#7 Vibrant Grotto

Requirements: The Power of Enhancement (Global) and The Merchant Flees (Global) COMPLETE
Goal: Loot all treasure tiles
New Locations: #20 Necromancer’s Sanctum(H-13)

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Introduction

You gingerly step into the entryway of the Crooked Bone, careful to avoid the broken glass, nails, and other treacherous things. You glance around the room and see nothing but the usual detritus. Before you can call out to Hail, though, an explosion from an upper room violently shakes the entire building.

“Damn it all to the abyss!” Hail’s disembodied voice yells out. “I set up my work in the most out-of-the-way, uninviting, decrepit little hovel, and grand idiots still manage to stumble in and disrupt my research.”

The translucent woman suddenly appears before. “You do know that your mere presence in this building changes the flow of the ether, causing unanticipated currents that produce catastrophic consequences, right? I mean, how could you not know that?”

Hail closes her eyes and begins to take deep breaths, fading a little out of view with each exhale. “Yes, I did agree to help you. I had hoped the memory was a nightmare of some kind, but it wasn’t, so that can’t be helped now. The least you can do in return, however, is to warn me before you cross the threshold.”

She gives you an icy stare. “So what do you want, anyway? Let’s make this quick.” You explain to her the situation with Jekserah and the need to locate where she is hiding.

“Ah, a simple scrying matter? Well then, we are in luck,” Hail begins. “Or rather, I’m in luck. The main component I would need for such a task is biteroot, and I ran out of it just last week. I was going to gather more, but now I can just send you out to get it instead.

“Everyone wins! Except those infernal forest imps who terrorize my usual gathering spot. I hope quite a few of them will end up dead.”

A small map drops in your hand, and, with a wave of Hail’s arms, a sudden, powerful force pushes you out the door. “Remember: ring the bell when you come back and wait forty- seven seconds before entering the door!”

You are able to follow the map to a network of small caves just north of the Dagger Forest. The place is teeming with life: lush, massive plants, as well as a number of hostile animals and imps. You prepare for their attack.

Conclusion

You pull up the last bush and hack away at its root. The grotto is still alive with many hostile creatures, but with your packs now full of biteroot, you make a quick retreat, eventually finding your way to the Stone Road and back to Gloomhaven and the Crooked Bone.

You ring the bell and wait a good minute before entering the slanted doorway. There’s no sign of Hail, so you call out and wait for her. It takes much longer than you’d like.

When she finally does appear on the other side of the ruined bar counter, she seems genuinely surprised to see you. “Is that biteroot you have there? Ha, imagine that, I was just thinking about going to get some, seeing as I just ran out last week.”

You stare at one another in confusion.

“Oh, I sent you to get that, didn’t I?” Hail scratches her head. “Right, scrying. I remember now. Hand over the root.”

You give her the packs full of biteroot. “What were the details again? Jekserah? Valrath woman, yay high? Merchant dabbling in necromancy? Wears a red cape and lots of gold jewelry? Shouldn’t be too hard.”

Hail disappears with the root and you begin to hear a faint banging coming from the floor above you.

Eventually Hail appears before you holding a parchment covered in a thick, gooey biteroot paste. “There you go. Just follow that, and you should find your way to where she’s hiding.”

You hesitantly take the map. “I could have cleaned off the paste, but I thought it added a bit of charm.” (#20)

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