March 24, T.A. 1355

As our shrunken heroes continue to explore the plumbing of the archmage’s laboratory, they meet and join forces with another pair of heroes — Fasolia and Fin Greywolf — sent on the same search for the missing ruby ring.

As might be expected, searching a magical laboratory’s wastewater drainage is not uneventful. The party encounters a magical jellyfish, a giant (in fact normal) rat, and minuscule mysterious mushroom men before they also cross paths with what appears to be that same apprentice Margyle that sent them down the drain in the first place.

Their suspicions raised and their doubts growing about the real reasons they were sent on this mission and their likelihood of making it back safely and back to regular size, the heroes decide to follow the mini Margyle by moonwalking through a magic mirror only to find his corpse bearing a warning message for the archmage about a dubious visitor to the tower. At this point, Nils recalls the draft copy of a carrier pigeon note they had happened upon.

Nils deduces that Hekakil, a wizard from Kashpar, had arrived seeking an audience with the archmage. Margyle had sent a message to the archmage alerting him about the visitor, but apparently, Hekakil had fought with Margyle to get the ring, which fell down the sink during the fray. Hekakil must have ensorcelled Margyle and sent him down the drains to get the ring. Then Hekakil used an illusion to take on the form of Margyle and sought help from the Ministry of Moribund Malefections when the real Margyle didn’t immediately return.

After some internal debate, the five one-inch-tall adventurers decide to keep searching and find themselves faced with another group of those previously mentioned minuscule mysterious mushroom men, including one wearing a nice ruby ring as a crown.

The matchup between the members of the Ministry of Moribund Malefections and the minuscule mysterious mushroom men is indefinitely postponed after Fasolia the bard befriends the fungal king and as often happens during a friendly embrace, grabs the jewelry, and teleports back to the laboratory.

With Margyle dead and expecting the worst, the still one-inch-tall group found themselves back in the tower facing a full-sized angry wizard demanding that same ring. It was, in fact, the worst. As the party scatters like mice, Fasolia uses his only leverage and slips the ring on his really small finger (it magically fits).

This magic ruby ring that is the reason for this whole mission (its true name being the Ring of Ultimate Chambers) gives Fasolia knowledge of the layout of the whole archmage’s tower and the ability to open and close every door in the tower. On the off chance that one of those doors might provide at the very least a distraction or prolong the lives of our heroes, the bard decides to just open all of the doors.

The monsters that emerge from the opened doors do provide the needed distraction for just long enough for the archmage to arrive, having received Margyle’s warning. The archmage quickly regains control of the situation, sending the loosed creatures back to their rooms, detaining the wizard, and saving and enlarging our grateful group. Also grateful is the archmage for the return of his ring and he rewards each of the adventurers with magic items from one of his store rooms.

LOOT

All MMM members receive a 10 gp hiring bonus, receive money to upkeep a modest lifestyle (see the PHB for details), and can keep all the treasure they find. While adventuring, the heroes found a 300 gp diamond (sold for and split for 60 gp apiece). Also found were a magic rope (taken by Vyrus) and goggles of night vision (taken by Nils).

Heroes also get to choose one item from Table A and one item from Table B (once selected, that item is gone):

Magic Item Table A
Potion of healing (Vyrus)
Spell scroll (1st level)
Spell scroll (cantrip)
Potion of healing (Fin)
Spell scroll (1st level)
Potion of climbing
Spell scroll (1st level)
Potion of healing
Potion of healing
Potion of healing

Magic Item Table B
Spell scroll (2nd level)
Bag of Holding (Vyrus)
Elemental gem (Air elemental gem)
Keoghtom’s ointment (3 doses)
Potion of water breathing
Immovable rod (Fin)
Oil of slipperiness
Potion of resistance
Keoghtom’s ointment (3 doses)
Ammunition, +1 (20)