Session 03: The Road to Sloobludop

🎵 Music

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🖼️ Images

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🪐 Campaign Arc

Campaign: Out of the Abyss Dungeon Master: Reuben / Rewrock Session Number: 3 Session Title: The Road to Sloobludop Date: 2026-06-03 Setting: Underdark tunnels, the Darklake approach, and the outskirts of Sloobludop Player Attendance: Kenneth absent; Sarix “Dose” Jorasco present but DM-controlled

Session 3 followed the fugitives after their escape from Velkynvelve, with the party pushing deeper into the Underdark while drow horns still echoed somewhere behind them. The group had to manage pace, food, water, light, exhaustion, and the fragile loyalty of their growing band of former prisoners.

The recovered chest continued to matter. It was not merely loot storage; this session it became the vessel for magically created drinking water, giving the party a practical way to survive while still keeping the chest as an unresolved object of interest.

🧭 Overview

The session began with the party reviewing the harsh rhythm of Underdark travel. Moving fast could increase the distance from the drow pursuit, but it made foraging impossible and dulled the group’s awareness. Moving more carefully meant a better chance of finding food, spotting danger, and not wandering into the sort of subterranean nonsense that gets people killed.

Before the march truly resumed, Aeris was pulled into a vision of the Circle of Root and Star. Back in the sacred grove of his people, he spoke with the Star Reader about the blackening disease and the unnatural signs spreading through root, stone, and fungus. She gave him a pouch of surface seeds and warned him that something rising from below might threaten the forest above.

Aeris stands beneath the star-cut canopy of the Circle of Root and Star while the Star Reader presses a pouch of surface seeds into his hand. Blackened roots coil nearby, and pale fungus blooms where it should not grow

On the road, the fugitives pushed through fungal tunnels, narrow passages, and hostile terrain. Stool identified Tongues of Madness fungi, which Aeris collected, though Iragon inhaled enough spores to begin muttering paranoid nonsense. Derendil confided in Aeris about dreams of his court, his claws, and whether a curse could cling to the soul after death. Stool also quietly gravitated toward Iragon, telling him through rapport spores that he felt safe nearby.

The first camp was interrupted by giant fire beetles. The party and their allies fought them off, recovered glow sacks for temporary light, and confirmed the beetles themselves were not worth eating. Edric then used Create or Destroy Water to fill the recovered chest with clean drinking water, turning the object into a survival asset as well as an unresolved mystery.

The following days brought bluecap mushrooms, Jimjar’s usual betting nonsense, a wild magic / faerzress zone that caused short-term madness in Vorgrath and Dose, and a patch of floating glowing motes that Stool warned were beautiful but dangerous if eaten. The party also navigated claustrophobic tunnels, where Prince Derendil struggled with the tight passages and the group had to keep moving despite exhaustion and uncertainty.

The drow pursuit eventually caught up near a dangerous crevasse and rope bridge. Edric and Shuushar fell, but Feather Fall saved them. Aeris then used Mold Earth to sabotage the terrain behind the group, causing several drow pursuers to fall to their deaths and turning the chase itself into a weapon. Brom and Dagnar, two shield dwarves encountered near the bridge, helped during the fight, warned the party about dangers ahead, pointed them toward Sloobludop, and then departed south.

Beyond the bridge, the party found ancient ruins carved in smooth spirals that did not seem obviously drow or dwarven. They discovered a vest with tiny vial-sized pockets, an Elvish diary, fungus wine, and an ornate key. The diary contained information about Menzoberranzan, Lolth worship, drow society, and the wider region around the drow city, but it did not provide useful shortcuts through the Darklake.

The session ended with a brutal fight against an umber hulk in its lair near the Darklake approach. The party avoided surprise thanks to Iragon’s alertness, then survived through a combination of Bless, Mold Earth, Moonbeam, Magic Missile, smites, rage, and stubborn refusal to become monster paste. After killing the creature, they harvested meat, eyes, mandible, and carapace, cooked the flesh, spared their rations for the night, and finally approached the lights and boats of Sloobludop.

🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Party Members

Character

Player

Class / Role

Status

Notable Actions

Aeris Naïlo

Justin

Druid / Circle of the Land

Alive

Received a vision from the Circle of Root and Star,

collected Tongues of Madness fungi, reassured Prince Derendil, used Mold Earth to sabotage the drow

pursuit route, wild shaped into a giant wolf spider near the bridge, looted Zeleth’s rapier and chain shirt, used Mold Earth again against the umber hulk, helped harvest meat, cooked the carcass with Produce Flame, and received the session MVP / inspiration.

Sarix “Dose” Jorasco

Kenneth; absent, DM-controlled

Dragonborn Ranger / Drakewarden

Alive

Travelled with the fugitives while Kenneth was absent, became frightened during the wild magic / faerzress zone, hid near Stool and Shuushar during that effect, and remained with the party as they approached Sloobludop.

Edric Faustin Valemont

BaconBuff / Rob

Wizard / Abjurer

Alive

Used Feather Fall to save himself Aeris, and Shuushar after a fall into the crevasse, created clean drinking water in the recovered chest, investigated ruins and claimed the ornate key, used Magic Missile during the umber hulk fight, and harvested the umber hulk’s eyes.

Iragon Midsommar

Sicareus / James

Warlock / Paladin

Alive

Kept Stool close and reassured him, suffered paranoid muttering after inhaling Tongues of Madness spores, detected the umber hulk before it could surprise the party, fought in the umber hulk battle, and landed a major smite during the fight.

Varang the Ash-Mender

Moose

Cleric / Life Domain

Alive

Protected allies with Resistance and Bless, paid Jimjar one gold to stay silent for an hour, helped keep the party alive through multiple encounters, checked the Elvish diary for useful Darklake routes, and claimed part of the umber hulk’s mandible as a trophy.

Vorgrath Kael

Mike

Orc Barbarian / Path of the World Tree

Alive

Held the rear of the marching order, suffered short-term madness in the wild magic zone, fought through the bridge pursuit, helped defend Ront, cut down a pursuer near the bridge, tanked heavy hits while raging in the umber hulk fight, and remained one of the party’s main front-line anchors.

🎭 NPC Tracker

NPC

Role

Status

Notes

Stool

Myconid sprout; telepathic rapport spores

Alive; with party

Identified Tongues of Madness and the glowing motes. Stayed close to Iragon and communicated that he felt safe near him.

Ront

Orc former prisoner

Alive; with party

Warned the party when the drow caught up near the bridge. Later thanked Vorgrath for helping him survive the pursuit.

Jimjar

Deep gnome gambler

Alive; with party

Continued making absurd bets. Accepted Varang’s one-gold bet that he could stay silent for an hour, succeeded, and was paid.

Prince Derendil

Quaggoth who claims to be an elven prince

Alive; with party

Spoke with Aeris about dreams of his lost court, his claws, and whether a curse can cling to the soul after death. Continued to struggle with narrow tunnels.

Sarith Kzekarit

Drow former prisoner and guide

Alive; with party

Helped navigate the Underdark, continued suffering headaches, and warned the group around strange magic and dangerous terrain.

Shuushar the Awakened

Kuo-toa former prisoner

Alive; with party

Fell with Edric at the crevasse but was saved by Feather Fall. Spoke about Sloobludop, his people, and the possibility of welcome there.

Topsy & Turvy

Deep gnome twins

Alive; with party

Were injured during the fire beetle attack and continued whispering between themselves during the journey.

Eldeth Feldrun

Shield dwarf former prisoner

Alive; with party

Remained with the fugitives during the march, camps, and travel encounters.

Buppido

Derro former prisoner

Alive; with party

Continued travelling with the group and participated in combat when needed.

Nettle

Dose’s drake companion

Alive; with Dose

Remained with the party after being freed during the escape from Velkynvelve.

Brom & Dagnar

Shield dwarves encountered near the bridge

Alive; departed

Helped during the pursuit fight, warned the party about danger in the area, identified themselves as having come from Sloobludop, pointed the party north, and then headed south.

Zeleth

Drow pursuer

Dead

Killed during the bridge pursuit after the shield dwarves joined the fight. Aeris later looted her rapier and chain shirt.

📍 Key Locations

Underdark Tunnels: The party’s route away from Velkynvelve, filled with narrow passages, difficult marching conditions, fungi, hunger, and the constant pressure of pursuit. Circle of Root and Star Grove: Aeris’s vision returned him to his sacred wood elf enclave, where the Star Reader warned him about the blackening disease and gave him a pouch of surface seeds. Tongues of Madness Patch: A fungal growth identified by Stool. Eating the fungus causes truth-telling and compulsive speech; Iragon inhaled spores from it and began muttering paranoid warnings. First Camp: The party’s attempted rest was interrupted by a giant fire beetle attack. The beetles were defeated and their glow sacks harvested. Faerzress / Wild Magic Zone: A region of warped magical pressure where spellcasting felt wrong and short-term madness affected Vorgrath and Dose. Glowing Mote Passage: A tunnel of floating lights that Stool warned should not be eaten, though they could potentially be jarred as light sources. Crevasse and Rope Bridge: A dangerous crossing where Edric and Shuushar fell, Feather Fall saved them, the drow pursuit caught up, and Aeris’s Mold Earth trap sent pursuers falling. Ancient Spiral-Carved Ruins: Smooth, flowing ruins not immediately identifiable as drow or dwarven. The party found an Elvish diary, an ornate key, fungus wine, and a vest with small vial pockets. Darklake Approach: The route toward the vast subterranean waterways. The party learned that currents, fishing, boats, springs, maps, navigators, and old markings may matter later. Umber Hulk Lair: The site of the session’s major monster battle and the following umber hulk feast. Sloobludop Outskirts: The party ended within sight of the kuo-toa settlement, its boats, lights, and large central statue visible in the distance.

📑 Session Highlights

The group reviewed Underdark travel pace, food, water, exhaustion, madness, navigation, and the risk of being caught by drow pursuit. Aeris experienced a vision of the Circle of Root and Star and received a warning from the Star Reader about the blackening disease and something stirring below. Prince Derendil spoke with Aeris about dreams of his court and whether a curse can cling to the soul after death. Stool identified Tongues of Madness fungi, and Aeris collected some for later use. Iragon inhaled enough Tongues of Madness spores to begin muttering paranoid warnings in the dark. Stool stayed close to Iragon, saying through rapport spores that Iragon made him feel safe. The party’s rest was interrupted by giant fire beetles. The beetles were killed, but several allies were already worn down by injury and travel. The fire beetles were confirmed to be inedible, but the party harvested eight glow sacks for temporary light. Edric used Create or Destroy Water to fill the recovered chest with clean drinking water, keeping the chest important as both vessel and mystery. The group found bluecap mushrooms while travelling at a normal pace, helping maintain their food supply. Jimjar bet constantly until Varang paid him one gold to stay silent for an hour. Jimjar won. Varang still considered the silence worth it. The party crossed a faerzress / wild magic zone, where Vorgrath began babbling and Dose became frightened and hid near Stool and Shuushar. Stool warned the party about glowing floating motes: useful as light if jarred, but dangerous and vomit-inducing if eaten. The drow pursuit caught up near a crevasse and rope bridge. Edric and Shuushar fell during the crossing, but Edric’s Feather Fall saved them both. Aeris used Mold Earth to sabotage the slope behind the group, causing drow pursuers to fall to their deaths. Brom and Dagnar, two shield dwarves, helped during the pursuit fight, pointed the party toward Sloobludop, and then departed south. Zeleth was killed during the bridge encounter, and Aeris kept her rapier and chain shirt. The party discovered ancient spiral-carved ruins and recovered several unusual items. Varang checked the Elvish diary for Darklake routes, but it proved more useful for information about Menzoberranzan and drow society than local navigation. Shuushar described Sloobludop, the Darklake, and the possibility that his people might still be willing to receive outsiders who were not drow. The party was attacked by an umber hulk in its lair, but Iragon’s alertness helped prevent a surprise disaster. Varang’s Bless played a major role in the umber hulk battle and was praised during the end-of-session MVP discussion. Aeris used Mold Earth against the umber hulk, digging under one of its legs and limiting its movement. Edric damaged the umber hulk with Magic Missile and later harvested its eyes. Iragon landed a major smite during the umber hulk fight. Vorgrath tanked heavy hits while raging and helped hold the front line. The slain umber hulk was harvested for eyes, mandible, meat, and possible carapace armour material. The party cooked and ate umber hulk meat, preserving their rations for the night. Aeris received the session MVP / inspiration, largely for the Mold Earth play during the drow pursuit. The session ended with the party approaching Sloobludop, still unsure what kind of welcome awaited them.

🎞️ Key Scenes

Stool pads close beside Iragon in the dark tunnel, releasing a soft puff of rapport spores. The tiny myconid tells the fey knight that he feels safer walking near him.

At the edge of the crevasse, Aeris shapes the earth beneath the pursuing drow. The slope gives way behind the fugitives, turning stone, gravity, and panic into the party’s deadliest weapon.

~~Image~~The ~~Placeholder:~~warm ~~Brom~~glow ~~and~~ahead ~~Dagnar~~was not safe passage — it was eight giant fire ~~from~~beetles ~~near~~turning the ~~bridge as the party scrambles across the crevasse. Edric and Shuushar drift safely under Feather Fall while drow pursuers vanish~~tunnel into ~~the~~a ~~dark~~living ~~below.~~ambush.

The party searches smooth, spiral-carved ruins that do not feel drow or dwarven. Among the dust and strange stonework lie an Elvish diary, fungus wine, a vial-pocketed vest, and an ornate key with no lock in sight.

An umber hulk bursts from the wall of its lair as Bless, Moonbeam, Mold Earth, Magic Missile, smite, and barbarian rage collide in the cramped Underdark chamber.

Image Placeholder: Beyond the dark water, Sloobludop glows with lanterns, boats, kuo-toa movement, and a large central statue. The fugitives stand at the edge of the Darklake, close to shelter but not yet safe.

🧵 Ongoing Threads & Plot Hooks

The Drow Pursuit: The party evaded the immediate pursuit near the bridge, but horns still sounded in the distance. Ilvara’s hunters remain a threat. Aeris and the Blackening Disease: Aeris’s vision tied the blackening disease to something stirring below. The surface seeds and the Star Reader’s warning remain unresolved. Prince Derendil’s Curse: Derendil’s dreams, fear, and questions about curses clinging to the soul continue to cast doubt over his condition and identity. Stool’s Bonds: Stool has grown particularly attached to Iragon, feeling safe near him. This may matter as the party’s NPC relationships deepen. Sarith’s Headaches: Sarith continued to suffer headaches and unease during the journey, especially around strange Underdark phenomena. The Recovered Chest: The party continues carrying the large chest taken during the escape. It has become useful as a water vessel for Edric’s Create or Destroy Water, but its longer-term importance remains unresolved. The Ornate Key: Edric claimed a random ornate key from the ruins. No matching lock was found nearby. The Elvish Diary: The diary contains information about Menzoberranzan, Lolth worship, drow society, and paths around that region, but it does not provide useful shortcut routes through the Darklake. The Darklake: The party learned that maps, navigators, boats, currents, fishing, springs, and ancient route markings may all matter for future travel. Sloobludop: Shuushar’s home settlement is now within sight. It may offer refuge, trade, guidance, danger, or some awful combination of all four because this is still the Underdark. Umber Hulk Carapace: The party learned the carapace could potentially be crafted into light armour, but no confirmed crafting occurred this session.

🗺️ Quest Status

Quest / Thread

Status

Relevant NPCs / PCs

Notes

Escape the drow pursuit

Ongoing

Ilvara, drow pursuers, party

The party escaped the immediate bridge pursuit and killed several pursuers, but the larger hunt remains active.

Reach Sloobludop

Nearly complete

Shuushar, party

The settlement is within sight, though the party has not yet entered it or confirmed whether it is safe.

Survive Underdark travel

Ongoing

Party, escaped prisoners

Food, water, exhaustion, light, navigation, madness, and hostile creatures remain constant pressures.

Understand Aeris’s vision

Ongoing

Aeris, Star Reader

The blackening disease appears connected to something below. Aeris carries surface seeds from the vision.

Track the recovered chest

Ongoing

Edric, party

The chest remains important and is being used as a vessel for created water. Its larger purpose is unresolved.

Investigate the ancient ruins

Unresolved

Party, Edric, Varang

The party found useful items, but the origin and purpose of the ruins remain unknown.

Find use for the ornate key

Unresolved

Edric

The key was found in the ruins, but no matching lock has been discovered.

Resolve Derendil’s curse

Ongoing

Prince Derendil, Aeris

Derendil’s dreams and fears remain troubling, and Aeris has promised to help if the group finds answers.

💰 Loot & Discoveries

Item / Discovery

Found By

Description / Status

Tongues of Madness fungi

Aeris Naïlo

Identified by Stool. Eating the fungus causes truth-telling and compulsive speech for several minutes. Aeris collected some.

Pouch of surface seeds

Aeris Naïlo

Received from the Star Reader during Aeris’s vision. Exact use and significance remain unresolved.

Fire beetle glow sacks

Party

Eight glow sacks harvested from slain giant fire beetles. They function like temporary glow sticks and are expected to last one to two days.

Created water

Edric Faustin Valemont

Created in the recovered chest for drinking water. The chest remains tracked as an important carried item.

Bluecap mushrooms

Party

Found while foraging and near the ruins. Used as edible Underdark staple food and ration substitute.

Glowing motes

Discovery only

Stool warned that eating them causes severe vomiting. They can potentially be kept in jars as long-lasting light, but collection was not confirmed.

Drow rapier

Aeris Naïlo

Taken from Zeleth after she was killed during the bridge encounter.

Chain shirt

Aeris Naïlo

Looted from Zeleth and kept by Aeris.

Vest with tiny vial-sized pockets

Party

Found in the ancient ruins. Suitable for holding small vials, such as poisons or potions.

Elvish diary

Varang the Ash-Mender

Found in the ruins. Contains information about Menzoberranzan, Lolth worship, drow society, and the wider region around the drow city, but not useful Darklake route shortcuts.

Bottle of fungus wine

Party

Found in the ancient ruins. Potential trade good, morale item, or future terrible choice.

Ornate key

Edric Faustin Valemont

Found randomly in the ruins. No matching lock was found nearby.

Umber hulk eyes

Edric Faustin Valemont

Harvested from the slain umber hulk. Purpose unknown, but Edric kept them.

Umber hulk mandible piece

Varang the Ash-Mender

Smashed loose and kept as a trophy.

Umber hulk meat

Party

Harvested and cooked after the battle. The party did not need to consume rations that night.

Umber hulk carapace

Party

Potential crafting material for light armour. No confirmed crafting or final recipient yet.

Session MVP / Inspiration

Aeris Naïlo

Awarded at the end of the session, largely for the Mold Earth play during the drow pursuit.

Noteworthy Items

The Recovered Chest: Still carried by the party and still important. This session it proved its worth as a vessel for Edric’s magically created water, but it remains more than just a bucket with delusions of grandeur.

The Ornate Key: A random key with no matching lock nearby. It has exactly the right shape to become someone’s future problem.

Umber Hulk Eyes: Edric harvested them from the corpse after the fight. Their practical purpose is unknown, but the wizard took them, which is usually how consequences begin.

⚙️ Rules & Mechanics Notes

Travel Pace: Fast pace helps distance the group from pursuit but prevents foraging and penalises awareness. Normal pace allows foraging. Slow pace improves caution and searching. Food and Water: Rations remain a major pressure. Bluecaps can help with food, while Edric’s Create or Destroy Water in the recovered chest has become a major survival tool. Tongues of Madness: Eating the fungus causes truth-telling and compulsive speech for several minutes. Spores also affected Iragon when he got too close. Glow Sacks: Harvested from giant fire beetles and treated as temporary light sources lasting roughly one to two days. Faerzress / Wild Magic: The party encountered a zone where spellcasting and mental stability became unreliable. Wisdom saves were required, and short-term madness affected Vorgrath and Dose. Feather Fall: Edric used Feather Fall to prevent himself and Shuushar from taking fatal or serious fall damage at the crevasse. Mold Earth: Aeris used Mold Earth both as pursuit sabotage near the crevasse and as a battlefield control option in the umber hulk fight. Bless: Varang’s Bless was a major contributor during the umber hulk battle and was called out during the end-of-session MVP discussion. Harvesting Creatures: The umber hulk provided edible meat, trophy parts, eyes, and possible carapace armour material. Heroic Inspiration: Aeris received the session MVP / inspiration at the end of the session.

💬 Memorable Moments

Varang bet Jimjar one gold that he could not stay quiet for an hour. Jimjar succeeded, and Varang considered the silence worth the coin. Edric saved himself and Shuushar from the crevasse with Feather Fall, then survived long enough for the party to turn the crossing against the drow. Aeris’s Mold Earth trap turned a desperate chase into a grisly environmental kill zone. Stool quietly chose Iragon as someone safe to stand near. The party’s survival priorities after killing the umber hulk immediately became: can we eat it, can we harvest it, and can anyone use the armour-shaped bits? Sensible adventuring. Disgusting, but sensible.

🏷️ Session Tags

Underdark Travel Drow Pursuit Faerzress Wild Magic Tongues of Madness Fire Beetles Glow Sacks Bluecap Mushrooms Circle of Root and Star Aeris Vision Blackening Disease Prince Derendil Stool Jimjar Bet Crevasse Feather Fall Mold Earth Brom and Dagnar Zeleth Ancient Ruins Darklake Umber Hulk Sloobludop Session 3

🧰 Next Session Prep

Confirm the party’s exact distance from Sloobludop and whether any further encounter occurs before entering the settlement. Track current rations, water, glow sacks, exhaustion, spell slots, hit dice, and any lingering effects after the umber hulk fight. Track the recovered chest as both water vessel and unresolved important item. Confirm who is carrying the ornate key, Elvish diary, fungus wine, vest, umber hulk eyes, mandible trophy, and carapace pieces. Prepare Sloobludop’s first impression: guards, boats, bridges, smell, noise, statue, rituals, and how Shuushar introduces the party. Track Brom and Dagnar as departed but known contacts who came from Sloobludop and warned the party. Keep Aeris’s vision, surface seeds, and the blackening disease active as a personal plot thread. Keep Derendil’s curse anxiety and Stool’s bond with Iragon available for future roleplay. Track Ilvara’s pursuit pressure in the background, even if the party has briefly gained distance.

⏳ Cliffhanger

The party ended the session within sight of Sloobludop, still several hours from the settlement proper. They had survived pursuit, madness, hunger, a crevasse crossing, ancient ruins, and an umber hulk, but survival had not yet become safety.

Ahead of them, the kuo-toa settlement glowed across the dark water. Boats moved through the gloom, figures shifted along the docks and paths, and a large central statue rose from the strange settlement like a promise, a warning, or both.

Shuushar believed his people had once been friendly to outsiders who were not drow, but he had been away for a long time and could not guarantee what welcome awaited. Behind the party, the drow pursuit still existed somewhere in the dark. Ahead, Sloobludop waited.

After days of stone, hunger, pursuit, and blood, the party finally saw lights on the water. Sloobludop was close enough to hope for, but not close enough to trust.