Session 11 - Descent to the Upperdark

This is the 11th session of the game Ashes.

Bullet Points

 * 1) Traversed through the Pocket tunnels.
 * 2) Found trapped hidden rooms, fire pits burning in the center.
 * 3) Descended further down in a spiral into the Upperdark.
 * 4) Found a waterfall and piles of bodies along the Pocket's path.
 * 5) Entered an old Pocket stronghold and fought off some large cockroach-like creatures. Took a rest after the fight.
 * 6) Fought off some shadow demons while crossing a rickety bridge.
 * 7) Entered the town of Honeybridge, met with some people who knew Sybil, apparently the woman who the group had been looking for.
 * 8) Entered the Sour Root Tavern to rest and get more information about Sybil from Beatrice.

Summary
The party began their descent into the cavernous walkways of the old Pocket tunnels. They walk the same path that Rotten Ronnie was headed in pursuit of an unnamed woman, who seemed to have been running away from the demon-skin masked man.

They walk for an hour or so before Astraea spots what seems like a hidden doorway in the cavern wall. Themus decided to open the door without checking and got hit by two crossbow bolts. The party talked about proceeding with caution after that. Past the hidden doorway, the party found what appeared to be some barracks, potentially for when the Pocket still used these tunnels. There seemed to be plenty of dust caked around the room, but there also seemed to be a firepit made from the floorboards which seemed out of place. Later the party discovered that the fire was made via magical means, such as a firebolt spell.

The party continued downward finding two other similar barracks along the way, both with the same hidden entrance and firepit in the center of the room. At this point, the party felt below the center of the city, and they began heading downward as the tunnel turned into a spiral

Eventually, the tunnel they were following came to an end, and the party found a sheer cliff face. Inside the cavernous room ahead they found a large waterfall, where some bodies have been spilling into the waters that pool into the chamber. The party found an old hook in the side of the cavern and tied a rope to it to continue along the old Pocket lines. Pressing on into a tunnel ahead the party discovered thick webbing coating the outside of stone walls and a metal doorway. After clearing some of the webbings with Acaelus's firebolt's some of the thicker webs seemed unaffected, and even began to mend themselves. Emeran started to cut through these thicker webs and discovered large cockroach-like bugs inside them, mostly brown in color with green colored webbing on their backs. These insects began to burrow when cut from the membrane-like web.

Emeran and Elias busted open the already ajar doorway and found bipedal, humanoid versions of the bugs from the membrane who attacked the party. At once point, Themus was knocked unconscious, but was picked up by Elias.

After winning the fight, the party learned that the room they just fought in was a foyer for some kind of old Pocket stronghold and turned the place over; looking for anything left behind. They found an old-looking dagger, and they found another firepit in the barracks. The group decided to take a short rest here.

When the rest was over the party continued ahead down the only other exit in the stronghold, and discovered that the system of bells used to signal noise to others was still intact down this tunnel. Not before long the party heard some rushing water, and howling winds ahead, then suddenly they heard one of the bells behind them start to ring. Suddenly a bell in front of them started to ring, and at first, the party didn't see anything or anyone ringing them. After some investigation checks, and with Astraea's knowledge of demons it was determined that some shadow demons were around, as they are able to pass through solid rock. The group pressed on cautiously.

They eventually came upon the source of the howling winds and rushing water, a large cavern with a rickety old bridge crossing over a rushing river down below, and some kind of howling wind pushing the bridge to one side. The party tied themselves to each other and began to cross. The shadow demons appeared and attacked the party. Astraea had another flashback, seeing herself on a cloud and through a cloud ahead dozens of demons similar to these breaking through and approaching her, and she wasn't scared.

With a couple of close calls and many people nearly falling off the bridge, the party was able to kill the two shadow demons.

Pressing on ahead the bells on the side of the cavern came to an end at a small outpost, which seems like just a desk, and an old sign that said "Entering Honeybridge". Themus recalled some information about this place. It is the first bit of civilization when entering the Upperdark, it is a den of criminals who are trying to buy or sell black market items. It is called Honeybridge since no matter which direction you approach it from it required a bridge to cross the threaded rivers that surround the town. It is also seen as a kind of 'honey trap' for people desperately seeking civilization on their way down or up through the Upperdark.

Seeing no other path before them the party entered Honeybridge, eventually coming upon a metal door with an eyeslit. Themus did some talking, and with the help of his Thieves Cant was able to communicate with someone on the other side. A goblin named Derby approached the party and communicated only with knocks and gestures as it seemed like his face was burned recently and was covered in bandages. Derby let the party in, all the while brandishing his scattergun. Derby is apparently the 'son' of a deep gnome man named Vern who lives in what he referred to as a "back closet". The party had made their way through a very unused tunnel into Honeybridge.

They asked Vern what to expect in town, but more importantly, they talked about the last couple of people who came through this way. Firstly a woman came through, she seemed desperate like she was being chased by something. The party finds out later from Derby that she was glowing, her eyes, her hair, her tattoos. They find out that the woman's name was Sybil. After she entered Honeybridge, about a month later a halfling man came through looking for Sybil. Vern explained that he didn't know much more of the story but the party could go seek out Marsh selling his wares in the Rotten Plank Alley, or Beatrice who runs the Sour Root Tavern to get more information. Vern also mentioned that the place was much safer when the Pocket was running things.

Derby led the group into town and to Marsh's stand, where they found the human man selling his goods. Marsh got to know Sybil a little better than most, as she once saved him from getting attacked by some gang members around the area. He described her as beautiful with dark hair, and with strange markings on her face. She also wore tattered robes, older than anything Marsh had seen. She eventually left the city headed northward. Marsh then talked about the halfling who seemed obsessed with Sybil. He showed up around a month later raving about her, saying that he owed him something. Marsh learned that the man owned a bar topside, which made the party realize that this may have been the old owner of the Jaunt. After around three months of desperately searching for Sybil, the halfling man took his own life. Marsh informed the group that if they head out to find Sybil that they should look into buying things from his shop to help.

Knowing the Beatrice had more information on Sybil the party headed into the Sour Root Tavern to close out the session.