Past Meet Present - Into the Mountain

When we last left off so long ago our adventurers had just overcome extremely bad odds in defeating a group of Zhentarim.  Real life events have kept us from playing for a few weeks but last night we were back at it and that is where they picked up.
As the party looked around at the carnage that surrounded them they began to come together to figure out what was next.  As they took stock of their own injuries the popping of glass could be heard as the blaze within the darkness grew more intense.  Soon the black smoke that rose above the dome of black turned multicolored for a few brief moments before returning to a more normal color and the party realized that the tent which had been sat on fire must have contained some potions or similar items which would now be lost.

Deciding that they should try to pull anyone out of the darkness away from the fires they could find, they started probing into the blackness slowly, pulling out first one body and then a second, but as they prepared to go back in the darkness disappeared instantly.  After a brief moment of shock they saw the others fallen inside the blackness as well as the raging fire of the tent burning away.  They quickly went around looking for survivors, but they found that most of their combatants had bled out or had been killed instantly from mighty blows that had been delivered.
It was then however that Shadow stumbled across a single man, barely breathing and on death's door.  She quickly pulled out a scroll she had recently found and recited the words of one of the curing spell that was on it, stabilizing the man and healing some of his wounds but the man was still near death and gravely injured.  As she tied his hands and feet and checked his mouth for poisons the man could do nothing to resist and seemed more as a lifeless doll than a human.
After this the party began to realize that while only one of those still here remained, there were a pair that rode off at full speed that were alive, and they were likely to go right by where their horses had been tied and watched by howler.  As most of the party searched through the Zhentarim equipment and prepared their own camp, Daisy and Shadow were already on two of the Zhent horses and rushing off down the path.
As they sped off, Temeris took a moment to examine the entrance into the mountain before them and went on into the first main room.  As the others watched outside he went a bit further in, finding that a room sat to his right and furhter down the hall he could hear what sounded like running water.  Excited by the prospect of a magical fountain he was ready to rush in, but Crispin being the voice of reason talked Temeris into returning to the camp and waiting for the others as they were spread to thin to encounter any surprises at that point.  Temeris, despite claiming that he felt "nearly invincible" because of the feats he could now do with his magical dagger agreed and the party camped for the night.
Meanwhile Daisy and Shadow rode hard and soon found themselves back near the area of the shrine but the sun was beginning to set.  Not ready to stop they continued on but soon found that the trail became too dangerous to rush about on in the limited moonlight so they dismounted and walked hurriedly with horses in tow instead. 
After many hours of walking they saw a large lump next to the path just ahead.  Shadow told Daisy to rest while he moved forward to check it out, and after sitting and watching what appeared to be a horse laying there for some time, but hearing and seeing nothing else to alarm her, she returned to Daisy and they moved forward to investigate.  What they found was a horse who appeared to have broken a leg and then broken its neck upon the fall during its dangerous charge down the mountain.
Daisy, now angered at the treatment of the horse pushed the pace forward.  As they neared the bottom of the trail they heard a pained bark ahead of them.  Thinking Howler may be engaged with the Zhents at that time they rushed even faster forward but as they did they could tell after a short time that the bark was coming from a bush just off the path ahead. 
They approached and found Howler crawling out from under with a crossbow bolt sticking out just above one of his front legs.  The blood still trickled out a bit but much of it was dry, and he had dry blood around the mouth as well.  At this Daisy was furious and she charged down the path looking for anyone that may be there.  Shadow took time to stop and remove the bolt, and seeing the bleeding still continued used the second of two curing spells on the scroll she had found upon Howler.
At the bottom Daisy soon reached the area they had tied their horses only to find them gone.  Not far off in the trees she could see another horse laying on the ground.  She rushed to it and found it alive but in poor shape.  Shadow rushed to her side as she looked around and looked over the horse as well.  It had been ridden nearly to the point of exhaustion and death.  Daisy was furious but given that they couldn't tell where the Zhentarim had gone, and given that they now had fresh horses and would easily outpace them, they had no choice but to tend to the horse and return to the party.
After sitting with the horse by fireside and tending it for a few hours the sun began to rise and they began up the mountain.  It was slow going as the horse they now had could do little more than a slow walk and needed regular stops.
Back up the mountain the rest of the party waited patiently, or as patiently as made to in Temeris's case as he was extremely eager to see what was in the mountainside.  As early afternoon rolled around they decided that they would speak to their prisoner.  Using some minor healing Atvan was able to bring him around to consciousness, and with that Crispin sat atop his chest.

Telling the man that they would do what the Zhents wouldn't, kill him quickly, if he answered their questions while the others stood back looking intimidating, Crispin began questioning him.  The man seemed to accept the fact that he was already dead and willingly answered wishing for the quick death rather than what his masters would present him.  He told them that Manshoon had sent them to look for the Earth Blood, but he knew little about it.  He also couldn't tell them much about the others as the group was put together just for this mission.  He did tell them that messengers would be sent back with their findings after two days while the rest remained if anything were found.  Crispin then asked at the prompting of Temeris if the man knew of Dolf, Daisy's brother.  He said that he knew nothing of him.  With that they put a sack over his head with the intent of letting Daisy and Shadow question him "before finishing things".
The rest of the day was uneventful for both groups of the party.  It was nearing evening when an exhausted Daisy and Shadow re-joined the group, relaying the information that the horses had been taken and the survivors had escaped.  After relaying what they heard from the prisoner Shadow then took her turn with interrogations but found out little more. 
With that Crispin then told Daisy to show the man a drawing of her brother.  The man began to suspect that they didn't intend to finish things and he became a bit less cooperative, but after an argument between Crispin and Temeris about killing or not killing the captive which ended with Crispin slapping Temeris, the man answered that he knew nothing of the slaver trade within the Zhentarim and that they should seek out someone of that profession.  He suggested Phlan or Zhentil Keep, or the underbelly of any large city.
Determining that they would find nothing else out from this man they put the sack over his head despite his demands to finish him and then cut his bonds.  As Crispin put a knife to his back and told him to run he leaned back into the knife instead.  Shadow spoke out "he must have a death wish!" to which the man only replied "I am already dead, at your hand or the Zhentarim, and I'd rather you just do it quick."  Seeing that they would get nowhere with him they took him, bound him over a horse, and slapped the horse sending it down the mountainside.

Afterwards Crispin, Daisy, and Temeris began arguing about the slap.  Crispin tried to explain that it was part of the ruse, that he was merely intimidating their prisoner but didn't have any intentions of harming him.  Temeris argued that the slap wasn't necessary and that the Karameikan Fist charter would state that there wasn't to be slapping of party members, to which Crispin replied "there is no charter", to which Temeris stated "well if there was".  In the end they came to an agreement though Daisy was still a bit confused about when was appropriate to slap another and asked Crispin to please let her know should she ever be in a position where she is to slap him.
Exhaustion setting in for the pair having had no sleep in nearly two days the party settled in to sleep for the night and continue in the morning, having interpreted what the Zhent agent had said as having others coming in two days time leaving little time for exploration themselves.  As Temeris settled in however he thought he saw a flash of light, and then a second, from his backpack.  As he opened it he could see the statue taken from the underground start to become brighter but suddenly it went black again.
Taking it out and looking it over, holding it in the light, didn't go unnoticed with the party and as he put it away they inquired "what was that about?".  Temeris, ever the innocent and naive young man, asked honestly "What?".  They then asked why he had the statue out playing with it.  He told them that he wasn't sure but he thought that it had glowed briefly.  With this they took it out and examined it.  When it didn't glow any further and found it didn't match any of the symbols, or the makeup of anything in the area they'd seen, they decided that they should keep an eye on it thinking perhaps it lit when near something specific such as the Earth Blood, or perhaps at a certain time of day.  With that though they laid down to rest.
When the sun rose on the next morning the party awoke feeling refreshed and ready to go.  First though they had to figure out what they were going to do with all that they had come across.  The horses remained tethered and there was enough food and water to take care of them for a few days at least.  However what to do about the equipment?  At first they discussed burying it, however after a while they decided that would take too much time and instead just threw it about as if the place had been trashed.  They did however decide that they were going to keep anything they found with magical properties and soon Atvan had loaded up the chainmail and potions into a bag he carried.
The suit of leather however Temeris grabbed and announced he would like to wear if no one objected.  Shadow spoke up first asking "Are you sure you want to wear something with magical properties when you don't know what it does?  It could be cursed!".  He and Shadow argued the point for a while and finally Temeris turned to Atvan for an opinion as Atvan had demonstrated a "great knowledge of the arcane".  Atvan reasoned that it was likely just a minor protective enchantment, or something similarly minor, and that it likely wasn't cursed if it was being worn.  Also, there were no runes or the like on it to suggest a stronger magic ... and with that and even before the final words were said Temeris claimed "then that solves it, I'll wear it" as he was already pulling it on.
With that now settled he led the party into the mountainside.  The found the walls that had once been masterfully carved and full of symbols to be long worn and desecrated in all manner.  The passed by the entry room and down the hall further, then they turned to examine the room off to the right shortly after the entrance, finding little more than long rotted and ruined wood in the defiled room.  The determined that it was likely some sort of welcoming room and soon continued on.
As they re-entered the hallway the running, perhaps bubbling, sound of water further down the hall could be heard.  Temeris began that way but as he passed one section of wall he could clearly see what used to be once a hidden door to one side.  Stopping they looked for a method to open it, and after some time they found a small stone that would open the door when pressed.  Despite the sound of the water just beyond the reach of the sunrod they decided to explore this secret door first.  Upon opening it they saw that it went west a short ways and then turned North, but there was a metal lever next to the door on the wall as well.
Temeris, believing that this would close the door from this side, went in and instructed the others to wait.  Grabbing the handle he pulled it down, from its up position.  As it reached the bottom it made a loud click and stopped, but nothing else happened.  A bit confused and disappointed he re-joined the others just outside.  They debated for a while, finish searching this level before going on or taking the potential shortcut, as often that is a use for secret hallways they decided.  After moments stretched into minutes they finally decided that they would head down the secret passageway ignoring the sounds of the water for now.
As Temeris began down the stairs, followed by the others, the stone became less and less worked and finally at the bottom it was little more than a cavern.  However as the passage went left it opened up and Temeris could see a pool of water dominating the right portion of the area, and beyond that an iron door.  He quickly rushed forth and knelt to drink from the "magical" pool with Atvan not far behind him and the others making their way down the stairs.  As his lips neared the water though a large tongue shot forth from the water catching him offgaurd.  Fortunately it just missed him, shooting by his left ear.

As Temeris stumbled back pulling his dagger from his sheath he could barely make out the eyes just below the surface of the nearly man sized amphibian that Atvan had seen try to make Temeris lunch.  As the others entered the room being warned of the danger the frogs which could only be seen when the broke the surface of the murky waters retreated further back into the pool.  Taking care to watch the frogs the party made their way around the water to the iron door.
Looking it over Temeris could see many of the same symbols for Tyr and Helm upon the door, but they were also desecrated but the desecration seemed to be less random.  He looked it over and though he really couldn't be sure, nor name any of the symbols, he got the feeling that he knew at least some of these were religious but not of a human religion.  Not going to let that stop him, he pulled out his lockpicks and quickly had the lock open and the door swung open.
Beyond the door was a cavernous passage continuing on, but he could tell that up ahead light came down from above.  Moving forward through the guano and debris covered floors he soon came to an area where the cave opened all the way to the surface of the mountain face some 200 feet above them.  Also below this the cavern branched left or right, and he soon turned and began down the left passage.
The passage went on a short ways getting narrower, but as it became a tight fit it suddenly opened into a large cavern with a high ceiling, strangely not occupied with any stalagmites or stalactites.  Entering into this room they saw that the floor dropped about 15' to another level of to the southeast, and to the northeast was a depression as well that dropped to a soft flooring about 10' below the level they were on.  It appeared that another passage may continue to the north or it could have been a depression in the stone giving the impression that it would continue.


And that is where we left off.  The party believes that they only have a couple days before more Zhentarim arrive, and they find themselves again below ground in a large cave system.  The area which once was obviously a place of great good has fallen to uncountable acts of desecration and unknown occupation.  They still seek this "Earth Blood" though knowing little about it.  Above they left things largely unexplored, including the strange running, bubbling noise of water that had peaked Temeris's curiosity before the caverns below did, and below where they are is a passage left behind and a couple of exits from their current room as well.
Where to now with the party?  How many Zhents are on the way and how soon will they arrive?  What is this Earth Blood that they all seem to be looking for?  What about this Manshoon?  He isn't the same guy that sent the other group.  What was that running, bubbling water noise that was so close but just out of their light source range?  And what about Daisy's brother?  Where is he and what situation is he in?  What about the statue glowing again briefly?  What about those that escaped?  What was the letter left for Crispin?  What is Bastion up to?  Questions, questions, questions...