Session 49: The Endless Caverns 27-28/6/1480

Group (6.5)
Ardan, archer Ranger
Lirael, archer Ranger
Jorah, archer Ranger
Jareth, Slayer
Arya, Wizard
Rylgoth, Azer (1/2)
Quinn, Bard

27/6/1480 DR
1am: Jorah & Lirael enter the Endless Caverns.
5am:  Jorah and Lirael encounter the lich Nolav, watering the mushroom garden outside his tower, and accompanied by two wraiths and an umber hulk. Nolav greets them cheerily, explains that their friends passed by earlier, and that he does indeed have good facilities in his tower for any mortal guests who need to relieve themselves. Nolav tells them that he has been Scrying matters. The Phaervorul Death Cyst breached three days ago (24/6), and he expects the drow enclave to have completely fallen to the undead invaders of Orcus within a week of their initial attack, probably less (ca 29/6-31/6).  Nolav tells them that the drow commander Zaknoril is incompetent, and had previously lost several squads by sending them to attack Nolav's own tower - though the fresh fertiliser was welcome. Nolav directs them on, telling them not to turn left at the Lake of Fire.
7am: Main Group is resting in the tunnels north of the Lake of Fire when they defeat a fire giant patrol attack and recruit Rylgoth the azer.
7.30am: Main Group passes the Lake of Fire, about 10 miles into the Underdark and 1 mile below the surface. Dunstan and Pealias guard the rear to watch out for fire giant activity.
8am: Dunstan and Pealias meet Jorah and Lirael at the Lake of Fire, where the Rangers have lost the path onwards and direct them on to join the main group deeper in the tunnels.
12pm: United group nears a rift, beyond which lies the deeper Underdark. Rylgoth says that Hook Horrors have been seen in the area, preying on those attempting to cross the bridge over the rift.
12.30pm: Battle with Hook Horrors at the Bridge to the Lower Dark, search area. Main tunnel on is to west.

Battle with the Hook Horrors

2pm: Group settles down in secluded tunnels a few hundred yards east of the bridge.
10pm: Group continues into the Underdark, now rested.
11pm: About 20 miles into the Underdark and 2 miles below the surface, the group reaches a narrow mile-long processional tunnel/cavern lined with enormous statues of ancient, forgotten gods. Many resemble tall, thin minotaurs. Underdark creatures, possibly Quaggoth, have left offerings at shrines before the statues.
28/6/1480 DR
5am: About 30 miles into the Underdark and 3 miles down, the group reaches an old dwarven mining outpost at a bridge over a river. One of the buildings has been barred from the inside, but no sign of life until 2 mindflayers appear with their minotaur guards. Negotiations ensue as they ask to be escorted to Phaervorul to meet with the Drow. Tasty, tasty drow... The mindflayers are persuaded to follow the group's signs as the party will be going on via phantom steed.
7am: Now on Phantom lizard-steeds, the group reaches a large cavern with a mushroom forest about 35 miles into the Underdark, lit by a huge glowing gem in the ceiling. In the middle of the cavern a stone tower rises from a small lake, flickering with eldritch light (Ardan's implanted drow memories suspect mind flayers). Hook Horrors and Umber Hulks are said to hunt wild Rothe (cave-oxen) here.
9am: 40 miles into the Underdark, about 4 miles down, and 5 miles from Phaervorul, group stop to rest in side tunnels south of the main trail. 
1pm: Rest is disturbed by the reappearance of the Mind Flayers, who stop to check directions for the final approach to Phaervorul.
5pm: Having completed resting, group set off again, east/down, then north a short way.
7pm: Kitana returns to Llorkh with Warlord Delderosh and captives including Jaela Rensard and Pamela Bardew.
8pm: 45 miles into the Underdark, the party near Phaervorul, and hear the sounds of battle in a cave ahead. They aid the drider Ingarl and 3 female drow snipers to defeat undead drow battle-wights (a 4th sniper had been killed by the wights); their abyssal ghoul leader flees. Ingarl names Lirael drow-friend and marks her palm with the Sign of Lolth in blue ink. A tunnel to the north opens onto a vast rift spanned by a long bridgeway, with the drow city of Phaervorul visible in the distance. A red haze glowers over the city. Intermittent screams and sounds of battle can be heard, and lightning is seen flashing around the great Fane of Lolth on the highest bluff. Ingarl suggests that the Deadhold Cyst breached in the nobles district on the west side of the city, where the undead seem most numerous, and suggests either a direct approach to the Fane through the commons district, or else skirt the east side of the city where lurk the Shunned, abominations cursed by Lolth, and scale the eastern cliffs to the temple. Ingarl and his recruits will be staying here to 'guard the perimeter'. He warns of a great Demonweb Terror spider that still guards the bridge and will attack unless the drow-friend sigil is presented. 
Party takes a rest, to ca. 8.30pm.
9.30pm: Feast in the Great Hall at Llorkh.

Drow vs Drow-Wights; here come the Cavalry!

XP
Pre-session PBP Lirael - 100 
Lirael & Jorah talk with Nolav the Lich - 150
Defeat 2 Hook Horrors at the bridge - 3200/6.5=492x1.5=738
Negotiating with Mind Flayers - 480
Kill 3 Battle Wights with aid of Drow; wound Abyssal ghoul - 2100/6.5= 323x1.5=484
Negotiation with Ingarl the Drider, gain info & drow-friend sign - 200
Reach Phaervorul, level 14 minor quest - 250
Total: 2402 +53825=56227
Need 57,000 for 15th level 

PCs at Phaervorul maximum number of Healing Surges is now 2 below its normal maximum, except for Lirael. Exception would be if anyone had specific resistance to ongoing Necrotic damage.
  

Phaervorul, from over the great bridge.

The group are taking a short rest on the ledge overlooking Phaervorul, and hoping Dunstan & Pealias will catch up after laying a false trail to confound fire giant pursuit. The elf Ranger Ardan informs the others that he has received a divine vision - a powerful vampire lord, possibly attracted by the Death Cyst, now menaces Secomber from the ruins of haunted Iluvin to the north, not far from the Graywood. He has already recruited a 'blood cult' of local human farmers and brigands, and started preying on the populace. Ardan has to go and quickly muster resistance to the fiend. Ardan then leaves for the surface.

PHAERVORUL, 1 square = 30'