Between Delves 6 and 7, Zanuptra the adventurous wizard, sought out the company of the wisest wizard in the land. This wizard's name is Sargaddon and he resides in the Tower of the Magi in Svargorod. He is a 9th-level magic-user (Sorcerer) and every equinox leads a party northwest across the lake to the Black Marshes, to pluck a black lotus from the swamps. The black lotus is prepared and fermented for various draughts, elixirs, tonics, tinctures, and potions.
Zanuptra is invited along on Sargaddon's adventure across the lake. Lord-Prince Golthrod is deathly sick from his poisoning, so Sargaddon also needs to collect various herbs in order to treat him. There was quite a lot riding on this quest. If the herbs and black lotus were not found > Golthrod gets sick > Golthrod might die > Hyrcanians/Svars lack military leadership amidst the coming Sytherian invasion.
Zanuptra and Sargaddon brought along a detail of 10 guards and a serjeant. They plied the waves across to the Black Marshes, harvested herbs, were visited by tribesmen in the night, then set out in the morning to look for a black lotus. It was difficult to find their way through the foggy marshes, but they made it in and out without a tribesmen confrontation. Good thing at that. I believe Sargaddon would have survived. Not too sure about the guards and Zanuptra.
Either way, they made it back with the herbs and black lotus they needed. Golthrod will be hale enough to lead a few regiments, at least.
For a reward, Zanuptra was allowed to pick a 1st or 2nd level spell from Sargaddon's spellbook and copy it into his own. He chose Sleep. Wisdom. End of downtime.
Zanuptra, James Colvin, Laurenzia, and Goswin delved into the dungeon. This time, they elected to go in the northwest entrance, which is getting quite a bit of foot traffic from adventurers. They immediately headed towards the secret treasure room that the last session's delvers found. But halfway there, they came into a prison-cell room that had green slime growing all over the walls and floor. It threatened to engulf the room if left undealt with.
As they were burning it away, the Great Serpent Slissirix surprised them, filling a hallway with its massive head. It spoke telepathically to them, asking for a gift. If they offered it a human for sacrifice, they could pass unmolested. They decided to say no, run through another door, slam it shut, and spike it. But as James was running away, he got bit. Luckily, he resisted the deathly poison and they all made it behind the door, slamming it against the serpent's head.
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| Jose Ochoa |
They beat their feet to find the secret room, hoping to hide there before the Serpent (who must know the dungeon's inner workings) found them again.
While making their way there, they meet some horn-helmeted Khitemians and slew them, taking their hundreds of coppers and silvers as well as a key shaped like a ribcage. Then they retreated into the secret room. The previous delvers had discovered a locked chest in this room, but couldn't open it. This group tried the ribcage key but it didn't work. So they did it the hard way and spent several turns beating the lock with a mace and iron spike. Lo and behold, it was trapped. Goswin got a faceful of grey lotus dust, but succeeded his poison saving throw! They found a quaint haul of 3,000 gp inside.
While filling their sacks, they heard Slissirix slither by in the hallway outside. He slithered off into the distance and they made their way out. A total of 3,000 gp and some Khitemian scimitars were taken as loot.
The Khitemian scimitars raised some eyebrows as they were of Xataian make. The Xataians had been kicked out of town due to suspicion of foreigners during the Sytherian invasion. A suspicion that proved right! Apparently these easterners had been selling weapons, oil, and spellbooks to the Serpent-men and the Khitemians...
