Adventure 6 - The Lightless Depths

After learning from the former first mate of the Brine Harlot that the Crimson Fleet has been purchasing shadow pearls from troglodytes on the north shore of the Isle of Dread, the party ventures forth aboard the Brine Harlot to put an end to the shadow pearl production. They strike a deal with Emraag The Glutton, an enormous dragon turtle, and gain safe passage for ships flying the colors of Farshore.
Upon arriving in Gallivant Cove, they discover that the troglodytes are merely a front for more sinister subterranean forces, called the Lords of Dread. The party releases an olman warrior drugged and held captive by the troglodytes and escort him back aboard the Brine Harlot. Venturing below with the help of their reluctant troglodyte guide Irgzid, the party passes through the ancient Olman ward known as the Cerulean Curtain, designed to hold back the water that would release the aboleths from hibernation. From there, the party takes its ease in a town of inbred mongrelfolk called Barbas. The leader of the mongrelfolk community leads the party to a hibernating aboleth who was trapped when the Cerulean Curtain was erected. After slaying the defenseless creature, the party returns to Barbas but find the place deserted as its citizens have left for the upper tunnels or even the surface.
The party journeys further and encounters an ancient ghost speaking in behalf of the tormented spirits of the Cerulean Curtain. The ghost asks them to stop the corrupting influence of the kopru and the Lords of Dread by destroying the source of the Cerulean Curtain, releasing the aboleths from hibernation. The party pushes forth and reaches Golismorga, the ancient aboleth city.
They encounter strange buildings and abberant creatures in addition to an undead scholar who gives them information about the most important parts of the city. The party goes to investigate the ziggurat that is the center of the kopru community. Unfortunately, they find it too well guarded. Their options limited, the party sets out for the crater left by Tlaloc's Tear. Upon arrival they come under attack by an invisible guardian of the site. The party finds themselves out of their league when the guardian drives them off after killing one of their own and with two barely escaping with their lives. A few streets further the party walks into another patrol and this time, the battle goes ill when several of the party including their troglodyte guide fall under the dominating control of the kopru. In the end, the party can defeat the koprus but Irgzid loses his life. Having failed again, the party returns to the Kopru temple and uses summoned creature to penetrate the village's defences. With this small succes gained, they retreat to the ledge from where they entered Golismorga. Unfortunately they come under attack by kopru behemoths who sneak up on the party under a cloak of invisibility and covered by a naga spellcaster. The party takes a beating and loses three of their own before killing the koprus and driving off the naga.
Seeing no other option, the party retreats in the tunnel towards the surface. After travelling for a full day, they start to raise their dead and spend another day tending to their wounds and preparing to enter the city once more. When they return to the city, they discover a troglodyte is waiting for them. This troglodyte shows remarkable intelligence and very untrog-like behavior. After questioning it, the party discovers this creature is in fact an olman ghost and is currently possessing the troglodyte's body. The ghost is also in favor of destroying the curtain so that his tormented kin are freed. With this new addition, they go back to the site of the impact and are engaged by the invisibile spellcaster. After a long and confusing combat, the invisibile spellcaster is killed but at the expense of nearly all the partymembers. Luckily the half-ogre's crew has come to investigate what kept their captain for so long. Together with the remaining partymembers, they enter the city anew.
The party distracts the kopru guardians by destroying Tlaloc's Tear, flooding the city and allowing them to assault the kopru leader at the seat of his power. With the destruction of the bilewretch, the kopru production of shadow pearls is momentarily stopped. The first battle against the Lords of Dread may be won, but the origin of the shadow pearls has not yet been discovered.