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| '''Session 46: Diggy Diggy Hole''' was the forty-sixth session of the Deez Nuts' Sword Coast Campaign, which took place on January 18, 2026.
| | #REDIRECT [[Session 46 - Diggy Diggy Hole]] |
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| ==Summary==
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| The party continued their mission to create an alternate route through [[Garmok's Mine]] to avoid the hostile [[Myconid]] territory. After receiving a [[Scroll of Feather Fall]] from [[Ilyra Voss]], they set out to find the [[Svirfneblin]] (deep gnomes) rumored to inhabit the lower tunnels. Their journey led them into combat with a [[Drow]] raiding party led by Commander [[Vyran T'sarran]], followed by a tense encounter with an [[Aboleth]] lurking in an underground lake. After negotiating with the Svirfneblin [[Foreman]], the party worked to repair a broken winch system—battling a [[Rust Monster]] and a [[Mimic]] in the process—before receiving the legendary [[Mattock of the Titan]]. [[Alexios]] proved worthy of wielding the Mattock through Heroic Inspiration, and the divine artifact empowered him with supernatural strength to carve through solid rock. During their tunneling work, they battled two [[Umber Hulks]] named Hugh M. Berr and Crush Limbough. Using this magical mining tool while singing "Diggy Diggy Hole" as their work song, they successfully carved a new tunnel through solid rock, creating a safe passage. When the worthy task was complete, the Mattock's magic faded, returning to its true weight. The session concluded with the party meeting [[Derro]] traders and experiencing hallucinogenic effects from [[Myconid]] rapport spores before retiring to the barracks for a long rest.
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| ==Detailed Chronology==
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| ===Morning at Ilyra's Study===
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| The party awakened in [[Ilyra Voss]]'s study after a long rest. Ilyra presented them with the promised [[Scroll of Feather Fall]] to aid in their descent into the deeper sections of the [[Underdark]] if needed. The party discussed their plan to find the [[Svirfneblin]] and create an alternate route through the mine. [[Shade]] attempted to be sarcastic about Ilyra's "least you could do" hospitality, given their unwilling participation in her [[Mind Flayer]] experiment during the previous session.
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| ===Journey to the Gnome Territory===
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| The party headed toward the lower-left section of the mine where Ilyra believed the Svirfneblin resided. [[Karma]] summoned her bat familiar to scout ahead, which discovered gnome guards posted on high ledges approximately 40 feet up. [[Shade]] called out to the gnomes with a pun: "Gnomes! We gnome you're out there!" expressing their peaceful intentions and need for assistance (Persuasion check of 23).
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| ===Drow Ambush===
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| The gnomes did not respond, but the party's call attracted unwanted attention. A [[Drow]] raiding party, led by Commander [[Vyran T'sarran]], had been lying in wait and interpreted the party's friendly overture to the gnomes as an act of alliance with their hated enemies. The drow attacked with surprise:
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| '''Combat Summary:'''
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| *Commander Vyran T'sarran cast [[Faerie Fire]], illuminating [[Alexios]], [[Karma]], and [[Xanphina]] (only [[Shade]] saved)
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| *A [[Drow Priestess]] cast [[Darkness]] to obscure the party and flew across the chasm using magical flight
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| *[[Xanphina]] threw her [[Javelin of Lightning]] at the drow forces, killing one drow warrior instantly and damaging Viren
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| *[[Xanphina]]'s second attack with her returning trident knocked the flying Drow Priestess prone, causing her to plummet into the endless chasm to her death
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| *[[Karma]] devastated the drow forces with [[Moonbeam]], moving it strategically to damage multiple enemies
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| *[[Alexios]] struck Viren with [[Guiding Bolt]] for 21 radiant damage
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| *[[Shade]] cast [[Erupting Earth]], creating difficult terrain and damaging Viren and another drow
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| *The [[Svirfneblin]] guards joined the battle from their high positions, using darts to attack the drow
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| *[[Karma]]'s Moonbeam ultimately killed multiple drow warriors
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| *[[Xanphina]] dealt the final blow to Commander Vyran T'sarran with her trident
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| The party looted the drow bodies, finding:
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| *140 gold pieces
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| *[[Gloves of Swimming and Climbing]]
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| *[[Mithral Chain Shirt]]
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| *2 magical [[Scimitar]]s (properties unknown, not yet identified)
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| ===Meeting the Svirfneblin===
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| After the chaos, the [[Svirfneblin]] finally engaged with the party. The [[Foreman]] appeared and explained their situation: the gnomes controlled a network of tunnels but needed help creating a new passage to bypass the [[Myconid]] territory. The existing winch and lift system in the northwest area of the tunnels was broken and needed repair before they could proceed.
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| The Foreman explained that the winch system had been mysteriously rusting and breaking down repeatedly, even after repairs—suggesting magical interference. He offered to provide the party with mining equipment if they could fix the winch system.
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| ===Aboleth Encounter===
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| Following the battle, [[Shade]] jokingly suggested throwing a drow corpse into the nearby underground lake. [[Alexios]] decided to actually do this, which awakened an enormous [[Aboleth]] lurking in the depths. The creature's massive tentacles erupted from the water, grabbing at the drow corpse. The party wisely chose not to engage the undying Eldritch Horror and instead threw a second drow corpse into the water as an offering/distraction, then quickly retreated. The Aboleth accepted this "tribute" and left them alone.
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| ===Winch System Investigation===
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| As the party navigated the winding tunnels toward the winch system, Alexios paused at a fork where the passage split around a large cave formation. "Which way around the cave are we going?" he asked.
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| Xanphina, never one to miss an opportunity, immediately dubbed the formation a "cave-ussy" and Shade declared they would take the "left labia" route. The party traveled to the winch location and encountered [[Derro]] (dark dwarves/duergar) traders who were willing to provide the necessary gears, lubricants, and mechanical parts needed for the repair—for a price.
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| [[Shade]] attempted to investigate the winch mechanism, but triggered a surprise attack:
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| '''Rust Monster Combat:'''
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| *A [[Rust Monster]] emerged from the machinery, attracted by the party's metal equipment
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| *[[Shade]] successfully identified it with a Nature check (22), warning the party about its metal-destroying antennae
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| *The Rust Monster attacked [[Shade]]'s crossbow, reducing it to a "Crossbow -1" (penalty item)
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| *[[Alexios]] used his [[Battlefield Command]] ability to force the Rust Monster to walk off the cliff edge, killing it instantly with fall damage
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| Immediately after, [[Shade]] continued investigating and was grabbed by a [[Mimic]] disguised as part of the winch equipment:
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| '''Mimic Combat:'''
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| *[[Alexios]] struck with [[Guiding Bolt]] (16 radiant damage)
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| *[[Xanphina]] used [[Garmok's Flail]] twice, dealing 16 and 11 damage to finish the creature
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| ===Repairing the Winch===
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| With the threats eliminated, [[Shade]] successfully investigated the winch system (Investigation 20), determining exactly what parts were needed. The party negotiated with the [[Derro]] traders, offering the [[Moonstone Chalice]] in exchange for the necessary mechanical components. [[Alexios]] negotiated for a bonus lever to be included in the deal.
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| [[Xanphina]] (Athletics 15) and [[Shade]] (Sleight of Hand) successfully repaired the winch system, which now functioned properly for transporting materials and personnel between levels.
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| ===Acquiring the Mattock===
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| On their return journey to the Svirfneblin settlement to claim their reward, the party retraced their steps through the tunnel system. When they reached the same anatomically-nicknamed cave formation, [[Shade]] cheerfully announced they would take the "other lip" this time, navigating via the right passage back to the gnome settlement.
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| With the winch repaired, the [[Foreman]] honored his promise and led the party to the Svirfneblin vault where the legendary '''[[Mattock of the Titan]]''' rested. The weapon was enormous—designed for the hands of giants, its massive head gleaming with enchantments that had endured for millennia.
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| The Foreman explained that the Mattock was so heavy that it normally required two svirfneblin working together just to move it. When [[Xanphina]] first attempted to lift the legendary tool, she strained with all her considerable barbarian strength but could barely budge the enormous implement. Even her impressive might wasn't enough to wield a weapon forged for creatures three times her size.
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| [[Alexios]] stepped forward next, gripping the Mattock's handle. His initial attempts also failed—the weight was simply too immense for even a powerful warrior to manage. But then, drawing upon his '''Heroic Inspiration''', Alexios channeled every ounce of strength and determination into one final effort.
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| As his hands closed around the Mattock and he lifted, something miraculous happened. The ancient enchantments recognized the '''worthiness of his cause'''—to create a passage that would bring peace to the [[Myconids]], provide safe routes for the [[Derro]] and [[Svirfneblin]], and end the conflict in these tunnels. Golden light flared along the Mattock's surface as divine power surged through Alexios's body.
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| The crushing weight vanished. What moments before had required two gnomes to merely shift now felt perfectly balanced in his hands, as if the Mattock itself had awakened and chosen him as its wielder. Alexios could feel the ancient magic flowing through his arms, empowering him with the strength of the titans who had first commissioned this legendary tool.
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| For the next several hours, Alexios wielded the Mattock with supernatural ease, carving through solid rock as if it were soft clay. Each swing created perfectly smooth stone surfaces, each strike shaped the tunnel with geometric precision. The magic sustained him completely—he felt no fatigue, no strain, only the pure joy of working in harmony with an artifact of immense power directed toward a worthy purpose.
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| The Foreman directed the party to a specific location in the southern tunnels where they should dig a new passage that would bypass the [[Myconid]] caves entirely.
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| ===Digging the Tunnel===
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| The party traveled to the designated dig site and began their mining operation. As they worked with the [[Mattock of the Titan]], someone started singing "Diggy Diggy Hole," and the entire party joined in the work song. The magical mattock made the work surprisingly easy, and Alexios carved through the stone with divine empowerment.
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| The party's progress didn't go unnoticed. As Alexios carved deeper into the stone, two '''[[Umber Hulks]]''' burst through a side passage, drawn by the vibrations of the mining. These massive beetle-like monstrosities introduced themselves with grinding mandibles and unsettling clicking sounds.
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| "I am '''Hugh M. Berr'''!" bellowed the first creature in broken Common, its four eyes swirling with confusing patterns.
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| "And I... '''Crush Limbough'''!" roared the second, its massive claws scraping against stone.
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| The creatures proved formidable opponents, their confusing gazes disorienting party members and their powerful attacks threatening to derail the tunnel project. However, Deez Nuts had faced worse, and they coordinated their attacks with practiced efficiency. The party emerged victorious, and after defeating the Umber Hulks, they resumed their work with Alexios continuing to wield the Mattock while the others kept watch for further interruptions.
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| They successfully carved out a complete tunnel passage that would allow safe travel through this section of [[Garmok's Mine]] without encountering the hostile Myconids.
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| As Alexios struck the final blow, breaking through into the familiar dwarven-hewn corridors of [[Garmok's Mine]], the golden light along the Mattock's surface began to fade. The divine power that had sustained him for hours slowly ebbed away like a retreating tide.
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| When Alexios lowered the tool, he immediately felt its true weight return—the crushing heaviness that had required Heroic Inspiration to overcome. The Mattock was once again an implement meant for giants, far too massive for a human to wield casually. It was as if the ancient artifact had revealed its true power only for this '''worthy cause'''—the creation of a tunnel that would bring peace and end suffering.
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| The Foreman watched with knowing eyes. "The Mattock chooses when to grant its strength," he said quietly. "It has deemed your purpose worthy. Remember this when you face the challenges ahead."
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| ===Derro Traders===
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| After completing the tunnel, the party encountered [[Derro]] traders again (or possibly the same ones from before). These merchants were interested in the new tunnel route and requested to be notified when it was fully operational. The party also acquired an [[Ever-smoking Bottle]] from these traders, though the exact terms of this transaction were unclear.
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| ===Myconid Rapport Spores===
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| As the party prepared to rest, they were exposed to [[Myconid]] rapport spores that had drifted into the area. [[Shade]] experienced vivid hallucinations, describing disturbing visions and sensations. The party decided it was best to retreat to a safer location.
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| ===Rest in the Barracks===
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| The exhausted party made their way to the barracks area of [[Garmok's Mine]] and settled in for a long rest. The session concluded with plans to continue their mission next game on February 1st.
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| ==Notable NPCs==
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| *[[Ilyra Voss]] - Wizard researcher who provided the party with a Scroll of Feather Fall
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| *[[Foreman]] - [[Svirfneblin]] (deep gnome) leader who requested help with the winch and provided the Mattock of the Titan
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| *[[Vyran T'sarran]] - [[Drow]] commander who led a raiding party against the party (defeated)
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| *[[Drow Priestess]] - Unnamed drow priestess who cast Darkness and flew before being knocked into the chasm (deceased)
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| *[[Derro]] Traders - Dark dwarf merchants who traded mechanical parts for the Moonstone Chalice
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| *'''Hugh M. Berr''' - [[Umber Hulk]] who attacked during the tunnel excavation (defeated)
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| *'''Crush Limbough''' - [[Umber Hulk]] who attacked during the tunnel excavation (defeated)
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| ==Locations Visited==
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| *[[Ilyra Voss]]'s Study - Starting location
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| *[[Garmok's Mine]] - Lower tunnels and caverns
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| **Underground Cavern with Waterfall - Site of the drow ambush and Aboleth encounter
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| **[[Svirfneblin]] Territory - High ledges with gnome guards
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| **Winch System Location - Where the party fought the Rust Monster and Mimic
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| **Southern Tunnel Dig Site - Where the new passage was created
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| **Barracks - Where the party rested
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| ==Factions Involved==
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| *[[Svirfneblin]] - Deep gnomes seeking to create a safe route through the mine
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| *[[Drow]] - Raiding party hostile to the gnomes and party
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| *[[Derro]] - Underdark traders dealing in mechanical components
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| *[[Myconid]]s - Fungus creatures whose territory the party is avoiding (not directly encountered but their spores affected the party)
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| ==Items Acquired==
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| *[[Scroll of Feather Fall]] - Given by Ilyra Voss
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| *140 gold pieces - Looted from drow
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| *[[Gloves of Swimming and Climbing]] - Looted from drow
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| *[[Mithral Chain Shirt]] - Looted from drow
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| *2 magical [[Scimitar]]s (unidentified) - Looted from drow
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| *[[Mattock of the Titan]] - Legendary mining tool given by the Svirfneblin Foreman
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| *Lever - Bonus item from Darrow trade
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| *[[Ever-smoking Bottle]] - Acquired from Derro traders
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| ==Items Lost/Traded==
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| *[[Moonstone Chalice]] - Traded to Derro for winch repair components
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| *Crossbow (damaged to -1) - Rusted by Rust Monster
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| ==XP and Rewards==
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| ''XP awards to be determined by DM''
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| ==Character Moments==
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| *[[Shade]] made an excellent pun when greeting the gnomes: "Gnomes! We gnome you're out there!"
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| *'''Shade's Cave Navigation System:''' Created an anatomically creative navigation system by dubbing a cave formation a "cave-ussy" and naming the routes "left labia" and "other lip," demonstrating that even in the dangerous Underdark, Shade's sense of humor remains completely inappropriate
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| *[[Alexios]] inadvertently awakened an Aboleth by throwing a drow corpse into the lake
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| *[[Xanphina]]'s precision strike knocked a flying drow priestess out of the air, sending her to her doom
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| *[[Xanphina]] attempted but failed to lift the Mattock of the Titan, demonstrating its immense weight
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| *[[Alexios]] proved worthy of the Mattock of the Titan through Heroic Inspiration and was empowered with divine strength
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| *[[Karma]]'s strategic use of Moonbeam devastated the drow forces
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| *[[Alexios]] creatively used Battlefield Command to make a Rust Monster walk off a cliff
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| *The entire party sang "Diggy Diggy Hole" as their mining work song
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| *[[Shade]] experienced disturbing hallucinations from Myconid rapport spores
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| ==Notable Quotes==
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| *"Gnomes! We gnome you're out there!" - [[Shade]]
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| *"Cave-ussy! Left labia!" - [[Shade]], providing anatomical names for cave navigation routes
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| *"Diggy Diggy Hole!" - The entire party during the mining sequence
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| *"I think we just do a gracious bow and dip the fuck out." - [[Shade]], after the Aboleth encounter
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| *"I am Hugh M. Berr!" - Hugh M. Berr
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| *"And I... Crush Limbough!" - Crush Limbough
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| *"The Mattock chooses when to grant its strength. It has deemed your purpose worthy. Remember this when you face the challenges ahead." - [[Foreman]]
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| ==Trivia==
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| *This session featured only 4 party members, with [[Gootcha]] and [[Keyleth]] absent
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| *The party successfully avoided combat with the Aboleth through clever distraction
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| *[[Shade]] discovered that the [[Eye of Gilbraxia]] cannot be unattuned—it is permanently bonded to her
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| *The Rust Monster combat was resolved in a single action thanks to [[Alexios]]'s clever use of Battlefield Command
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| *The [[Mattock of the Titan]] recognized [[Alexios]]'s worthy cause and granted him supernatural strength for the duration of the tunnel excavation
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| *The Mattock's magic faded once the worthy task was complete, returning to its normal immense weight
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| *This was the second time the party encountered a Mimic in [[Garmok's Mine]]
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| *Hugh M. Berr and Crush Limbough are named after conservative talk radio hosts Hugh Hewitt and Rush Limbaugh
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| ==See Also==
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| *[[Session 45]]
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| *[[Session 47]]
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| *[[Garmok's Mine]]
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| *[[Svirfneblin]]
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| *[[Drow]]
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| *[[Mattock of the Titan]]
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| *[[Ilyra Voss]]
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| [[Category:Sessions]]
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| [[Category:Rise of Tiamat]]
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| [[Category:2026 Sessions]]
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