Out of the Abyss is a Dungeons and Dragons (DnD 5e) game set in the Underdark. Play takes place every Friday night at Dragons Keep Roleplay Club in Chislehurst South East London. The Dungeon Master is Joshua. Cast of Characters
Janek Boone - Human Champion (Tony)
Targonis - Wood Elf Ranger (Steve)
Aur - Aarakocra Rogue (Suresh)
Selya Skag - Vedalken Alchemist Artificer (Daniel)
Sunna Mortas - Tiefling Sorceror (Jo)
In the cave with the black obelisk and the Dragon egg, Jim Jar has disappeared in a puff of golden sparkles. As an invisible Aur looks on, one of the Duergar touches the obelisk with his hand and is enveloped with black goo. Striding forth the Duergar enters the obelisk and disappears.
Impatient Janek stealthily walks down the tunnel to the mouth of the obelisk cave. Three Duergar surround the obelisk arguing about where the researchers went and should they get reinforcements. He tosses a hand axe in a high arc sending it clattering against the rocks on the far wall. Distracted, the Duergar look in the opposite direction and he runs for the safety of the lowest mesa platform. He is spotted and a female Duergar mage hurls a fireball narrowly missing but scorching him. He cowers out of sight nursing his blistered flesh.
Targonis and the others followed Janek up the tunnel and he lets swift wind fly at the mage who threw the fireball. The arrow strikes home with a thud. Sunna casts a firebolt at the same mage but it dissipates harmlessly against her magical armour. Aur waits patiently for the right moment.
Skag clicks their heels and runs into the room. Janek shouts "If you are going to do something, now is the time" and climbs up to the next mesa level swigging the last but one of his healing potions which hang around his neck. The Duergar mage throws a firebolt at Skag and a second throws three magic missiles at Janek, thud thud thud. The third casts a spell conjuring a Rock Elemental. Targonis retaliates with Swift Wind once again, Sunna firebolts but misses and Aur swoops in aided by Cornowlius and strikes, killing the mage.
Skag runs around the mesa as Janek climbs the final level of the mesa and grabs the dragon egg raising it high above his head as if to throw it off the mesa. Aur and Skag both cry out telepathically
"No, Don't do it".
The Rock Elemental smashes his fists into Aur as a Duergar suddenly appears out of nowhere and flails at Janek. Three more magic missiles scream around the mesa and slam into Janek's back. As unconsciousness takes him Janek brings the dragon head down on the Duergar's head. Bonk. The egg rolls chaotically around on the mesa plateau before coming to a teetering stop on its edge. Targonis shoots the mage and Sunna casts sleep on the Duergar who stands over Janek. Aur evades the Rock Elemental and strikes out at the Duergar mage.
Skag climbs the mesa next to Janek as he teeters on the edge of death. Targonis shoots at the Rock Elemental but misses as does Sunna. The Rock Elemental smashes Aur into the ground.
Skag administers Janek's last potion and he jumps to life rushing across the bridge and engaging the mage with his flashing blades. Heavily damaged the Duergar magically steps away. The Elemental flails at Sunna as Targonis lets an arrow fly shooting the Elemental in his jewelled eye. Sunna disengages as Aur nears the afterlife.
Munching a bigwort Skag grows large and easily lifts the egg and heals Aur at the same time. Janek attacks the sleeping Duergar who shrugs off his slumber as the Duergar mage attacks targonis. The Rock Elemental smashes Aur just as he regains consciousness The half elf ranger flees from its onslaught to the safety of the cave mouth. Aur once again begins the short journey to the afterlife.
Skag tries to shroomstride but the faeress disrupts the Lady's gift. He drops the egg on the Duergar's head and it splits open spilling albumen and a misshapen dragon foetus all over him as he flails at Skag. Janek kills the Duergar and the Elemental moves in to attack Aur and Skag, The Duergar mage turns invisible as Targonis and Sunna bombard the Elemental.
Skag heals aur once again bringing him back from near death. Janek screams at the invisible mage
"Come and have a go if you think you can best me!"
Aur reaches out and touches the black obelisk. Everything goes black.
Return to Gracklestugh
As the light returns to their eyes, Aur and Janek find themselves outside the walls of Gracklestugh, the rock monster and Duergar mage towering over them. Suddenly Jim Jar appears out of nowhere in a puff of golden sparkles, He chuckles and claps his hands. Golden chains encircle the Elemental and he is shredded to pieces. The Duergar mage explodes in a shower of golden sparkles, a single gold coin drops to the ground. Jim Jar disappears as suddenly as he arrived.
The others use the obelisk and are transported to the meet their comrades, just in time to stabilise them. Together they limp towards the main gate.
Guarding the gate is a Duergar called Gorglak who says none can enter. Janek flashes his Duergar emblem and sheepishly the Duergar lets them through.
The city is in chaos, screams can be heard from the marketplace but the heroes single mindedly beat a path to the Dragon's temple. A priest confronts them and Janek demands an audience with Themberchaud. They are shown into the Dragon's lair and Skag presents the broken egg shard as proof that they have completed their mission. Themberchaud is very pleased and gives each of them 500 gold and their choice of magic item from his horde. As they choose, the dragon is clearly beginning to flex his muscles.
As they leave hurridley. a priest confronts them. Janek tells him
"The usurper dragon is dead and all who plotted against the might Themberchaud should start running and probably screaming."
As they exit the cave Themberchaud unleashes a mighty burst of flame incinerating all the priests and he takes to the skies on his massive leathery wings.
Janek runs as fast as his weakened body can to the Alchemists shop which he finds empty and helps himself to some healing potions. The others grab supplies and food from the unattended market stalls. One of them spots their former cellmate Sarith the Drow and they realise that all around them spore-infected people are attacking the common folk of Gracklestugh. It is time to leave and so they head to the docks and grab a boat.
As the boat drifts lazily out of the harbour our heroes look out at Gracklestugh, the once great city of blades, being consumed by the flames of a spore infested Red Dragon. Rowland mutters quietly
"Daddy doesn't want to share..."
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