Session 1 & 2 - Into the Caves

 After leaving Bryn Shander the party make their way safely to Termaline. 

Walking down the wide streets in the snow they spot a young boy standing on a box shouting the days news. "Knuckle head trout catch numbers drop like the temperature" and more interestingly "Miners chased out of the gem mine by kobolds. Speaker offers 50Gp to the group that clear the mine"

The party approach the boy who explains he just has headlines not actual information, and that they should head to the Blue Clam Inn and ask for Oarus Masthew.

They head to the Inn and as they approach they are greeted by a figured wrapped in furs, who says "You look like a capable bunch are you here to take me up on the job for clearing the mine"

They ask a bunch of questions about the job and eventually agree to check it out. They Ask if there is someone who worked the mine around and Oarus points them to the bar and tells them to ask for Thoddag.

They head inside and spot a dwarf drinking at the bar alone, they confirm he is Thoddag and offer to buy him ale in exchange for information about the mine. 

The find out there is one surface entrance, several levels and a shaft that drops down to the underdark where the Drow dwell. 

On the purchase of a second ale they discover a great deal about the geology of the rocks and how the different veins running through the mine have created great deposits of gems. This puts Nogok into a standing nap as they realize first that the Dwarf loves rocks and geology and two perhaps it was too broad a question to ask about more about the mine.

They head out the north east road to the gem mine which is only about a 30 min walk out of town and well signed. Once they arrive they find the entrance which has a sign out the front stating "Kobolds Only" They notice that the calligraphy of the sign seems far too refined to be Kobolds and head inside. 

Mochi and Nogok can see in the dark so they start to stealthily scout out the mines, while Etch lights a torch for the rest of the party, and Kurash casts summon flame to provide some more illumination. 

Scouting around they see some tracks, reptilian, giant rodent and human throughout the mines dusty floor. They head through the mines narrow hallways and spot a giant rat that attacks, biting Mochi who returns the favor by shooting it in the head with his cross bow, taking it down. Nogok heals Mochi to full health, and a Second rat jumps from the shadows. 

Etch takes car of this one, singing an off key song about the patheticness of the rats life and lineage, causing it to try and chew its own head off to stop the misery its feeling. 

Exploring where the rats came from they see an underground river running through the cavern with small wisps of mist coming off the water. Feeling the water they notice that its far warmer than most things they have encountered in this icy hell hole, and they decide to put a rope around Layton and give him a torch to see if he can squeeze through the fissure the river flows into.

He enters the water and is surprised at how strong the current is, but he keeps his footing and gets through the fissure seeing the water get to the edge of a cliff and fall down into a very deep shaft. He sees on the other side of the shaft some boards attached to the walls forming a walkway, and he manages to safely return to the party. 

Meanwhile Nogok was searching around the room, and found some miners tools hastily discarded, he takes a miners pick, and grabs a hammer for Layton. 

Moving along towards the deep shaft, they find the gem sorting and finishing room, where Nogok finds and keeps a small statue of a Dog with gemstone eyes which has been hand carved.

They enter find the room with the shaft and boardwalk and tie a rope to Nogok as the heaviest of the group, he steps gingerly across the boards as they creak and strain under his weight but don't collapse.

The party continue on and find a room on the far side of the shaft to the depths of the earth that contains a basket and pulley mechanism. They take turns lowering themselves down to the lower level, and see a tunnel leading north and one to the south that quickly turns to the west. The party move a short ways in each direction before Nogok and Vern spot a floating brain with tentacles and a beak to the north, which watches them but doesn't respond to their presence, and to the south east two Ice Kobolds spot the parties torch and move in to investigate. 

Starting the dance of combat one of the Kobolds throws a javelin at Layton but misses, the party respond by firing crossbows and casting spells at the pair until one is down and the other feels deeper into the mines, the combat while out of sight for Nogok and Vern has their interest and eventually Vern leaves to see whats happening, Nogok now alone becomes far more interesting to the Grell. 

Moving up the Grell attacks Nogok and knocks him out, the rest of the party attack, now the threat from the south is eliminated. The Grell starts to drag the unconscious Nogok away to feast on him, and the party continue their assult, eventually Mochi hits it with a crossbow bolt and splits its brain wide open, Nogok is released and gets healed by Kurash,