Fantasy DUNGEON DELVER: Secrets of Caedia — Expedition #1, The Crystal Cavern Expedition

[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #1

RAPHAEL

VAMPIRE ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Flames curled around the stone golem, as the force of the Wyverian's magic drew it toward the spear lodged at the mouth of the tunnel, flames pulling the massive construct like a magnet to iron.

But that creature, woven of mountain stone and ancient magic, was not so easily undone.

The golem bucked and twisted as it flew, a maelstrom of rock, stone-fists smashing into the intervening walls of the cavern in a staccato of blows. The ground trembled, sending fissures and cracks snaking out from the points of impact. The tunnel itself groaned under the strain, loose rocks and dust cascading down from the ceiling.

Man and golem hit the cavern wall where the spear was lodged with a thunderous crash, the impact sending a shockwave through the tunnel, shaking the very foundation of the mine. Loose stones and boulders tumbled down, collapsing the stone arch—and the golem itself—down upon the encroaching army of Cave Crawlers...

Dungeon Encounter
DC: 20​

(Morrwyn) Roll 1d20 = 16​

There's no time. What goes up, must come down. All of that rock comes down, down, down, and Morrwyn finds himself on the wrong end of gravity...

... And buried the Delver beneath the ensuing avalanche of rubble, with Morrwyn disappearing beneath the cascade of rock and dust.

For a moment, the cave was still. Silent, save for the distant chittering of the surviving cave crawlers worming their way through the debris.

Then, with a low rumble, the pile of rocks began to shift.

The stone golem stirred first, its jagged limbs pushing free from the debris with slow, deliberate motions. As the last of the rubble fell away, Morrwyn was revealed beneath the golem's shadow, miraclously in one piece... For now.

A low, hissing sound filled the air. Then, the cave crawlers spilled out into the cavern like a living tide. The stone golem turned its head toward this new threat and thrummed a battle cry. For a brief, terrifying moment, both golem and crawler seemed poised to converge on the Delver.

The golem loomed overhead, its fist raised high, ready to crush the first wave of crawlers, their jaws snapping, hungry for flesh as they swarmed towards those that yet lived... And Morrwyn along with them.

Dungeon Encounter
DC: 20​

(Rigidis) Roll 1d20 = 17 + (Jasha) Roll 1d20 = 5 = 22​

A Guild Delver's true worth is scarcely measured by his skill in battle or magic, but by his willingness to lend aid to those in need of it. When others would turn away and protect themselves, it's the Delver who risks her neck for her comrades that earns true reward...

But just as the stone giant’s fist came crashing down, a shadow leapt from the side of the cavern...

Elsewhere in the cave...

The vampire's blade flashed through the air, cutting down a cave crawler in a single, swift motion. Its body crumpled in a heap at his feet, and Raphael half-turned, his eyes falling on the quartet of huddled miners, separated from the main group, cowering against the rough stone walls.

"Are you alright?" He asked, his voice hoarse, covered in the dark gore of cave crawler guts. His throat was raw, parched. The crawler he'd drunk was barely enough to keep him standing, much less fit and fighting. Before an answer could come, another crawler lunged at his exposed back—only to find itself impaled upon his waiting dagger, its screech cut short.

Out of the corner of his eye, Raphael caught movement. Two familiar figures hauling something heavy, and awkwardly shaped, into view. He turned, brow furrowing, and recognized... Ophelia and Begonia—dragging with them what appeared to be... A petrified man?

He asked in an exasperated whisper, "what the fuck?"

Shaking his head. "Never mind that. Help me keep these sorry bastards alive, would you?"

His gaze snapping to the mouth of the cave where the others fought.

Interactions: Carolyn Haze- Kovacs angel doe RaiAthar

 

[Carolyn]

Expedition #1

RIGIDIS

POOR MAGICIAN

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

It should have been impossible to save Morrwyn. Stuck between a golem and horde of ravenous beasts, you’d need a hero par excellence to wedge the small gap, let alone get him out. Case in point: she wasn’t a real mage yet. Her tricks were a handful of gimmicks. Even using them to the fullest, she was only able to usher miners. But to leave without the crazy man who bought them time was unforgivable. No matter his history or strange personality, Rigidis knew she owed him a favor.

Every instinct in her body told her to ignore it. What good was a promise if she died with him? There were beads of sweat that swam down her forehead. Disregarding the objection, how would she navigate the hazards in her way? She bit her lip ring. Her mind was running blanks.

Like when the instructor told her to repeat a “simple” demonstration. Or the time she had to “duel” a classmate with familiars and her snake refused to leave its cage. Failures one and all. She had the gall to think the dungeon would be any different.

Suddenly, a piece of flint slipped out the torn satchel of a miner. It made a clink sound as it struck the ground. Before he could take it back, she snatched it with her open hand. She sniffed the alcohol from his breath next. Practice told her it was new and the source nearby.

“Give me your drink.” Her red eyes gleamed at him. The dagger she had even more so.

With drink in hand, she took a sip of the content. The liquid nearly burned her tongue. She gasped while loosening her shoes. Able to slip them on and off at a moment’s notice, she poured the rest of the alcohol on them. They were cheap enough to be completely soaked. Then she sparked a fire with the flint and dagger.

She ran toward Morrwyn with shoes aflame. Her shoes squelched the entire way until she built up speed in the correct trajectory to leap forward. In a sight that must seem mad, she chanted one of the few spells she understood by heart.

「 !FIGURA IGNIS! 」

A parlor trick to control fire now used to shoot Rigidis straight across with a sputter of flames behind the sole of her shoes. She was a red meteor. She hooked Morrwyn with an open palm, pulling him away in time to avoid being crushed. There was a moment of triumph before the burning shoes were flung away and she landed on top of Morrwyn. Her lips intertwined with his.

Interactions: Elenion Aura , RaiAthar , Kovacs , Haze- , angel doe .

Code by Serobliss

 

[RaiAthar]

Expedition #1

Jasha Taniyn

HUMAN ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

There was rhyme and reason to Rigidis's somewhat abrupt and awkward behaviour, of this Jasha was sure, so he watched her scene with one terribly confused and frightened miner play out uninterrupted.

After ushering said disgruntled miner through the portal, Jasha gazed over to Rigidis "You could have asked nicely, you know..."

Of course, Jasha's words likely wouldn't have reached Rigidis's ears given that she was already half-way out of the portal chamber, pushing past the last of the miners under their charge --two dwarven men: a golden-blonde bearded dwarf who still looked young by dwarf standards, he was barely in any condition to walk; the second dwarf had a black beard with specks of white, and he had seen better days as well. Jasha rushed over to them, helping shoulder the burden of the younger dwarf's weight.

"Don't worry, you're gonna make it out of this alive," Jasha reassured the older dwarf. "So, what are your names?" Jasha's intention was to make idle talk, to detract the man's mind from this nearly ended harrowing experience.

"This be Domas," the old man said, glancing sideways over to his injured friend who appeared to barely be holding onto consciousness, "...and I be Holgar." The deep concern in the old man's voice was nearly palpable.

Several feet from the precipice of the portal, Jasha stopped "Go on old man, you can barely stand yourself, I got this one" he assured.

"Thank ye, delver" the old dwarf nodded solemnly, then he leaped through the portal that was his salvation.

Now that Jasha was alone, he let the weight of the semi-conscious dwarf slowly slide off his shoulder and to the stone floor at his feet.

Jasha came down to one knee; turned the dwarven man onto his back. From this vantage, the blunt force trauma to the dwarf's mid-section was apparent. The chest was partially caved in. Fresh blood lined the mouth and coated the beard. Every breath was raspy and ragged. No doubt a broken rib or several broken ribs had pierced the lungs.

Wearing a most sincere smile, Jasha placed his hand onto the dwarven man's chest. Softly, he whispered "Everything will be okay, Domas...Don't you worry, Domas...Everything will be okay..." Except it wouldn't be.

「ABYSSAL EMPATHIC TRANSFER?!」

...
​

Jasha rounded the bend, arriving into the main chamber, hoping he was not too late; however, it wasn't the stone golem or the swarm of cave-crawlers that first garnered his attention... To be forever burned into Jasha's mind's eye was the image of Rigidis's dark, full lips locked with the seemingly demure mouth of a tall, pasty faced and lanky woman.

Kinky, Jasha thought, not the time nor the place but definitely kinky. Only after the second take did Jasha realise it was in actuality NOT a woman, it was Morwynn... Good gods, that's a power couple right there, Jasha thought to himself. He laughed inwardly.

The time for idle thoughts was over. Jasha broke out into a sprint towards an angry stone golem that was currently surrounded by ever-hungry cave-crawlers. As he neared the golem, he piqued the interest of several crawlers who would try there claws at easier prey.

When the first crawler lunged at Jasha's legs, he stepped up onto its carapace and proceeded to play a game not unlike hopscotch along the backs of several other crawlers, somersaulting, cartwheeling, body twisting and twirling, giving the impression of a human in flight as he mid-air kicked off of the bodies of more lunging crawlers eager to find purchase in his flesh yet finding nothing. He moved with the grace of an expert gymnast or perhaps a figure skater. These crawlers were his playthings --The Playboy was his stage name, after all-- and this was the great performance, the big show, and a beautiful show it was for the crowd who were watching; evocative of the praise and swooning of many a woman-folk --and some men-folk as well-- in times not so long ago.

The momentum was nearing its end. In those last seconds that would determine whether or not Jasha would become a chew toy for the cave-crawlers beneath or on the back of a very large stone golem, he pulled out his whip and lashed at the golem, not to do it harm, but to grapple it and to pull himself onto it. A wide smile formed over his parted lips. Teeth were grit behind those lips.

"You're coming with me, big boy."

「ABYSSAL JUMP - OVERCHARGED!」

It happened in an instant. Jasha and the golem were there, and then they were simply gone. It looked as if a micro-blackhole opened up and pulled them both into a dark oblivion. Cave-crawlers that were at one point clinging onto the golem found themselves the victims of gravity as they were no longer grasping onto anything except the air that now occupied the empty space. A hundred or so feet above the crawlers and directly over a fair sized crystal stalagmite --that's where Jasha and the stone golem were now. The golem's body was poised to fall over-top the sharp protruding spike of crystal below...

Interactions: Elenion Aura Carolyn Haze- angel doe Kovacs

Code by Serobliss

 

[angel doe]

Expedition #1

OPHELIA

ELVEN DRUID

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Ophelia wasted no time sending the balls of sunlight she had conjured into the space she occupied with this new group of people. The crawlers seemed to dislike the sunlight, so it seemed reasonable to bring some of it up here. She helped Begonia move the petrified man to the side and rushed to assist in the fight, putting herself between the enemies and the small group of miners that had gotten separated from the rest.

"I'll do what I can." Ophelia responded, glancing at Raphael before turning her attention back to the creatures attacking, pulling her staff off her back and swinging it into one of the nearby cave crawlers. The moment it connected with the creature's body, the crawler let out a shriek and hit the far wall. Ophelia glanced behind her at the miners who cowered there, feeling a new surge of determination to keep the group alive.

In the distance, Ophelia could see the rest of her delver group fighting an even larger swarm of cave crawlers along with a giant stone golem. It seemed they had it under control, though she wasn't sure for how long.

Interactions: Elenion Aura Carolyn Kovacs Haze- RaiAthar

Code by Serobliss

 

[Haze-]

Expedition #1

MORRWYN

DRAGON SLAYER

THE CRYSTAL CAVERNS, DUNGEONS UNDER CAEDIA

A wide smile blossomed on the prince’s face as he felt the golem’s footing finally slip, thick beads of sweat started pooling down his face when he noticed the two walls of stone cornering him. One he was grappling with all his might, rumbling and pulling back not to crash alongside him, the other he was flying towards at concerning speeds. No, he hadn’t planned things at all. Not a getaway plan, not a safety net. He was just flying straight to his imminent doom without a second thought. A wide, idiotic smile plastered on his face, chuckling, pale hair smacking against his face in the searing winds — “F-Fuckin’ ‘ell!”

It was like a carnival ride, he felt like a child.

He twisted his body, pulled with every ounce of his being until the very stone skin was tore from the golem. Finally, he felt a sharp pain evenly splayed throughout his entire back, another pressing down hard against his ribcage, like he were folding in on himself. His eyes spun to the back of his head, his mouth hung, and the world went black, quiet… for a moment it did. His senses came back with a ringing jabbing at his ear, a ticking finger tapping involuntarily against the cave floor at his side. He was looking up at the golem pulling itself back up, watching loose chunks of rock and dust shed from it and trickle down onto his face.

It must’ve been a real hit in the ego to be swatted down to the ground by someone less than a quarter of your size. He ran a shaky hand along the floor, slipping uselessly before he finally managed some purchase. Morrwyn pulled himself up to his knees, then further up, rising to a shaky stand. His ankles twisted awkwardly on the floor, knees at the wrong angle, quivering. An empyrean didn’t die laying down, nor on his knees — “Y—Yer’ a real piece a’ work, you…”

He didn’t need to look up to know the golem was about to squash him. The shadow of its fist looming over him alone was enough of a tell.

Was it a noble sacrifice? One to be remembered? Had he bought anyone a spare few more seconds? — “Nah…” — He’d only been a reckless fool, looking for right thrill to break the thick fog that’d clouded his mind since he washed up on that beach, searching for the faintest glimmer of light to clear it. A sign, of what he’d been.

He sat there, face twisted into nothing in particular, as if he’d gone somewhere else entirely. Afar from the chaos, in his own mind. Blood trickling down his hairline, his eyelids feeling heavy, every breath more of a struggle than the last. Morrwyn stood there, staring off into space as the giant fist drew closer. In his last moments, he remembered faintly. Remembered a voice, muted words, spoken by one of the faceless people he’d see in his dreams, in the fog. Regal robes, that same black crown, and a pale head of hair.

“Wyver…n…Wyveri…?” — He still couldn’t make out the words, couldn’t read the man’s lips. It was faint.

The prince shut his eyes, a pleased smile wide on his face. It was good enough; he could accept it as is.

He waited for the gavel of stone to fall onto him, for the embrace of death, but instead — “EEEK!!!” — he felt his feet pulled off the ground, the wind harsh against the side of his head as the golem’s fist whiffed past him. His eyes shot wide, he tumbled on the floor alongside his savior for a good few rolls, until they stopped—

and he felt something press against his lips, and the faint taste of alcohol. His face went blank, his brain failing to fully process it. It took him far longer than it should’ve to grab onto Rigidis shoulders and pull her away — “I-IM SAVIN’ MI’SEN!!! F-For t’right lass, I mean!”

Morrwyn sprung up immediately, shoulders stiff as a rock, as if his wounds weren’t a problem all of a sudden. He dusted himself off, coughed, cleared his suddenly parched throat — “I…uhh…T-Thank you, Lady Rigidis. Ye’ saved me. I’m, uh, fine now, really!” — He tried puffing up his chest, look alive, and the act lasted until he looked down and saw his right arm pointing the wrong way.

“Oh.” — He looked on, rushing adrenaline nulling the pain, wondering how exactly does a man’s forearm bend at a full 180° angle when crashing against a wall. He grabbed, grunted, and twisted it sickly back in place where it limped uselessly by his side — “I’m fine!”

“Are t'miners safe?”

Interactions: Elenion Aura RaiAthar Kovacs Carolyn

Code by Serobliss

 

[Elenion Aura]

Expedition #1

RAPHAEL

VAMPIRE ROGUE

The Crystal Caverns, Dungeons Under Caedia

Raphael winced as the false sunlight flooded the cavern. He pretended not to notice the slightest whiff of smoldering, undead flesh about him as he dispatched another Crawler, driving his blade up into the creature's abdomen.

Elsewhere, a stone golem had just risen from the cracked earth where Morrwyn's spear had thrown it. Blades in hand, he made toward it. What sort of Expedition Leader would he be if he left the biggest threat to his charges?

A calloused hand clasped him by the arm. The vampire wheeled around, daggers first, and came face-to-face with the mine foreman. The man's breaths were coming in ragged gasps, but he managed to say his piece. "Y'can't kill it," he rasped. "B'lieve me, we've tried. It won't stay down, no matter what you hit it with."

Raphael's jaw tightened. It was his turn to grab the foreman, now. He snatched the old codger by the collar and hoisted him up by it. "You knew that thing was down here? Why wasn't it on any of the reports?" He demanded, giving the foreman's collar a little shake for emphasis. The man paled but didn't answer. There was no good answer to give.

Meanwhile, Jasha had converted the golem into a makeshift meteor, which hurdled back toward the stone that birthed it. There was a brief, terrible silence as the golem fell, Jasha still hanging from its massive frame. Then, with a thunderous crack, the golem’s body hit the crystal spike, impaling it clean through. The stone giant shuddered and crumbled, its massive form breaking apart into chunks of rock and debris as it slid further down the stalagmite. The impact sent a shockwave through the chamber, dislodging rocks from the ceiling and walls. Crawlers that had been clinging to the golem or waiting for their chance at the fight were either crushed or blown apart by the debris.

For a moment, there was a lull. The surviving crawlers, their numbers now greatly diminished, hesitated as the light from Ophelia's sunlight spell spread further into the cavern. They shrieked, their movements frenzied as the light of day intensified. One by one, they began to scatter, retreating into the darkness of the mine, unable to face the brightness.

For a moment, it seemed like everything was over. But, things are never easy.

A low rumble began to emanate from the pile of rubble where the golem had fallen. The once-shattered stones began to shift, tiny cracks forming between them as they slowly started to knit themselves back together.

Jasha lay unconscious amongst the rolling stones and clouds of dust. For a heartbeat, it appeared he may be swallowed up by them, made part of the golem's tapestry. But for the dark shadow that fell upon him. A flash of a black cloak. Snatching him up and yanking him free just as the stone closed in around him.

The two men landed heavily but safely on the ground clear of the rolling stones, Raphael staggering for a moment before catching his breath.

Meanwhile, the last of the miners had made their escape. The portal stood open, shimmering with a faint, otherworldly light, as the final few stumbled through it.

"Not sure how long that thing will stay down," Raphael said, eyes flicking to the golem’s twitching form before landing on the mine foreman—the sole miner remaining in the cavern, sat on the floor where Raphael had deposited him before retrieving Jasha. "And you're going to tell the Miners Guild why you didn't fucking tell anyone about it."

Interactions: Carolyn Haze- Kovacs angel doe RaiAthar

 

[Elenion Aura]

Epilogue

The Delving party descended into the depths of the Caedian mines. Raphael divided them into pairs to explore different paths: Morrwyn and Dakar, Begonia and Ophelia, and Jasha and Rigidis.

The routine exploration turned quickly to chaos. Morrwyn and Dakar soon found themselves leading a monstrous horde of Cave Crawlers straight into a deadly encounter with a rampaging stone golem. Meanwhile, Jasha and Rigidis faced their own troubles, fending off a vicious Crawler before regrouping to aid the others. Raphael, briefly incapacitated by an ambush, was rescued by Jasha just in time to help rally the miners, while Begonia and Ophelia discovered a petrified figure hidden in a cavern below. With Morrwyn buying time by unleashing his Wyverian strength against the golem, the others raced to battle Crawlers and secure the miners' escape.

While Jasha performed a daring maneuver to teleport the golem onto a crystal spike, shattering the creature, Rigidis risked her life to pull Morrwyn from the rubble as the golem crumbled, until at last Ophelia's magic repelled the cave crawlers with radiant sunlight, allowing the miners' escape.

Though the miners were saved and the day was won, lingering mysteries remain. Who was the mysterious dwarf who ambushed Raphael, and what was his motive? What will become of the mine now that the stone golem has been unearthed? And lastly, who is the petrified man discovered in the depths?

Luckily, that question has an answer.

The man, once returned to the surface and de-petrified, revealed his name: Caldrin, a Human Delver and Fighter, who explained that his petrification was the result of a deal with a hag gone awry. You see, Caldrin had approached the hag, seeking her aid with a curse that had been placed upon him. The hag, promising to "delay" the curse, turned him to stone and deposited him in that cave, ensuring he would neither succumb to nor escape the curse’s pull.

Interactions: Carolyn Haze- Kovacs angel doe RaiAthar

Code by Serobliss