attack Sildar mentally, with a face emerging from its slime, its eyes glowing red. Sildar seems badly affected by it, clutching his head and crying out in pain.
Hugh, seeing Sildar badly hurt, begins to rage -- again with the mist surrounding his head and fine, silvery powder in the air. He deals a hefty chunk of damage to the Oblex. Sildar, having righted himself from the previous attack, is now standing there looking painfully confused. Colt, who has never seen Hugh's rage, is SHOOK, but shakes it off and attacks, cleaving large amounts of slime off of the Oblex.
Lera calls out to Sildar, who seems extremely disoriented and in pain. Lera attacks the Oblex with Sacred Feathers while Sildar also tries to follow with an attack, but seems much weaker than his usual state. However, he still seems "sentient" and intelligent.
Sorennar, upon witnessing Sildar hurt, enters close combat with the Oblex against his better judgement, hitting it (hitting anything for the first time with his rapier ;-; ). The group notices that the Oblex has been getting gradually smaller as we cleave off parts of it -- it's now the size of Hugh.
Sorennar inspires Colt with his music, and retreats from the Oblex. The Oblex's core begins to shake, and it begins to absorb the slime webbing across the floor, regaining some size. The powder surrounding Hugh begins to embed itself into the Oblex, but it does not seem affected.
The Oblex turns its attention to Colt, hitting him with its pseudopod in the chest. Sorennar attempts to distract the Oblex with his Silvery Barbs, a swarm of illusionary butterflies, but the Oblex does not seem to be affected. It then makes another mind-attack, like the one it did to Sildar, on Colt (with the face of the daughter from the tavern). This finishes off Colt. The Oblex taunts Colt with "Really? You're a prince? You have nothing up there."
Sorennar's Silvery Barbs grants Hugh advantage, and he lands a hefty blow on the Oblex. From across the room, Lera throws her torch across the room and lands it squarely on the Oblex, which reacts in distress. The fire seems to be weakening the Oblex's attacks, and it also seems to be shrinking significantly.
Sildar, who is still dazed, attempts to attack the Oblex, but seems too disoriented to put any power behind his attacks. He misses both attacks and seems unsure of what is going on.
Sorennar casts Healing Word on Colt to bring him back to his feet, but Colt also seems disoriented upon getting up. Sorennar attempts to bluff the Oblex with "knock them down, and I'll pick them back up", despite being drained, but to no avail, as usual :( The Oblex addresses Colt and Hugh, taunting their lack of intelligence, saying "let's try his again" to Sildar.
Hugh is furious, screaming obscenities at the Oblex and the powder around him again tries to attack the Oblex, but fails.
Sildar takes an Oblex's pseudopod tentacle attack, then another mind attack. He looks destroyed, his arms falling to his side and his face going completely blank.
Hugh, seeing his friends fall, backs away recklessly from the Oblex to charge at it. The Oblex attacks him, but misses. Hugh attacks the Oblex with his full charging force, dealing a large amounts of damage (nat 20) and poisoning it. Colt weakly attempts to damage the Oblex and manages to scrape by with Sorennar's Bardic Inspiration. Lera continually whittles down the Oblex with her spells.
Though Sildar is barely conscious, he attempts to attack the Oblex, but is too weak to lift his sword, and lets it fall to the floor. Sorennar, witnessing how badly damaged Sildar is, looks like this:
Sorennar breaks out of his careful demeanor during combats, moving directly into the Oblex and shoves Sildar away from it. Sildar, too weak to resist, gets pushed and drops his sword. Sorennar taunts the Oblex to attack him, with "you’re looking for brains, but you're not going after the one who told them your weakness? Maybe you haven’t eaten enough."
The Oblex snidely thanks Sorennar for "making it easy", whipping Sorennar with a pseudopod tentacle. Sorennar manages to dodge it, but gets hit full on with a mind drain (EVEN THOUGH HE USED TWO INSPIRATIONS, ROLLING A 2, 2 and 6)
The Oblex seems to drain Sorennar of his mental energy, taunting with a "that's what I was looking for". Sorennar goes limp, and stops playing his lute, which enrages Hugh even more. He hits the Oblex, putting it on its last glob. Hugh screams at the Oblex to stop hurting his friends. Colt, still confused but offended by the Oblex's taunts, attacks it. He misses badly, allowing the Oblex an opportunity attack, which also misses in turn.
Colt delivers one last strike to the Oblex, stabbing it in its core and twisting his sword. It melts away into the ground, leaving behind non-sentient slimes. The fight is over.
The Aftermath
As the fight comes to a close, Sorennar, Sildar and Colt -- who were all mind-drained by the Oblex -- seem very confused. Sorennar begins demanding to know more about the situation, seeming not to remember anyone or anything. The basement dissolves into chaos as the group realizes that Sorennar, Sildar and Colt don't remember them.
Hugh asks Lera to not let the memory-wiped group leave as he runs to douse the fire from before. Sorennar gets defensive at this. After some questioning from Lera, we learn that SSC have lost at least a week's worth of memories. Sorennar had been on the road to Neverwinter from Phandalin, Colt was about to go to bed at an inn, and Sildar was in Neverwinter.
Lera and Hugh conversate with the group, re-introducing themselves and explaining the Oblex / fight. She explains that the Oblex stole their memories, which Sorennar understands to be true to Oblex mannerism. She suggests having a rest, which might restore their memories.
Lera and Hugh also explain about how everyone met more than 48 hours ago, the mission, the goblins, Sildar getting tortured, and Gundren being in cragmaw castle, MUCH to Sildar’s panic and shock, who does not believe that he should be here if Gundren is missing. Sorennar agrees vehemently, citing that they needed to immediately go and save their employer.
Lera and Hugh insist that we need to first rest, and that the idea was to head to Phandalin for more backup to go to Cragmaw, as was the original plan, since King Grol is most likely extremely strong. Sildar is still confused and shocked that he would be here, and Sorennar remarks that Lera and Hugh explained already that they have memory loss, 7-6 day memory loss approximately. Sildar feels that this does not check out (he's lost around a month, as he's taken two attacks), but no one knows why.
Colt takes off Sorennar’s clothing and gives it back to Sorennar upon Sorennar's indignant request. Sildar is still wearing his mailman outfit, which Sorennar insists. Colt, again, compliments Soren’s cape, and inquires about its familiarity. Sorennar hesitantly accepts the compliment, and states that he made the cape himself. Lera informs Sildar that Harold is dead, along with all the patrons.
Lera suggests that the group head upstairs, though Sildar is completely blind in the darkness. The group beseeches Sorennar to cast Dancing Lights for Sildar. Sildar says "please" ;-----; Sorennar does so reluctantly, then immediately takes Sildar's hand and starts leading him towards the staircase, as though instinctively. Sildar, though still dazed, still allows Sorennar to take his hand.
As he realizes what he's done, Sorennar lets go of Sildar's hand in shock, cusses him out and goes upstairs, though not before the group points out that he's led Sildar "to a lake and then gotten naked together" before.
Back Upstairs
As they head up, Sorennar snides and threatens Colt and Sildar -- for his high elf ancestry, and for being a seasoned human adventurer respectively. Eventually Lera steps in to remind Sorennar that they were all friends before the memory loss, which Sorennar is skeptical of.
Sorennar begins asking for his clothing back from Colt and Sildar, despite Sildar pleading to keep the pants. Lera and Colt decide to go upstairs to search for some clothing for Sildar. On the way, they bond over their willingness to break into locked doors and break rules, with Colt stating that "no wonder they were friends before".
All the doors are locked, and Colt is delighted to showcase his ... "lockpicking prowess", and unlocks all the doors very efficiently. They find nothing but dirty, empty rooms. They eventually come across a closet that they open to find corroded, half-melted bones.
They close the closet.
Lera suggests that they go downstairs, where the kitchen seemed to be locked too.
---
Sorennar, Sildar and Hugh have a clown fiesta of a conversation downstairs.
Sorennar indicates that he wants to save Gundren, which Sildar agrees with. Hugh stops them by rehashing the plans of the previous day -- that they were to check in with several individuals at Phandalin, with the mention of Iarno piquing Sildar's interest.
Hugh mentions the Black Spider. and Yeemik's torturing of Sildar. Sorennar gets surprisingly defensive over having left Yeemik alive. Hugh turns the conversation towards the dragon that the group is planning on confronting (and taking its babies to a lake to fish..????)
Sorennar remarks that he heard of the dragon in Phandalin and was going to use it to extort money from Gundren. Hugh points out that he did, but rather unsuccessfully because of Colt's "lack of fine ass", and stealing of tomatoes right in front of Sildar. Sildar: 'is he crazy??"
Hugh establishes that the group is going to take a dragon wyrmling fishing at a lake. Sildar: "are YOU STUPID?" Hugh tries to lie to Sildar and say that Sildar agreed to accompany them. Sildar points out that he would NEVER do such a thing, nor support the party's decision to "klil themselves" by fighting a dragon, and passes an insight check to tell that Hugh is lying.
Hugh points out that Sildar is in Sorennar's tight ass mailman clothes and that he "should not be talking about stupidness".
Hugh introduces his full name for the first time, which Sorennar takes slight pause at before he offers his last health potion to Sildar. Sildar accepts gratefully and attempts to drink it, but Hugh stops him as "we're not in any danger right now". Sildar puts it into his SMALL and TIGHT pocket ;- ;
Lera and Colt come back down. Sorennar compliments Lera's hair (for the third time since their first meeting), and wonders if he's done it before due to the familiarity. Lera confirms this and states that she's glad this proves he really means it. She compliments his hair, eyes and cape in turn, which surprises Sorennar. Sorennar tries to indirectly ask if they've ever spent a night together, which Lera completely misunderstands. Sorennar takes it as a no.
Sorennar expresses skepticism about being friends with a Moon Elf. Lera points out the wooden sunglasses that Colt carved for Sorennar, saying that Colt made it specifically for him due to his sunlight sensitivity. Sorennar is taken aback by this fact, and plays it off, though he seems very touched. Lera goes to check on Colt, who had just broken into the kitchen.
Hugh warns Sorennar to please never remind memory-drained Colt of the word “finesse”, because he will use it non-stop and pronounce it like “fine ass”. Not understanding, Sorennar wonders aloud “Fine ass? What, was the moon elf talking about Hallwinter?” which makes Sildar blush.
Sildar asks if Sorennar really meant it, and Sorennar teases him until Sildar has to say the words "fine ass" out loud. Sorennar assures him that he meant it.
---
Lera and Colt look for anything of value in the kitchen, but only find rotting food, some non-perishable condiments and kitchen tools. They head out of the kitchen, making sure to close the door behind them because of the smell. Sorennar plays a "Song of Rest" for the group as their short rest draws to a close, rejuvenating them a little more.
Suddenly, Sorennar, Sildar and Colt all double over and cry out in pain -- their memories seemed to have returned, bringing with them memories not of their own. Sorennar and Colt briefly discuss what they saw and felt: the Oblex's memories of hunger, fear and need to kill.
Sorennar seems concerned about the fact that something is invading the Underdark, reminding Sildar of his sending scroll. Sorennar thanks everyone for babysitting the memory-loss trio, and for being unpleasant before he "remembered you lovely people". Lera and Colt are flattered by this. Sildar blushes and mutters "you weren't all unpleasant" ; ---- ;
Colt and Lera informs the group of the bodies in the closet of the second floor, and come to the realization that the group now... probably owns this inn. Sildar tries to teach them about the nuances of property ownership but everyone is bouncing at the idea of owning an inn.
Sorennar gets up to go grab some alcohol from the cart, but Hugh points out that there are loot and crates to be had in the basement where the Oblex had been. As the group heads down, Lera (?) requests that Sorennar light up the basement with DL for Sildar cuz he blind af.
Sorennar is reluctant but does so, and when Sildar thanks him, Sorennar points out that “I like it better when it’s dark, then I have to hold your hand.” Sildar points out that he could do it anyway. Sorennar sasses Sildar with “ugh, how bad are your eyes” and then takes his hand anyway.
Colt attempts to open one of the fancier looking crates, but fails miserably and is hit by a trapped needle, poisoning him and dealing some damage. Sorennar remarks on the fact that Sildar, an experienced adventurer, did not warn Colt -- and is impressed that Sildar just wanted Colt to learn a lesson. :>
Sorennar disables the trap on the box, but does not have his lock-picking tools. He produces a crowbar and indirectly asks Sildar to pry the box open with his "monstrous strength". Sildar implies that he wants Sorennar to ask for help directly, but still does so with ease, flustering Soren.
In the small box: Inside, we find a couple pouches along with two red potions, and a potion of yellow fluid that has some black swirls inside of it. In the pouch: filled with silver coins, other with gold coins.
We also find a bag of holding, which Colt immediately recognizes given his experiences working with rich / valuable cargo.
Across the room, Hugh is trying to get into the crates. He smashes them after realizing they were tightly sealed, finding some stale and rotten food, plenty of wines, water, pillows, blankets and sheets. It seems like stolen cargo. He returns to the group to report this. Sorennar is tempted to partake in the wines (omg lost brain cells?? -lily 2022), but Hugh warns him against it. (omg gained brain cells?? -lily 2022)
Sildar pops open the second crate as well with a nat 20. Sorennar do be staring at him sweating.
In the box: random items, some things that might have value, a lot of personal belongings, along with smaller gemstones. An opaque, light pink gem, a translucent pink with green markings gem, and a spell scroll in it
Sorennar recognizes the scroll as a "sending scroll", and explains that it can send a short message to anyone in the world. He states that though it is "group treasure", he badly needs it, and upon learning of its hefty price (400GP), offers to work to pay it off.
Colt hesitates at this, stating that he would like to use it to contact his parents. After some hesitant discussion, in which Sorennar seems uncharacteristically serious, and Colt seems "fearful" when mentioning his parents. In the end, Sildar GOD BLESS HIS HEART offers to purchase Sending scrolls for anyone who needs it, as thanks for their help.
Sorennar keeps the scroll for now. He hugs Colt and thanks Sildar sincerely.
Hugh goes back to the crates to look for another scroll. At Sildar's prompting, Colt turns the Bag of Holding inside out, and a jug and two scrolls come flying out. After further investigation, the group finds that one of the scrolls is a Scroll of Silence (which Lera can read) while the other is unidentifiable by the group. Sorennar idly mentions that the Drow use Silence in prisons to prevent caster slaves from rebelling, but stops that train of thought when Lera reacts badly.
Hugh investigates the jug and announces that it's "empty and smells like jug". However, even though it seems empty, it sloshes as though full of liquid.
The group heads back upstairs and piles everything they've found (from the basement, and Klaarg's lair) on the table for Lera to cast Detect Magic on. Hugh requests that Sorennar play a song to go along with her incantations. He does.
Lera finds that the Bag of Holding, Cat Mask, all of the potions and all of the scrolls are magical. The unknown scroll emanates necromancy magic, while the red potions emanate evocation and the yellow one: transmutation.
Sorennar and Hugh forage and find some eggs, vegetables and berries to make dinner for everyone. Sorennar gets started on making a frittata, during which Hugh mentions oil. The jar fills with oil, but Hugh, who does not realize this, gets a face-full of oil as he's tipping the jug over his head. Distressed, he rushes upstairs to try and get a blanket to wipe it off.
Dinner Time
Lera offers to help Sorennar with the cooking. He does not, apologizing for taking the role of cooking always, stating that he used to always cook for his "old group".
During his cooking, Sorennar walks to his bag, which is next to Sildar. Making sure that Sildar could see him, Sorennar took two vials of clear liquid, seemingly hiding it from the others. Sildar, remembering the threat from earlier that day about Sorennar poisoning the group, follows Sorennar to the fireplace to check on what he was doing.
Sildar tries to offer to taste the raw eggs, before realizing that Sorennar had not dumped the vials into the food yet. He tries to make small talk, but Sorennar is curt and seemingly nervous. Deciding to trust Sorennar, Sildar returns to his seat.
When the food is finished, Sildar makes a point of taking the first bite, though seeming to pause in order to wait for any poisons or effects to kick in. The rest of the group digs in, with Sorennar waiting for everyone to take a bite before eating.
Though it's clear that the food is not poisoned, Sildar is upset at Sorennar's "prank" and reminds Sorennar that they were to have a conversation privately, later.
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