Ronin Session 46

The group reunited and took the narrow passage fifty feet down into the Crystal Caves, emptying into a domed cavern of smooth, blue ice with a glacial glow. Three passages shot outward, Izaki noting with his sharp eye a faint blood droplet trail down the center, and largest, one.

The trail became more and more obvious as it was followed down the steadily downward sloping way, till there were bloody streaks and claw marks taking the left of a passage fork. In the distance a slouched something leaned against the wall, revealed to be a pile of bloody pulp and flesh scraps.

Victoria was able to cast a foul magic enabling the mound to find its features and actually talk, much to the disgust of Finduilas. It revealed itself to have been an elf come down with Tasha into the caverns. It was killed by something Matthias later explained with surprising detail was a monstrosity known as a Beholder. Pained by its existence, the final question asked it revealed that Tasha had, in fact, betrayed the seven samurai and left them to their doom.

While Finduilas orated a prayer, Izaki and Victoria caught something faaar down the tunnel turn a corner, see the group, and jolt back out of sight. It was humanoid. Heading down the way, they discovered slimy, fan-like footprints. They followed them into a low-ceilinged, wide cavern, something like a disc.

Fin noticed behind two smooth stalagmites hid two ice elves in tattered armor. She called out to them and they did answer, questioning one and the other until Fin proved she was really a cleric of Raya through the reciting of a rare hymn. They stepped out, looking nearly identical, named Flugg and Glubner. After receiving healing, it wasn't long at all before the entire group became suspicious, especially after they began casting spells (which Victoria identified as Magic Circles Against Law).

Things grew more and more tense, till Matthias swung at Flugg's head, intent on knocking him out, but provoking Glubner into an attack which struck the skald momentarily blind. Victoria wasted no time casting a death spell which sent Glubner into oblivion, only then revealed that Glubner was not an elf at all, but one of a grotesque planar toad-men race known as slaadi.

Flugg fell soon after, seemingly unperturbed by death outside his home plane. Apparently he was simply return to it, though Victoria promised to steal his soul for other purposes. Strangely enough, when he cast the blinding spell on the Lady of Saspien, it seemed to work, though when she slew him with an overwhelming harm spell, she saw just fine, spurring the slaad into asking what she was before croaking (ba da daaaa!).

Flugg has been leading the group toward the middle passage (5 radiating from the disc cavern in all), perhaps to meet the master he spoke of, or the Beholder, or something worse...

EXP: 2000
Objectives:
1. Restore the 4 Wells
2. Save any surviving elves