Hello, Everyone!
How are you doing? I’ve been better, but also, Ive been worse. Writing about Mary keeps me going.
Last time on her adventures, she and her companions went to the goblin village on top of the cave wall. They found out that the loggers they’d been looking for had been attacked a few days ago and all the survivors were taken to the duergar city Gracklstugh. Our party decided to go and look for them there, and they had a really scary (and dark) journey down the wall.
"We are alive!" Mary sighed with relief. "This was the scariest thing that's ever happened to me!"
"It wasn't that scary," Paulina said. "Now can you stop clutching at me?"
Embarrassed, Mary let go of the dwarf girl and apologized profusely while Paulina laughed. Meanwhile, Bruno and Aurum were arguing about the bard's untimely smoking. The cleric really didn't like his new habit and blamed Paulina for it. She shrugged and said that Aurum was a grown person and could do whatever he wanted. Aurum confirmed with a grin.
They rode towards Gracklstugh through a wide and smooth tunnel which rarely made any turns. They were careful and it took them a few hours, but they made good progress.
After a while the four of them reached a small cavern with a few natural formations supporting the high ceiling. There were no prismatic crystals in this one but the cavern was impressive nonetheless. They unmounted the goats and prepared for a short rest under Aurum's Light spell.
Suddenly, Paulina stood alert.
“Approaching steps,” she announced. “And a torch. Lights off!”
They quickly ushered the goats into an alcove and found cover. Mary hid behind one of the bigger stalagmites and prepared for another round of “the humans can’t see anything”.
Fortunately, it didn’t stay dark for long. The people entering the cavern were holding a torch and it lit up the scene. There were three duergar in armour, pulling two light dwarves--most probably of the captured loggers--between them. The dwarves’ hands were in shackles tied to each other by a thick chain. They had obviously been through a lot, they looked haggard and hurt and walked with their eyes to the floor.
Mary and her party waited until the duergar came closer, and leaped into action. Bruno conjured a spectral hammer in the air right above the dark dwarves and laid a blow on one of them. Then, his Sacred Flame illuminated the cavern and another writhed in pain. Paulina transformed into a bear and lunged at the third one. Aurum and Mary were working their magic from afar and they both helped in their own way. The bard’s spells worked through his words and Mary‘s Eldritch Blast dealt some damage to the duergar and pushed them away from her companions.
After the first few blasts she decided to go to another spot where she’d have a better view of everyone. And while she was running from one cover to the next, something moved in her peripheral vision.
Suddenly, the stalagmite she’d just moved away from opened an eye. Six tentacles sprung from its base and lunged at the people around her, wrapping them in their grasp. The only reason they didn’t take her, too, was her timely, although accidental, departure from the stalagmite’s immediate vicinity.
She saw Paulina, in her bear form, getting pulled towards the creature. When she was close enough, a mouth opened up under the eye. Huge teeth, as sharp as needles, bit into the bear and she roared in pain.
Panic set in Mary’s heart. Up ‘til now she’d always made sure to be as far away from the danger as she could, while still helping her companions with her magic. She’d never been caught up so close to the combat and she’d never felt so trapped.
She looked around frantically and saw a higher ledge in the cavern, just above the whole battle. She whispered the magic words and vanished from the area of the swinging tentacles, Misty Stepping to the safer location.
Then she could take a breath and observe the situation.
Oh, my goodness! Such a nasty trap! We thought we were going to have an easy fight but BAM! a random monster appeared. I blame our DM! He’s the one controlling all the creatures.
Next time, we’re going to see how our friends are going to get away from the thing that attacked them. I hope you’re prepared for some nasty stuff, this fight was more bloody than usual.
Anyway, see you then!
Take care and be well!
(Also, here's a link to the chapter guide. You're welcome!)