(G544 02/12/2023 via Roll20 - JF, KT, AP(GM), AD) YI-B1

[Fenrir, Corhim and Dak have set off for to find the Fortress of the Yaun-ti.

Meanwhile I (Rollo) am stuck at home planning a trading empire with my wife, using

captured pirate ships.]

DAY 619 (12th Uktar) (November) cont ...

Myself and the wife had been at it for hours. Neither of us liked the idea of

the xebecs straying outside of the Shining Sea for now for various reasons.

1. We didn't know the captains all that well

2. We might need them in a hurry to fight off pirates back on the island

3. Lavinia had lots of experience at sea but had never managed more than one

or two ships at a time.

4. We needed supercargoes for each ship and reliable brokers at each end. It was

better to start with ports that Lavinia knew.

So it was decided to have all four of them trading spices from Sasserine to

Calimport and herbs, jewellery, leather goods, armour and books from Calimport

to Sasserine. It was a steady, if not very adventurous trade, and with the

ships having the ability to go invisible at will the cargo would be very

safe.

Anyway, I'd had enough of all that and had gone for a walk when I bumped into

Reinward and Fang. We then went for a nice cup of tea at Felia's shop.

Fang was there to arrange the purchase of a magical falchion. He's seen the

one Dak wielded and fancied trying one out. She didn't have one in stock

but told him she could have it for him in two days.

She also went on to say:

''

I've just heard through the family grapevine that the long lost Stone of

the Sparkledingles has been located! This is terrific news and I'm sure

my ever so brave cousin would love to go and retrieve it, since he's gone

I wonder if anyone here would like to do it? I'll give you a discount on

that falchion, Fang, if you go.

''

Fang and Reinward nodded approval. I said nothing. She went on:

''

Wonderful! I have drawn a picture of the entrance to the dungeon the

Stone is located in. It should be possible to Teleport there from here.

The only thing is I am not able to do Teleports. Do you know anyone that

does?

''

Fang and Reinward turned to me. There was also Irritator of course, but

to be honest I was happy to get away from all the Shipping Forecasts and

Trade Deals.

'Oh very well!' I said taking the picture. 'I'll drop you off, but no

more than that!'

We teleported to the subterranean entrance of the dungeon. Judging by the

temperature I think we had gone north rather than south, but I didn't bother

pulling my magical map out to check as the other two were already going in.

Definitely in Faerune though.

I decided to follow along, just in case they needed healing or a few

handy crocodiles.

We were already underground, the runes on the entrance were interesting

but I had to just let them pass by as we descended into a long narrow

corridor. These were rough hewn tunnels, warm to the touch.

I cast Light, then Longstrider and Tortoise Shell on myself.

This was a dungeon of the traditional sense, something carved out of

the deep rock for some evil wizard to keep his treasure and monsters.

At first it was all doors and traps, and the ancient refuse of what

looked like a long abandoned area of carved out chambers. Rotten

crates, bent daggers, secret doors, stone ramps, stone chains,

carved faces on the walls - all the things I've come to expect from

this sort of place. It can feel quite random sometimes.

We pushed on through it all, room by room, corridor by corridor. When

a trap needed to be disarmed, Reinward did that. When a door needed to

be bashed in, then Fang did that. He had to borrow my crowbar though

which so far had been my only contribution.

Eventually we came to a door where we could hear a loud buzzing

coming from the other side. Reinward put out the lights and used that

weird blindfold he uses. Seems like a real faff to me.

Anyway, the buzzing was coming from four large swarms of hell wasps.

I shut the door again and we decided to give that room a miss!

More doors and corridors. Suddenly a trap was set off and a magical

Force Cage cut off Fang and Reinward. Then a bone devil appeared

in there beside them. Reinward stabbed it and Fang chopped it with

his axe and that was the end of that.

Reinward then disabled the trap and the Force Cage was dispelled.

We moved on. We reached a door that Reinward couldn't pick the lock

of, so Fang broke it down with his axe.

We carried on. Deeper into the dungeon. Lavinia was probably wondering

where I was by now.