The session began with an unexpected moment of levity as Irulan found herself locked in a battle of wits with Keelgo, a gruff dwarf from the Outriders of Uleck. What started as casual tavern banter quickly escalated into an elaborate exchange of “yo momma” insults that had the entire common room in stitches. By the end of their verbal sparring match, the two had developed a mutual respect and genuine friendship, proving that sometimes the best bonds are forged through good-natured mockery.
Before departing for their underground expedition, the party settled their affairs at the inn. Druidly generously covered Bancroft’s outstanding debt to the innkeeper, a gesture of solidarity that didn’t go unnoticed. In gratitude, Bancroft presented his companion with a carefully prepared pound of medicinal herbs, their earthy aroma speaking to hours of careful gathering and preparation.
The descent into the depths began with Bancroft securing his rope around a sturdy pillar and lowering himself into the darkness with the block and tackle system, torch held high to pierce the gloom. The rest of the party followed in careful succession, but disaster struck when Gravelgnasher lost his footing. Bancroft lunged to catch his falling companion but his hands closed on empty air. As Gravelgnasher hit the ground with a sickening thud, Bancroft rushed to his aid, calling upon his divine magic to heal the wounded dwarf. But the spell sputtered and died, leaving only sparks of failed magic. Even his light spell flickered and went out, as if the very forces of magic were turning against them. The omens felt wrong today, tainted with an ill fortune that made Bancroft’s skin crawl.
When the party reached the second southern chamber, they discovered the rat infestation had worsened considerably. The wooden door showed clear signs of persistent gnawing, with the bottom portion chewed through entirely, creating a perfect highway for the vermin. The scratching and chittering from within suggested the rats had claimed this space as their own territory. Rather than wade into what was clearly a well-established nest, the party wisely chose to redirect their exploration to the first southern room instead.
Bancroft and Bruzra took point as the group pushed eastward, their footsteps echoing in the narrow corridor. The passage opened into a much larger chamber, its walls disappearing into shadow beyond their torchlight. Multiple doorways led off in different directions, promising further mysteries to uncover. But their exploration had not gone unnoticed—a pack of rats emerged from the darkness, their red eyes gleaming with hunger and territorial aggression.
Druidly stepped forward and began weaving an enchantment, his voice rising and falling in the ancient cadences of sleep magic. One by one, the rats succumbed to the spell, their aggressive chittering fading to gentle snores as they curled up on the cold stone floor. What followed was a grim necessity—the party moved through the sleeping vermin, ending their lives with quick, merciful strikes. Bancroft performed each killing blow with a heavy heart, whispering quiet apologies to creatures that were only following their nature in this dark, forgotten place.
The party’s continued exploration led them deeper into the maze-like complex, but their progress was suddenly and violently interrupted. As Bruzra and Delpha moved forward to investigate what appeared to be a safe corridor, the floor gave way beneath their feet with a grinding crash of stone and metal. Delpha’s reflexes saved her life—she threw herself backward with desperate strength, her fingertips finding purchase on the solid edge as the trap yawned open beneath her.
Bruzra was not so fortunate. She plummeted into the pit with a cry of alarm, her fall ending with a wet, terrible sound as the iron spikes at the bottom found their mark. Blood pooled around the cruel points that had pierced her body, and for a heart-stopping moment, she lay motionless in the darkness below. Druidly immediately sprang into action, securing a rope around his waist while Bancroft and Delpha braced themselves to lower him into the deadly pit.
Working with steady hands despite the urgency, Druidly bandaged her wounds and staunched the bleeding, managing to draw Bruzra back from the brink of death. The wounds ceased to bleed, but not without leaving their mark—a jagged wound now traced across her throat where a spike had come within inches of ending her life permanently. As they worked to extract her from the trap, new sounds echoed from the southern passages: the familiar skittering of rats, but underneath it, something else—a rhythmic clicking and scraping that spoke of chitin against stone, of something far larger and more dangerous than mere vermin stirring in the depths.
The party’s retreat quickly turned into a running battle as they encountered yet another pack of rats blocking their path. Druidly once again called upon his sleep magic, and several of the creatures succumbed to his enchantment, but their chittering calls had already alerted others. The sound of tiny claws on stone echoed from multiple directions as reinforcements scurried toward the commotion. Oklahom hefted her spear and sent it flying with deadly accuracy, the point taking one of the approaching rats clean through the body, but even as it fell, more red eyes gleamed in the darkness beyond.
The situation grew more dire as a thunderous banging erupted from behind the southeastern door. Whatever lurked beyond was large, angry, and very much aware of their presence. The rhythmic pounding sent vibrations through the stone floor, and dust rained from the ceiling with each impact. The party realized they were caught between the advancing rat swarm and something far worse trying to break through from the south.
Recognizing the need to secure their escape route, Irulan broke from the group and sprinted toward the northern passage, her boots splashing through puddles as she left the sleeping rats behind. But as her hand closed on the door handle, Irulan’s torch suddenly guttered out, plunging them into absolute darkness even as Bancroft caught up to her. In that same moment, the remaining rats launched their assault from the east, a chittering wave of teeth and claws that crashed into Delpha’s position. She raised her shield just in time, but the creatures’ frenzied attack was relentless—their razor-sharp teeth found every weak point in the wood and leather, reducing her protection to splinters and scraps in mere seconds.
For a terrifying heartbeat, the chamber was consumed by absolute darkness. The party stood frozen in the black void, hearing only the skittering of claws, the rasp of their own breathing, and that ominous pounding from the southeast that seemed to grow louder and more urgent. Then, as suddenly as it had died, Irulan’s torch burst back to life with a brilliant flare that sent dancing shadows racing across the walls, revealing the chaos that surrounded them and promising that their ordeal in the depths was far from over.
With the light restored, Bancroft slammed the door closed, locking a solitary rat into the room with the party. That same rat tore into his leg, finding the gap between boot and chainmail and leaving a nasty wound along with a nasty infection. But the party remained alive and safe, for now.
