Sphit
* The group shuffled itself again, and proceeded even deeper into the caverns.
* A collapsing wall led to a room filled with the biggest haul yet, in pearls, coral, amber, and turquoise. Something valuing wealth had at least inhabited this place before.
* A pair of horrifying rooms with the decayed remains of torture victims were found. Spikes had been driven into the creatures.
* A small room was found that cantained three boxes, one of which had six "everburning torches" attached to batons.
* A fight broke out after some rats burrowed through the wal.
* Further ahead, a series of jail cells was found. Hiding in one cell was a small kobold. Intrigued, the party questioned the beast... who was quite fluent in comon, and it turns out that Sphit was banished from his band of war kobolds, for what reason he did not share. His obvious affect and intelligence might have had something to do with it....
* The party became travel weary, and the food supply was reaching a critical level, so the collective decision was made to leave. Saevio had to borrow rations, as he was not well prepared.
* The party packed up and left the dungeon, spending four days crossing the canyons, and winding their way down the rubble strewn peaks of the Thesk Mountains.
* On returning to town, the party regrouped and wandered to Glittering Facets to sell their gemstones to Aria. Heaps of rations were purchased to ensure a proper food supply in the future.
* Money was laid down to pay for the repairs of the gates of the keep. Daern and Polkarth, having knowledge in stoneworking and dungeoneering, will stay behind and assist the work force.
* A small amount of money (30gp) was divvied and given to the rest of the characters after group items were purchased.
* It turns out that the detailed map of Thesk bought by Tak also revealed many of the canyons in the Thesk Mountains, thus revealing an easier pass to take to the dungeon entrance. Thus, a hard three days march will take the party to the dungeon or back.
* A second party gathered and headed to the dungeon. After arriving without consequence, they began exploring. More darkmantles were found, though Vroomtilt's back spike skewered one. Tak's face was huged by another.
* Another set of dungeon rooms were found, and a secret passage nearby.
* A secret throne room was discovered. This room contained many blood stains on the floor. Sphit sat on the throne and became cursed, though he did at least take the two rubies buried in the throne. Sphit cycled out of the party in favor of Etrik.
* A few more rooms were explored.
* This information was learned from Sphit:
1) This dungeon is very, very large.
2) He was once part of an expedition of kobolds, lizardfolk, troglodytes, orcs, and a big mean ogre.
3) A "rat man" sorcerer led the group, and used his powers to get the expedition force into the dungeon. They used a different "portal" entrance than the one curretly being used by the party, though it is far away, in dangerous territory, and he doesn't remember where it was.
4) He is pleased to hear "Boyikt", wizard of the kobold contingient to the expedition, has been killed. He states that Borryn is their chief, and is is a "great fighter".
5) There are likely other kobolds from his former clam wandering the halls, setting traps, holed in some room and the like.
6) The rat-man and his imp familiar disappeared one day two months back, throwing the expedition force into turmoil. The orcs and their ogre ended up allying against the troglodytes, lizardfolk, and kobolds, who banded together out of a need to defend themselves from the war hardened orcs. Many battles have happened.
7) He doesn't know why the rat-man wanted to come down to this place. He was very secretive, and only the group leaders ever talked to him.
* Armed with this knowledge, the party gains a sense of foreboding about the endeavor. A mysterious sorcererous "rat-man" gone missing. Two factions of a broken expedition force at war. A large dungeon full of horrors and mystery....
* Ended Ches 17
* Party 2 was formed: Nim, Tak, Vroomtilt, Etrik, Ulfas, the Enchanter, Horc
* End Chapter One