CHAPTER 20: ONE GAZE TOO MANY BABY BEHOLDER
Little do the adventurers know that they are being gazed at by a Gazer and his friend, the other Gazer, a.k.a Baby Beholder.
The Ghoul stands by the northern entrance to the Fungi Cavern and screeches out to its brood for assistance.
Lofty fire another Metal arrow at it and hits it but doesn’t kill it. The Rogue dashes back into the Wizard’s Quarters and hides.
3 more Ghouls burst forth from the Fungi Cavern, plus the screecher, and they all surround Astrid. All that is apart form one that confronts Galdor. Their tactics seam to be incapacitate the Halfling and then kill the Elf.
Astrid once again fails to save against to the Ghouls foul claws and is paralysed for a second time.
Galdor fight his Ghoul and is helped out by another Metal Arrow fired by the Rogue. Then engages 2 more Ghouls in order to protect Astrid, one of his two wards.
One of the Ghouls not fighting Galdor moves over to the Wizard’s Quarters and begins to look for the hidden Rogue, with no luck. This means that the Rogue has the drop on the Ghoul and he nails the Ghoul to the bookcase whilst also pining its tongue to its check, a perfect shot.
Galdor fights like a wild tiger and inflicts heavy damage on one of the Ghouls, while his sought Dwarvish made Chainmail protects him for the worst that the Ghouls can dish out.
Th Rouge then stealthily moves to the broken stone doors of the Wizard’s Quarters and take aim at the Ghoul holding Astrid. At the same time, even though the Monk was able to break free of the paralysation she found herself grappled, held tight and unable to escape the clutches of the Ghoul.
The Rogue helps with this by once again making a shot that Solonor Thelandira (SO-lo-nohr theh-LAN-dih-ruh)
Himself would have been proud of and releases the Monk. This allowed her to race over to aid the Cleric.
Astrid moves to Glador’s side and does what Astrid does best killing 1 of the 2 Ghouls with her serpent fast Shortsword and then Headbutts the other.
Astrid Bilberry: “I shall not be touch by you filthy creatures anymore and you shall pay for your worship of death.”
The last Ghoul is finished off and the adventurers have a few seconds to take a breath and a mouthful of water. Booooom, again the sound of the rhythmic thunder of pounding waves echoes throughout the mine, loud enough to make the stone underfoot shiver. The waves are louder than at any point before.
The Rogue volunteers to move ahead stealthily and scout the escarpment, stairs and buildings to the north and he sets off so silently that the other 2 adventures do not even notice that he had set off.
The Rogue finds that all is quite and the mounds on the ground, both where he was and, on the escarpment, were the remains of the Dwarves and Gnomes that battled the Orcs in the great attack on the Mines of Phandelver. At the top of the stairs the Rogue stopped, as was his habit now, and listened out for danger knowing that his Cunning Action would give him an advantage if he needed to escape.
The Rogue then takes a closer look at the human sized build on the escarpment. The first thing he notices it that the cavern ceiling here also has glittering minerals in the ceiling that catches the light and send it back to create the impression of a starry night sky.
Also, the doors to the building were also cracked, their iron hinges partially melted. Finally, the Rogue make out that there is a circular area around the doors where there are no bodies of debris.
The Arcane Trickster is confident enough to cast ‘Message’ and call over his fellow team members.
Leif ‘Lofty’ Bilberry: “I can hear nothing in front. There appears to be a barrier which I will check with my Mage Hand and the doors are damaged like those below.”
The Arcane Trickster casts ‘Mage Hand’ and check the area in front of the doors. Nothing, maybe just effect of a Spell used during the battle.
Leif ‘Lofty’ Bilberry: “I think the barrier is no more and a result of the Human Wizard’s that defended the Forge of Spells.”
Astrid Bilberry: “We shall join you brother and do you truly think that you have found the Forge of Spells?”
Galdor sets off as quite as if he were in the Ardeep Forest hunting game and is followed by Astrid who is the complete opposite and if there was anyone, or anything, around they would have heard her.
Lofty takes out Gundren Rockseekers Map and reviews his current position.
Leif ‘Lofty’ Bilberry: “Look guys I need to take a closer look at the building to the east and see if there is a way out to the north and west.”
Galdor: “Be careful young Lofty, there maybe more than just Ghouls and Stirges out in the darkness.”
The escarpment is full of stalagmites and stalactites and the Rogue is aware of that thing may be hiding and moves out as quietly and cautiously as he could.
Obadiah Hakeswill: “I did as much as any man could do and now, I am here to serve you. You will not regret having me here with you Lord.”
Lofty knows that voice coming from the west and he has nightmares of the day he first heard it, Obadiah Hakeswill, the man who killed his parents and the man who would die at the hands of Leif Bilberry.
Astraea: “Well we will need to find a way in and the quicker the better, they will be here soon and that will hinder the plans.”
Now Lofty thinks he also hears the voice of Astraea, the female Drow that they have encountered on many occasions now and he remembers her offers for the Puzzle Box. Lofty unconsciously takes out some beef jerky and starts to eat, the effect of the Undead Mormesk the Wraith’s Pipe now long gone.
Lofty is confused and begins to move back towards the other adventurers but then hear more voices coming from the north this time.
Fargus Ironhammer: “We must not allow those stinking green vermin to enter the Starry Cavern. We stand here and fight until there are no more of them or us, Kazzard.”
Luckily, Lofty is able to understand the word of the Dwarf due to his ‘Belt of Dwarvenkind’ and yet what are Dwarves doing in Wave Echo Cave?
Lofty continues to move back when he hear another voice but this one, he does not understand, but knows Goblinoid spoken by an Orc now all too well.
Orc: “Aka’Magosh, Dabu. Kagh! Lok’tar Ogar!”
Now there are Orcs too coming from the north from were Lofty believe is the source of the Wave Echo that is heard every 2 minutes. I need to get back to the other Lofty says and as he turns to go, he hears yet another distant voice from the west this time.
Black Spider: “No excuse, we need to pass here as this is where it has been Divined that the Forge of Spells resides and we must move any obstacles that stand in the way. Come, let us continue to search.”
Lofty reaches the top of the stair, where Astrid and Galdor and down behind the escarpments edge, and the Rogue doesn’t even have time to tell them what happened as he is suddenly attacked by a small Beholder?
The small creature, it resembles the Beholder who dreamed it into existence, but its body is only 8’’ inches wide and it has only four eyestalks, is hovering by one of the stalagmites some 20’ feet in the air. The creature quivers and one of its eyestalk’s shots out a Fear Ray at the Rogue, and after some initial drama, a bad roll, panic and then realisation, it turns out the Stout Halfling was Brave. This meant that he was able to stand firm and not be affected by the creatures Ray.
Thinking he was safe Lofty smiles and then realises that another of the eyestalks was quivering and this time the Halfling was hit by a Telekinetic Ray. Lofty could feel an invisible force attempt to shove him back and over the edge of the escarpment. The Stout Halfling is able to dig his heels in and stand fast.
Galdor attempts to fire but misses the flying Baby Beholder.
This allows Astrid to throw one of her darts at the hovering baby Beholder and just like her brother makes a fantastic shot nearly killing the thing outright. However, it is able to attack once more and it targets the one who caused it most pain, the Monk.
The Baby Beholder shudders one of his eyestalks and hit the Monk with a Frost Ray and this is able to penetrate her defences dealing 3 separate ice shard attacks. Then the Baby Beholder fire a Dazing Ray at the Monk and she is not able to resist its effects.
Astrid Bilberry: “Hold brother and Galdor do not harm it, it is a friend and means us no harm. It thought we were a treat and we should stop attacking it.”
Lofty is confident enough and once more moves forward only to find that there is another Baby Beholder to the north and it moves towards its comrade and unleashes more rays at Astrid and Galdor.
Lofty now really knows that he should move as fast as he can and taking a final look into the western building, which he will regret for long time, he spots what he thinks is one of the most dangerous creatures to exist on this plain, a Beholder that is peering directly into his eyes. Appropriately, the creature had four eyestalks, two on each side of the wide eye at the centre of its 4’ foot diameter body.
Lofty runs and dashes away very quickly.
At the top of the stairs Lofty is once again hit by the Baby Beholder with a Fear Ray and it is resisted by the Stout Halfling. However, this time the rogue is not so lucky with the second, a Telekinetic Ray which shoves poor Lofty some 30’ feet back and 10’ feet down to the cold hard stone floor of the cavern.
Leif ‘Lofty’ Bilberry: “Ouch, that hurt.”
Lofty could now feel, sense or was it dream a communication sent directly to his mind.
Voice in Lofty’s Head: ”Yes, go for you are not allowed here and punished you will be if you think to return. I will know, now flee.”
Astrid and Galdor rush to Lofty’s aid and pick the poor Rogue up off the ground.
Leif ‘Lofty’ Bilberry: “Did you hear that?”
Astrid Bilberry & Galdor: “Hear What?”
Leif ‘Lofty’ Bilberry: “What is even your surname Galdor?”