Belowdown Ep. 7

The Belowdowners prepared to delve deeper into the dungeon, introducing themselves before facing their first obstacle. The orc captain, Wolf, boldly pricked his finger on a blood-sealed door mechanism, enduring searing pain to unseal the path. After some confusion about whether to push or pull, Kral’s surprising strength wrenched the heavy door open, revealing a room with four bronze spheres.

The spheres immediately unfolded into whirling, knife-handed constructs that swarmed the party. Wolf, leading the charge, was brutally cut down in a flurry of blades, only to be brought back from the brink by Cad’s healing magic. Realizing they were outmatched, Kral dragged the injured Wolf back through the doorway as the party slammed the door shut, wedging it with a spike to leave only a narrow crack.

What followed was a protracted and tactical battle, as the party fought the constructs through the tiny opening. For nearly fifteen minutes, they shot arrows, dodged grasping knife-arms, and methodically broke the machines apart piece by piece until all four were disabled. After looting their valuable control cores, they proceeded to the next room, where Cad activated a similar blood-powered door and took damage in the process.

Descending a staircase to the twelfth floor, they discovered a chamber containing thirteen fist-sized onyx spheres. When Wolf picked one up, a horrifying monster manifested in the center of the room—a floating, amorphous blob of a hundred grasping arms. The creature’s assault was overwhelming, and the party was forced into a full retreat back to town after it downed both Wolf and Kral. After selling their loot and purchasing new gear, including Alchemist’s Fire, they returned for a rematch, ready to face the hundred-armed horror on their own terms.

OUTLINE:

The Blood-Sealed Door and the Whirling Constructs

The party introduced their characters: Wolf the Orc, Cad the Goblin Priest, and Kral the Goblin.
Wolf pricked his finger on a door mechanism, enduring great pain to unseal it.
After failing to push the pull-door, Kral yanked it open.
Four bronze sphere constructs activated and attacked, critically injuring Wolf in the first volley of attacks.
Cad healed Wolf, bringing him back from the brink of death.

A Tactical Retreat

Realizing they were outmatched, Kral pulled Wolf out of the room.
The party slammed the door and jammed it with a spike, leaving a two-inch gap.
The constructs’ arms reached through the gap, allowing the party to fight from a defensible position.
The battle became a long puzzle, with the party methodically breaking the constructs’ arms through the crack.
After 14 minutes of combat, the constructs were defeated.

Delving to the Twelfth Floor

The party looted the constructs, finding four valuable control cores.
Cad activated the next blood-sealed door, taking damage.
The next room contained a large shaft and a set of stairs leading down.
The party descended the stairs to the twelfth floor of the dungeon.

The Hundred-Armed Horror

They discovered a room with thirteen black onyx spheres set in the floor.
Wolf picked one up, causing an amorphous monster made of a hundred arms to manifest.
The creature’s rapid, multiple attacks quickly overwhelmed the party.
Wolf and Kral were knocked unconscious, forcing the party to retreat to town.

Rematch and Victory

The party sold their loot and purchased chainmail armor, a net, and Alchemist’s Fire.
They returned with a new strategy: Wolf used his shield wall ability and Protection from Evil to tank.
A long battle of attrition ensued, with Wolf absorbing most attacks while the others used Alchemist’s Fire and weapons.
The party eventually defeated the creature after a grueling fight.
They collected the remaining ten valuable onyx spheres from the room.

NPCs:

Town Merchant: An unnamed merchant in the neutral town where the party sells their loot and buys new equipment.

ITEMS:

Alchemist’s Fire: A flask of volatile liquid that ignites on contact, dealing fire damage over several rounds. Purchased by the party to fight the hundred-armed monster.
Bronze Construct Control Core: A valuable mechanical component retrieved from the defeated bronze sphere constructs, worth 5 gold.
Crowbar: A tool used in an attempt to pry open the jammed door and later to pry out the onyx stones without touching them.
Lantern: A lantern purchased at the start of the session to provide a stable light source that wouldn’t be extinguished if dropped.
Onyx Sphere: A smooth, glossy black orb the size of a fist. There are thirteen in total. Disturbing one in its chamber summons a powerful monster. Each is worth 20 gold.
Wolf’s Collar: A slip collar worn by Wolf, which was humorously noted when the party considered putting him on a leash to pull him out of danger.

LOCATIONS:

Dungeon Room with Constructs: A room on the eleventh floor of the dungeon, guarded by four bronze sphere constructs that attack intruders on sight. Contains two blood-sealed doors.
Onyx Orb Room: A chamber on the twelfth floor of the dungeon. The room contains thirteen fist-sized onyx spheres which, when disturbed, summon an amorphous hundred-armed monster.
Shaft Room: A connecting chamber on the eleventh floor featuring a large central shaft that ascends to the floor above and descends to the floor below. A set of stairs also leads down.
Unnamed Town: A neutral town that serves as the Belowdowners’ base of operations, where they can rest, sell treasure, and purchase supplies.

FACTIONS:

Zorgtash: A faction of automatons or mechas that the party has encountered previously in the dungeon. They were mentioned in passing.

QUESTS:

Explore the Dungeon: The ongoing objective of the Belowdowners is to delve into the multi-level dungeon, facing its guardians and recovering its treasures.

PLAYER CHARACTERS

Cad: A goblin priest of Shoe, a chaotic fae goddess also known as Baba Yaga. Cad is one of the few who remembers a previous version of the universe before it was reset, a fact that spooks him and led to his fearful conversion. He acts as the party’s healer.
Kral: A goblin driven by a simple desire: to acquire more things. Despite his small stature, he possesses surprising physical strength. He often takes on a support or utility role, contributing to the party’s tactics and problem-solving.
Wolf: An Orc who acts as the captain of the Belowdowners. Brash and not particularly wise, he is often the first to charge into danger or interact with strange objects. He serves as the party’s primary tank, relying on his sturdiness to survive encounters.