This small building is something like the souvenir shop for the Bug Cave. You can find mundane items like miniature representations of insects, but the primary stock in trade are magical items, spell scrolls, and so forth. All items necessary to the traveling mage are available at prices listed in the PH, 10% less if the buyer has a charisma of 13 or better, 10% more if the buyer’s charisma is 9 or less. 20% more if for some reason Martin or Alzador have reason to dislike or distrust the buyer. Items will be identified at 100gp per item.
The shop is a single story structure and operated by Martin by special appointment. No one ever sees Martin enter the magic shop, and the front door is kept tight with a wizard lock until opened from the inside by Martin. The rumor is that there is a tunnel from the tower to the store, which if found, might allow a thief to gain access to Alzador’s amassed treasure trove.
After knocking at the front door of the tower, Martin agrees to meet them at Alzador's Magic Emporium. Marty is a hump-backed lackey with a lazy eye who works for the town's leading wizard. He speaks like a simpleton, but there must be more to him than meets the eye as he has the complete run of Alzador's tower and the complete trust of the powerful mage.After locking up the shop, Marty takes the party across the river to the fort, which is built near a gaping black hole in a cliff wall. This, as any local will tell you, is the cave where all the bugs that gave the town its name came from. Nobody knows how or why they arrived, only that they did. They no longer stretch very far into the rocky hillsides as the main tunnel was collapsed by The Hopeful Seven after defeating the giant insects in order to prevent any such recurrence of the disaster. It is possible that the tunnels could be cleared by a team of skilled miners, but it would be noisy, difficult, dangerous, and illegal.
Martin allows tour groups into the tunnels in groups of no more than 5, counting himself. The room is completely dark, only the dim light of the outside sun gives any illumination at all. The air is dank and musty, the floor packed dirt and rock.
Martin lit a torch and the light exposed a giant preying mantis blocking the far tunnel. The party, especially Ellisaria, is startled...much to the delight of their tour guide. The mantis is actually taxidermied and no threat to anyone. Anyone with a strong, heart, that is.Mixed with Marty's chuckles, the tourists detect a peculiar clucking sound as they follow Marty to a passageway to the right. All are told to enter the tunnel in single file, with Marty hanging back. Selina and Routnuious go first, and the priest is surprised when a giant spider drops from the ceiling. Both quickly realize it was an illusary addition to the "fun" of the museum. "GIant insects always attact giant spiders...and giant spiders attract giant birds, sooner or later," Marty lectured, "Thank goodness the Seven didn't let things get that far!"
Marty retakes the front position as the tour continues. He explains that the museum is both a repository for local history as well as a primer for those interested in actual underground explorations of the type undertaken by the Hopeful Seven. Marty explains how melee weapons like swords and maces often have little room to swing in such tunnels and though deadly on the surface, such weapons can put the adventurer at an extreme disadvantage in the underdark.
As they move past the stuffed mantis, he warns everyone not to touch the stuffed bug, but won't tell what will happen if they do. He will only say "Follow instructions or you might die" -- he says this might be the most important weapon they need to learn. Routunious, feeling cocky, threw a pebble at the bug and misses.
To get to the next stop on the tour, they have to sidle past the bug. Tick-a-Tick cannot get past without touching it, so Routunious leaves him to stand guard on the passage taken by the group. Marty agrees to refund the 5 cp Routunious paid for the automaton's ticket.
As they enter the next chamber, Ellisaria alone (again, and to the great amusement of her companions) is surprised to see a species of cave fisher -- the Greater Cave Fisher. This creature shoots long strands of sticky stuff at its victims, then reels them in, grabs them with its pinschers and consumes them. Uncomfortable for all, but to a surface elf, particularly unsettling.In the next tunnel, were two glistening creatures. Though only carved stone, the statues of a jelly and a slime have been painted and coated in a thick gooey substance which made them appear quite real in the torchlight.
The first was an Ochre Jelly -- a giant amoeba-like creature that seeps through cracks, under doors, can travel on walls and ceilings, etc. It envelopes and dissolves its victims.
"How it can be destroyed?" The party asked.
Marty answered, "A lightning bolt will divide it in half, and then you're fighting two of them instead of just one. You can fight it with fire and cold but not regular weapons. They don't do any harm at all.
The second creature, there, the green one, is a Green Slime -- which grows in subterranean places. It's a sort of poisonous bacteria and turns its victims into new Green Slimes. You can kill it by casting a Cure Disease spell, and it hates the light and the sun. Otherwise, there's little you can do against it."
Moving on, Marty pauses a moment at the opening of a side passage and pulls a chicken out of the bag under his arm--the source of the mysterious clucking noise. The strange tour guide tossed the chicken into the seemingly empty tunnel. It flapped, cackled, and then suddenly stopped in mid-air. A giant spider appeared, sinking its fangs into the chicken. In seconds it has the bird coated in webbing, and retreated back down the tunnel. This was obviously not another museum illusion but a very real and very dangerous living creature.
"The giant spider keeps anyone from going down the tunnel to the Underdark." Marty explains.
"What keeps the spider from coming up from the Underdark?" Routunious asked.
"The chickens." Marty answered, continuing on.
The next room the museum explorers entered was the Grotto -- a room that looked like the inside of a geode. Lit by the sparkles of reflected toch light, was an enormous Stag Beetle in the center of the room. Marty explained that this was an actual bug killed single-handedly by Galen in the battle of Bug Tussle (no mention of how this was accomplished). In the next room, is a taxidermied Mukado-pede, killed when a sword was shoved through its head in the battle.
"In the Underdark," Marty cautions, "you can't bring a lot of food, because it spoils quickly. For this reason many of those who go adventuring there who aren't lucky enough to have creat food and water spells, find that they need to hunt, kill, and eat large bugs of the kinds we've been seeing on the tour in order to survive. Water in the Underdark is often tainted with sulphur or other toxic minerals, as well, though some fungi are edible. How you would you decide between dying of thirst and drinking water that might be deadly poison? Would you rather eat a bug or a mushroom? "
In the next room there is nothing except a 7’ tall fungus of a luminous yellow hue and red “flowers” adorning its cap. He continues, “Adventurers must be careful, however, as some of these fungal organisms are also poisonous or can present other dangers. This particular fungous is quite tasty, and safe to eat. Would anyone care to try a little?”Stago, familiar with underground environments spots this trick in advance. "No thank you, Shrieker Fungus might be edible, but it isn't worth the effort it takes to eat. It emits a shrill scream if light comes within 30' or movement occurs within 10' of it. The scream doesn't stop until the light or the movement go away."
"That's right, master gnome!" Marty exclaimed. "Monsters often use these plants as alarms, to alert them when prey is near. Hearing the scream will cause deafness for 5 hours and bring any predators or guards running your way."
Carfully moving past the shrieker, the tour comes to a solid rock wall. Ellisaria detects a secret door in front of them, that when opened, returns them to the cavern where they started the tour. The entire "adventure" took about an hour.
The party thanks Marty and decides to head back to the Fighter's Own. With two more hours to kill and their appetite for a real adventure whetted by the fake monsters of the museum, they determine to go through the well and explore the Undertavern Dungeon there.
Ellisaria pays Too Bad Jim the 100gp for his insurance policy (to the derision of her companions) and all pay their own 3p fee for admittance to and retrieval from the tunnels.
Galen, the owner, tells them, "There is a chain at the bottom of the well that rings a signal in the bar for when you want to come back up. There are also rusty shields ringing the walls of the well that you can bang on as a signal."
Garunth the Giant lowers them into the maw of the well.
The followinig is from the adventuring journal of Ellisaria, shared for the purpose of historical accuracy:
10:15 AM
I am lowered the 40' into the well. The only light at the bottom is from the torches in the well room above. I can vaguely see the walls, since my infravision can't kick in due to the light. The floor is sandy, the walls rocky, and the ceiling in the passages is about 10' high. Larger rooms are about 20' high, we discover later. The air is dank, with the only fresh air entering from the well above me. Selina, Routunious, and Tick-a-Tick are lowered down, as well.
As the last member of the party arrives and the rope is hauled back up, the light begins to eclipse as the cover is put back on the well 40' above us. As it grows dimmer, we realize that the signal chain is made of alternating phosphorescent and heated links, so that its visible in the dark for either regular or infravision. In any case, Routunious quickly lights a torch. (Each torch will give us 30 minutes of light.)
In the light of the torch, we see a dead human holding a rusty sword. When Selina examines it, she finds it is a plaster skeleton. She finds 2 gp rattling about in the skull. Routunious especially, and myself, to a slightly lesser degree, are perplexed about there being a plaster skeleton here, but we don't pursue it.
A belated agreement is reached about the division of any treasure we might find:
money/jewels are to be split evenly
weapons, etc to myself for first dibs
magic items to Routunious first
thief items to Selina first
Selina checks for traps -- detects none
We decide to travel in this order: Selina, her cats, myself, Routunious, followed by Tick-a-Tick.
Routunious will attempt to map our progress.
In the first chamber we come to, Selina sees a bright purple mold. When Routunious, takes a look, he is pretty sure it’s harmless. In the next room, there is a 10' pole that’s been snapped in half. Selina and I are uninterested, but Routunious wants to look in this room further. Finally, we move on to the next room, which is completely covered in spider webs and the desiccated husks of giant cave crickets and other bugs. We waste no time in leaving this room.
Selina checks for traps, detects none.
We find that the end of this passage is sealed with a rock fall, so we’re forced to backtrack. As we pass the chamber with the broken pole, Routunious insists on going in. I go with him for protection. He picks up, looks at, and then drops the broken pole. It appears to be an ordinary broken wooden pole.
To get to an open passage, we pass through the well chamber. Down a passage to our left, we hear chains clanking and a kind of growling groan. There is also a buzzing sound all around.
Selina and I go around the corner to the left (out of the torch light) -- we see possible movement beyond the next chamber, the buzzing and the groaning are louder.
In the room across the hall there is a natural spring. Water runs down the walls, collects in a pool on the floor. The pool is about 6" deep, but since the pool is small, is must go much deeper or drain into a crack. It looks like fresh, clear water.
The cavern floor is now rocky...
The next passage slopes down -- there are no detectable traps. Water is bubbling out of the floor -- it will be very slippery and steep. We are forced to turn around once again.
We no have no choice but to head toward the growling. No traps are detected. The clanking and the buzzing are louder.
10:29
We find another passage off to the side -- no traps detected. Selina & I enter the chamber, where I am stunned by the sight of the mutilated ghost of myself, which is motioning to me to turn around and go back. Selina sees nothing in the room.
10:30
I get the others to leave that passageway but I now cannot stop thinking and talking about the ghost. They don't really believe I saw it -- they think it must have been some sort of trick. They are anxious to get to the source of the clanking.
We get to a large chamber and see a creature chained to the far wall. It is vaguely human and there is the smell and stench of rotting flesh. There are many dead bodies on the floor, from four recently killed corpses to long-dead skeletons. The creature's chain is connected to its metal neck halter by a padlock.
The creature can get almost to the doorway on its chain and Routunious can tell it's a zombie.We battle the zombie as it strains against his chains. As his first action, Routunious tries to turn the zombie -- his attempt fails.
I attack with my short sword -- 7 pts damage -- but it does not fall. The creature continues to strain against its chain, groaning in a grotesque gurgles, as it tries to attack us.
10:36
Tick-a-Tick does 7 pts damage.
Selina does 2 damage with cross-bow, then hits again doing 2 more damage -- zombie is staggering when I hit it for 9 points of damage -- the zombie. is cut in half, but is still moving.
Tick-a-Tick hits for a further 6 damage -- still twitching, so I hit it again for 6 pts. -- still moving but just barely.
10:44
Tick-a-Tick kills the zombie and Routunious lights a new torch.
Selina detects no traps.
Routunious checks a body (a priest), Selina checks a body (a thief), I check a body (a Dwarven fighter) -- we all find several items, some of which we take, some of which we don't.
The fighter I examined was wearing a mithril silver pendant with a symbol of a Dwarven god -- I can't get it off him easily, so I leave it on him.
Routunious checks another body (a wizard) -- takes more items.
10:46
Selina looks at some of the other, older bodies, while I stand guard at the entry to the passage. Routunious finds a quarterstaff on the wizard with some Elvish writing -- he and Tick-a-Tick come over to me so I can read it for him. It says "Crafted for Cedric Brokenbough to aid in the elimination of undead from these realms".
Meanwhile, Selina is NOT surprised, but Routunious and I are so surprised that we cannot fight in the round when the skeletal body of the dwarf rises up. I discover later that Selina has succeeded in removing the mithril pendant from the body of the Dwarf and he has reanimated. I had previously taken his helmet but was not interested in his breastplate/backplate or his shield and battle axe, so that is why he wass coming after Selina with the battle axe. At present, however, all we knew was that an undead dwarf was in pursuit as Selina runs by Routunious and myself at full tilt on her way to the well chamber.As soon as Routunious and I can move, we follow with Tick-a-Tick. Selina is pulling the signal chain frantically, the Dwarf is almost upon us when the well cover is removed and Selina is pulled up. Tick-a-Tick hits the Dwarf for 12 pts of damage, his sword entering the Dwarf's skull and continuing down through his torso. It is desroyed.
Once we're back safely at the Fighter's Own -- there is much grumbling among those who had bet against us, much celebrating by those who had put their money on a long shot.
It's about 10:50 AM, so we still have over an hour before we're due to meet Stago at Alzador's Tower. We divide our spoils to pass the time.
Selina Found: Backpack, 3 candles, climbing hook, soft gloves, utility hammer, 10 iron spikes, magnifying glass, 50’ of rope, large sack, thieves’ tools, lock pick set (+1), tinder box with steel and flint, short sword, dagger, a bag of gems: 2 amber (100 gp), 1 pink coral (100 gp), 1 topaz (500 gp), and one black opal (1,000 gp), 1 Hematite (10gp), and 1 Topaz (650gp). Mithril silver pendant with the symbol of Moradin Soulforger attached (750 gp) 4 gp, 2sp, 16 cp, 2 daggers, potion of extra healing, (3d8 +3 hp restored or three drinks restoring 1d8 hp each), identify, sleep, spider climb, detect invisibility, know alignment, web
Routunious claimed: bandages (10), fine priestly garments, Holy Symbol of Tyr, holy water, ink, 2 leaves of parchment, quill pen, tinder box with flint and steel, scrolls of: bless, create water, cure light wounds, detect evil, entangle, light, and purify food and water. ink, magnifying glass, hand mirror, 3 leaves of fine parchment, quill pen, bone scroll case with silver caps, spell book (alarm, armor, charm person, comprehend languages, detect magic, detect undead, feather fall, grease, identify, read magic, write magic, sleep, spider climb), torch, tinder box, quarterstaff capped with a removable silver dagger. When locked in place the staff functions not as a spear, but rather as a dagger with extended reach. It can not be thrown as a spear or javelin. This item was created specially for the elven wizard Cedric Brokenbough as an aid in his sworn quest to eliminate the scourge of undead beings from the Dales. He apparently did not get far in his quest. The names of the other members of his party are not known. Also, 42 sp.
My take: oil, lantern, cooking pot, 50’ of rope, 5 torches, helm, large sack, 8gp, and a bag of rune stones.
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