Stonehell: Getting Their Rocks Off

Session 17 was played on 8/12

Wilhelm, drunk Dwarf 4 (Julia)
-Hammond, war dog
Tobias, Human-Cat, Cleric 2 of Persephone (Mollie)
Leroy, human fighter 2 (Mike)
9 Hirelings & 1 dog

Stayed in town
Tink, a pretentious Elf (but I repeat myself) and former barkeep (Hanna)
Shelly, a vegetarian recovering alcoholic halfling Thief 3 (Nadia)
Frank, halfling 1 (Emily)
Yaqen, elf 1 (Shaun)

With the return of the golden flail to the skeezy cleric, Tobias was returned to his human form... mostly. Some distinctly feline traits linger, including cat ears...

Full of piss and ale, they decide to get Rocky some tasty tasty quartz, and rather than just buy some in town, head into the dungeon to try to find some! The party makes its way to Rocky's room, and ask only where they can find quartz. Rocky tells them down in the 4th level. Knowing only one way down, they head for the dragon's caves and the well down to the 2nd level.

The sound of dwarves singing a working song rumbles through the caves, and the party finds a group of half a dozen dwarves gathering bat guano to make fire bombs with. Wine is shared with the stinky stout fellows, and in return they tell of a path down to the 4th level from the well.

Thanking the dwarves, and promising to return with fresh food to buy some bombs with, the party heads down the well, and makes their way along the mostly straight path described to them. The dungeon gets progressively warmer and more humid and the flagstone floor is soon lost to a layer of sandy dirt. The walls become more and more decorated with reptilian motifs. The passageway turns, and to either side are a pair of rooms full of some massive machinery. Belts, gears, fans, and all sorts of mechanical parts sit motionless. Each room also features a single large lever. Wilhelm and Leroy each grab a lever and pull. Leroy's lever shifts twice, and the machinery in his room rumbles to life, shaking the entire dungeon.

Minutes later the machine and the noise finally stop and the dust settles. Out in the hall, Tobias points out that the doorway at the far end of the hall has closed up, and now only shows solid stone. Wilhelm and Tobias switch rooms, and pull their levers. Again Leroy's lever moves two spots, and the machinery rumbles to life. Minutes later, the doorway slowly opens up from the bottom.Of course, they check it out.

The relatively spacious room is empty but for a lever set into the floor just like the ones on the machinery. Wilhelm yells that it's his turn to finally pull one that'll actually move, and he clicks it over 2 spots. The room descends...

Slowly the doorway closes, and then opens, and closes, and finally opens as the room finally comes to a rest. Beyond the room is a short hallway opening up on either end into natural caves. Hearing noises from one side, the head off to investigate. 2 large white apes are feasting on the body of... something. Wilhelm charges in, much to everyone's surprise, except the apes. One ape tosses an arm, which shakes the party out of their shock, and they follow their leader into the combat. The apes are hacked down, though they're a little tougher than anyone expected.

Deeper into the cave system is a massive chamber. Scattered about are the remains of several small fires with crude stone seats set up around them. Near the center of the chamber are 4 individuals. The first, sitting across from the other three is a pale elf in black leather and silk. Across from him is a woman covered head to toe in black. Black veil that completely covers her head, a black lace dress, and black gloves. At no point does she change positions during the entire encounter. Standing behind her are two large ogres. They do turn to the party, but their scarred faces have no eyes to see them.

The elf informs them that the chamber is neutral ground, and no combat is permitted within. Ever. Needing no further warning, they wisely shuffle past the 4 and even deeper into the caves. The next chamber they find sparkles in the torchlight brilliantly. Between the crystals and the veins of gold, it was a breathtaking sight! The hirelings all began to discuss the best way to mine out the gold. Wilhelm chipped off a bit, and after a quick taste test, informed them that it's pyrite, but that the crystals were quartz. The goal of the delve! Now to get it back to Rocky...

Carefully making their way around, they returned to the elevator room, and back to the 2nd floor, the well, and Rocky's chamber without incident! Rocky was thrilled with the stone, and said that the pyrite added just the right amount of spice to the treat.

Gains: Completed Quest!
Losses: None
Kills: 2 white apes