LRC:Cavern of Deep Sashelas

Attendance: Daryl, Ryan, Joe, Herman, and Frank
XP: 900

Debate with Evan Stormhandle

After the debacle with the murdering of sea elves last time, Evan ripped into us with a "what the hell were you doing/thinking" tirade, and somehow has convinced himself that sea elves are evil. He places this belief on economic views.

At Dookette's behest, the sea elf prisoner was spared suffocation and torture, and was instead allowed to come with us. The elf seemed to understand our unwillingness on this mission (since the wholesale slaughter of sea elves). Fortunately, she fled, hopefully to safety, during the later encounters with the dragon. Hopefully she'll spread word of our begruding involvement in this mission back to the sea elves -- and swim slowly enough to let us leave without further bloodshed.

Evan gave each of us an everburning torch, and a sack full of potions of water breathing (6 for each of us).

Lukas: Why does Stormhandle think that the sea elves are evil? Their communal culture is a culture that's different from ours, but it's not inherently evil. It's not like some legendary tyrannical kingdoms of old or other evil nations. Must be all that time with orcs chasing after money. (Lukas is assuming this.)

Dookette: At least one of those elves was saved. Bloody damn patriarchy and its outdated concepts of captalist exchange. The Sea Elves obviously know better than the orcs and humans, I can only hope someday my matriarchal dwarven art conclave can create a culture as open and free as theirs.

Brennel: Evan Stormhandle is a very dangerous person. He obviously has some demons inside that we'd be best not to upset. Since he's the guy responsible for us surviving in this inhospitable environment. The least we can do is relay his actions to Talen, and confront him about his conscription of evil forces.

Bronze Dragon Attacks!...almost

A sea elf, claiming to be a slave of a bronze dragon, swam up to us near the entrance to the Cavern and warned and warned us not to go not to go not to go. We ignored for a while, while talking -- but then the elf revealed itself truly to be the dragon, whence we fled. (DM note: The dragon's name was Tintaglia)

We returned to Evan to collect the chest of 100,000 GP to offer for admission price to the cave to the dragon, which was refused. The dragon rudely wasn't even going to let us clean up and collect the gold he forced us to spill by batting his wings in the water. Robhim, in an moment of clarity, moved through the dragon's reach area and started cleaning up the coins, which were sent back to the ship with the orcs.

Lukas: I thought there was something off about the "sea elf" that tried to get us away from the cave. I wasn't too surprised when he turned out to be the bronze dragon he was speaking of. It also became obvious that he couldn't attack us when he didn't attack us. And I've completely alienated a couple of the orcs from the ship. And probably Stormhandle too in the process.

Dookette: Almost attacked by a dragon, I don't think things could get any more epic than that. I feel like I've finally reached a point, in my art, where I understand what being an adventurer is all about, and being attacked by a dragon that is the pinnacle of such things. I mean I can't think of a great bard song without a dragon, and now I have one.

Brennel: It's a good thing we were underwater and I was wearing the loincloth, because I had a little accident upon seeing the dragon. That's reason #657 why you should always dress for the weather, guys. I thought for sure we were goners!

DM: The sea elf that Dookette had saved, Wet'a Lurant, used this moment as an opportunity to escape.

The Cavern of Deep Sashelas

Inside the Holy Cavern of Deep Sashela

Entrance

As you wander around the floor of the ravine, you find a large set of double doors twice the height of normal doors, flanked on each side by a correspondingly large statues. The statue to the left of the door is a sea elf cleric with wearing a holy symbol to Deep Sashelas with a trident in one hand, while the other hand clasps something unseen. The statue to the right of the doors is a large dolphin, also wearing the holy symbol of Deep Sashelas. The statue begins to speak in elvish, it's dialect revealing that much time has passed since this statue was created. "Greeting to fellow Dolphions and may you find your passage pleasant. For those who do not follow Deep Sashelas, turn back now, or rest uneasy knowing that you will perish inside. And to those whose hearts are black and foul as the abyss, know that you are in the last hours of your life." With that the statue holds out his clasped hand and releases small stone tablets written in Elvish.

Lukas: Interesting puzzle that the builders of this cavern set up. It requires brains and a knowledge of elven script to solve. I'll have to look up what a Dolphion is when I get back to lonerock. (Under_the_Sea answers this -- his clergy/worshippers are called that according to Evan.)

Brennel: That was a challenge you don't see every day. I had a pretty fun time there trying to piece it all together, as soon as one of you was kind enough to translate the runes. Still, I can't help but remember the warning to those who don't follow Deep Sashelas. Are we getting in over our heads in going after this ring? I guess it's too late to turn back now.

Dookette: Well once again the men had to learn that brute force and a giant blood covered shark aren't enough to get through a situation that takes words. I can't say I'm happy that it was all in elvish, but at least it was sea elvish.

DM: Solution to the puzzle was Welcome to the Holy Cavern of Deep Sashelas, may he bless your passage through. (Here is the puzzle and the key, both as PDF files.)

Inside the cavern

Lukas: Runes and tunnels. Runes and Tunnels. And a shark. I wonder how a huge shark survives in this cave system. It must be either very extensive or there must be passages for food to come in. Oh, and we really have to convince Wolfdale to be more tactical or he'll die again.

Dookette: The men and their giant phallus nee shark killed things. I took in the aquatic ambience. I think it might be time to right a song, "Under the sea," hmm might be cliche.

Alcove

Lukas: A decently large room with an alcove. The alcove contained a stone hand holding a bejeweled trident. A pedestal stands in from of the alcove, with an incomplete block of numbers on it. These ancient elves must have loved puzzles. Thankfully, all of us had the sense to not just try to grab the trident. (Good catch Brennel.) Even the hidden gargoyles that we had to fight before we could even investigate the trident. Poon ended up taking the trident, and then he didn't even try it out against the shark that we had to fight. Sheesh. I used Detect Magic and found out ... the Trident has a moderate aura of evocation (good) and conjuration.

Dookette: Poor Poon, trapped in the masculine need to possess, and what a horrifically male object, a trident. Nothing like a massive enchanted surrogate manhood.

Lukas: OK Dookette, I'm beginning to see that you have a creepy obsession with surrogate manhoods. You seem to see them everywhere. One might get the idea that you actually like men and you're putting on an act to stand out more. Either that or you just hate men for some odd reason.

Brennel: I shudder to think what would could have befallen such an ill-dressed motley crue without my careful scrutiny. Now if only you would heed my words on your horrible ragged clothing. Just because you guys are finding your purpose on a greater level doesn't mean you have to ignore your physical appearance all the while. Phew. Anyway, we're getting a bit better at dealing with those dumb, fishy predators.

DM note: The puzzle that needed to be solved can be found here.

Lone Rock City: Gaming Sessions

Welcome to the Island, Back Alleys, Into the Woods, Rumblings, Underground, Defeating the Kocraken, "Mining Accident", The King's Murder, Long Live the King?, Tangled Trees, Heading Home, At Sea, Back in the City, God Shopping, Attacking the Darkness (Janus Raid), Under the Sea, Cavern of Deep Sashelas, Cavern of Deep Sashelas, part 2, Realm of the Dolphions, Meadmaker Mashup, Shieldmeet, Tending to Business, Fantine Taylor vs the Party, The Rescue of Delicious Harpell, Hunting Harpells, Attack of the 50 foot Ooze, Champions of Good?, Down the Rabbit Hole, Three Strikes, The King's Men, Heist, Prologue, Heist, Save the Beast, Rescue from the Duergar, Devil Elves Infest the Dark Wood, Artifact Evacuation, Rods of Thinuan Discovered, We Three Kings, Ghost from the past, Father and Daughter, Visiting the Elin of Nomin, The View From Inside The Jail, Hunting the Darkness, The Servant's Last Dance, Amnesia (Alternate World), Wedding and the End of the World (Alternate World), In the Garden of Evil, Deal with the Devil, The Death of Janus, Social Obligations, Bugs in the Floor, Finding Glimwocket, Return of Brennel, Quest for the Birthday Present (part 1), Quest for the Birthday Present (part 2), Ist'Vaech Is Having A Baby!, Fighting the Blood Clan, Defending the Muir Hole, Garrison of the Gale Grand Gala, Regicide, Bridezilla, Emergence of Nightbringer, Death and Return of Ist'Vaech, Dwarf Ghost and Riddles, Returned the Soulstone (in the Mail), Snubbed by the Githyanki, The Darkness Inside, Trip to Waterdeep, Kobolds Killing Cattle, Liberator Terrorist Attack, Liberators Secret Complex (multi-session), Wes Escapes From The Underworld, The Guards Kill Lemures Without Dying, Lil' Robby, No One Trusts Talen, Battle Interactive, Harlann's Evacuation,

Alternate World Sessions: Amnesia (Alternate World), Wedding and the End of the World (Alternate World),

Party Members: Simon, Robhim, Wolfdale, Ist'Vaech, Wes Temple, Vaeriasa, Vaeriasa Spells, Vaeriasa Special Abilities, Dragonform, Brave Iron Man (Guy),

Warriors of the Morning Breeze: Brennel, Simon, Robhim, Wolfdale, Dookette, Nan'lhach, Dmitrii, Ist'Vaech, Grim Greycastle, Sir Valans, Vaeriasa,