Deep Water in Waterdeep

The Queen is Dead

Eleasis 18, 1517

The Year of the Coward Rewarded (Waxing Crescent Moon), Evening.

Continuing their crawl through the ankheg nest below the Arid Hawk Vineyards, Barion was brought near death when a creature burst through a wall to attack the party, but not before finding and rescuing the farmer's son, Chak Hawk, who had ventured in alone to fight, armed only with a shovel.

After a rest, they returned the over-enthusiastic Chak to his family and continued to clear out the rest of the tunnels.

The final cave contained the queen ankheg's egg chamber. She and her guards dripped acid from their mandibles. Jolly sneaked into the room unnoticed and did a considerable amount of damage to one of the guarding insects, then retreated back to the cave entrance. Enraged, the queen spit a stream of acid over the half orc, and the other creatures nearly killed him. If it weren't for his fortitude built up from long days at sea, he would have perished.

Barion entered the combat late, but soon established himself as the primary threat the the creatures. This put him in a precarious position bordering again on death's door, but rather than flee, he charged in and drew further attention by threatening the eggs. Between their magic and bowfire, and Jolly's hit and run strategy, they destroyed the last of the creatures.

The final cave opened into the basement of an ancient elven ruins, older than the human race. A chest in that cellar held elf-marked coin and a gilded helmet, too small for anyone's head and too delicate to be practical. The ruins themselves didn't seem to exist much above that single cellar, rendered dust long ago.

We leave our heroes at rest at the Arid Hawk farm house, laden with treasure and wine.

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Photo: https://www.deviantart.com/art/Ankheg-187151811