The adventurers do battle with an ooze hidden within the rotting supplies of the Dwarf stronghold. They quell the threat, and Anakis takes a few samples of the ooze.
A search of the storerooms finds nothing of value and Quin decides to adventure forth through a small cave. The cave opens up to a greater cave which houses a fast moving river.
Quin discovers more storerooms, but these are submerged in 5 feet of stagnant water. She wades through the water and discovers a corpse in a far corner. Lying near the corpse is a potion of water breathing and a potion of invisibility.
As Quin reports back, Ash decides to take point and crosses the river via a rough stairway in a cave that passes over the river. On the other side, Ash is distracted by a fish flopping on the shore of a small alcove across the river. Peeking his interest, Ash decides to lasso a rope around one of the larger stalagmites to create a crossing.
As he does, a single large eye opens in the center of the stalagmite, and a whip like appendage grapples the Tabaxi and pulls him across the river. The rest of the group rush in to do battle with what the group assume to be a Roper Monster. As the tendrils of the monster grab and throw the adventures about the cave and into the river, Ash finds himself in great peril as the Roper reveals it’s maw, full of jagged teeth.
The group struggle to free Ash from the Roper, and Ash is eventually consumed inside the the gullet of the monstrosity. The despair of loosing their friend angers the group, as they hack, slash and throw any and all magic they have at the enemy, until the Roper is eventually motionless, as it’s mouth sags and it’s single eye closes.
Grisduin, now distrait with grief, cuts through the stone-like skin of the roper, pulling out the limp, lifeless body of his compatriot. Ash lies, dead on the cold, wet cavern floor. Sadness sinks deep into the gut of the adventurers.
Grisduin sits cross legged in front of the body of the tabaxi, and enters a trance, searching his mind for what to do next. Suddenly, the familiar voice of his Goddess, Eilistraee speaks two words.
“Heal him.”
Gris snaps back into the present, and notices his chrysalis is now a caterpillar, glowing a vivid, but pale blue colour. Grisduin places the caterpillar on the corpse of his friend. Instantly, the caterpillar starts entombing the tabaxi in a silvery silk thread. The group sits back and watches in amazement as the body of Ashes of the Moon is eventually completely cocooned.
The group spend the next few hours standing vigil over cocoon, without much words spoken, or sleep taken. Until, Grisduin, notices a warm blue glow from within the cocoon. Then movement within, then a claw, cutting through the silken threads, as Ashes, clean and naked emerges from the cocoon, his eyes no longer dark and starry, but pale and blue, yet as lively as ever before.
The group retell the story of the fight to their resurrected friend, and ask questions to the Tabaxi.
With the events behind them, the group decide to push on, finding the key to the Dwarven Door on the corpse of a dwarf locked away in a prison cell.
They return to the Glitterhame, but decide to check a cave that they had missed previously before unlocking the door.
Quin enters a fungus filled room, and discovers 2 corpse riddled with fungus. Anakis identifies the fungus as highly toxic.
Xanath then enters the room, and unleashes a fiery fury onto the fungus, scorching the cave clelan. Quin then picks up 2 daggers that one of the corpse was gripping, The daggers are decorated with intricately carved vines, one of a rusty orange and the other a lively green. As Quin picks up the dagger, Grisduin notices his sword, Winter’s Chill, start to glow a cold blue on the back edge of the blade. The dagger’s are marked with Durgeddin’s Rune, the same mark as on Gris’ sword, the same mark given to them by Wilderem and the same mark emblazoned on the dwarven door in the Glitterhame.