29 October 2022
The acid slime at the top of the stairs has disappeared, leaving things dry and powdery. Group starts going down the stairs, looking for fresh-er acid. There is a thick fog around, making it impossible for even people with darkvision to see past 5 feet. [[Coyra]] determins that the slime that had been on the staircase gathered together and gained sentience, then slithered off down the stairs. Find a 10-foot radius pit in the stairs, with acid on the walls and bottom of it. Use [[Jaezred]]’s steed (lizard) to get people across the pit. Put the arrow in the pit to see if it melts. Everyone gets across. Only the wrapping on the arrow has melted; the arrow is unaffected by the acid, meaning that the acid in the pit is probably a DIFFERENT kind of acid. Continue down. A portion of a side of the tunnel has collapsed, creating a 20-foot tall wall for everyone to climb over. A figure is spotted further down the tunnel. The familiar scouts it out and reports that it is a danger of some kind, so [[Coyra]] goes to scout it. A blobby acid “hand” comes out of the fog and tries to attack [[Jaezred]]. The thing we saw through the fog is a slime of some kind. [[Ishtar]] attacks the slime with his moon-touched sword…which the slime eats, something unusal. Tal levitates the cursed arrow out and into the slime. The arrow starts to dissolve. [[Camden]] fires a trio of Scorching Rays at it, hitting with two…and doing no damage because the slime is immune to fire. [[Jaezred]] attacks with his sword, which deals some damage and then dissolves. [[Jaezred]] uses his Ring of the Ram to knock the slime away. Kill the slime and the arrow seems to have completely dissolved. Party agrees to go down to the underground lake and the underwater castle. Take a long rest on the stairs, after traveling for a total of 8 hours.
After traveling for a while, encounter a smell of strong acid. 6 grey oozes fall onto the party. [[Jaezred]] uses his staff to make a thunderous blast (dealing just 7 damage to the slimes…). [[Ishtar]] uses his tentacle rod to flob some oozes. Tao Blesses some people. The oozes seem to have some kind psychic attacks. The oozes go down fairly quickly. Stumble across a pile of bones on the stairwell. Find a diamond stuck in the wall. [[Coyra]] pulls it out and the wall collapses on [[Ishtar]]. Finish the climb down the stairs. Take a long rest.
Follow the tunnel down to the lake. The fog that has been in the way this entire time ends in an abrupt wall at the edge of the lake. [[Jaezred]] tries to take his heavy armor off, but can’t for some reason (and hasn’t ever taken it off before, apparently), so the party goes underwater in their full armor. Party chugs potions of water breathing/disease immunity, and go into the water. Swim down to the tower of the castle without interruption. A crab attacks Tal inside the castle, but get’s killed fast by party. Make it to giant gold door without handles. [[Camden]] casts Identify on the door. Apparently it needs 5 keys, linked to the elements of Earth, Air, Fire, Water, and Ice. Ignore the door for now. Move on to the other one that we managed open last time. Push our way through the strong current (the moon jelly has to pull [[Gammy]] through). Find a room with a bathtub. Pull back the curtain and find an ice golem in the image of the lady from the tapestries. An ice sword falls from the ceiling and slices [[Jaezred]]. Party attacks ice golem lady. Takes a few rounds, but we kill her.
[[Brigadesh]] Sent Tal a message, saying “Tal, both acolytes perished last night and today. Ankheg swarm from the mountain. Set back a day. Merkeve grants me one last chance to succeed.”
Tal replied, “Can we help from here? Would take us days to catch up to you, unless you know faster path inside the mountain. Sorry about acolytes”