Session 82 - Purple Worm and More Rats

The adventurers attempt to rest in the purple worm cave and find that scavengers attracted by the smell of the dead worm keep them from getting a good rest.

This write-up is based on Kay’s notes from our May 13, 2026, session. Since our group is scattered around the country, we use Discord for our voice communication and Roll20 for our virtual tabletop. Thanks to Kay for the write-up and screen shots.

Continued from: Purple Worms Cavern

Location: Rappan Athuk, Level 3 – Beware of Purple Worms
Date: Thursday, July 12, 3517

10 AM
Our group was standing on a stalagmite with one place flat enough to stand on, 10 feet above the main cavern floor. There was a smaller-diameter column continuing up to the ceiling of the cave. We saw a small crack at the bottom and top of a flat stone that looked like a secret door, like it raises up. We discovered a rune at the bottom of the secret door. Breena cast Comprehend Languages and read it; it’s a Rune of Insanity. We discussed using mage hands to open it while we all stand well clear. We decided we needed our mana raised, so we started with a short rest at 10:30am.

Blaze put out her staff’s light so we wouldn’t be visible at a distance to others, and people with night vision went on watch.

Before we could get any rest at all, giant rats started coming out of the tunnel that leads down to the next level. Elron spotted them and cast spike growth, it lasts for 10 minutes and causes damage for every 5 ft a creature moves through it while in the diameter. He centered it down the tunnel. 

Marthek heard something and said, “What’s going on?” Blaze cast light on her staff and moved over to Elron.

The spikes killed two giant rats trying to move through it. Another one was injured but moved out of the area of influence. Six more rats came out of the tunnel. Parahelia heard squeaking sounds and moved up to the edge of our flat space, looking down.

Two more giant rats got injured from the spikes. Sinis cast acid splash on one and killed it. Elron looked for live rats, holding his attack with his sling. Two more rats died from the spikes. Elron left the spikes up for the full 10 minutes but nothing else came out. 5 dead rats at the last count.

10:50 AM
We re-started our short rest. Fifty minutes later five more giant rats came out of the tunnel.

Elron’s sling took out three of them; Breena’s crossbow killed one more. Two more rats came out of the tunnel moving east; Blaze cast acid splash, killing one of them. Artie moved across the stream to the north, guarding the stairs and our escape route. 

Seven giant rats moved east past the column we were on, ignoring us.

Marthek walked to the other side of the flat space to watch them. Elron moved to the edge, hit and killed two of them.

Breena cast magic missile on three giant rats, injuring them. Sinis followed up with acid splash and finished off two of them.

Blaze used acid splash on one giant rat but did little damage.

One giant rat went around the column to the right, walked past the stairs and attacked the purple worm carcass.

Marthek said, “I think they’re attracted by the smell.”

Elon moved around to the east side of the column, aimed at a giant rat but missed twice.

Sinis moved to the side with the purple worm; acid splashed two giant rats. He missed one and hit the other which flinched.

Blaze cast acid splash on the last two rats, killing both. 

11:50 AM
Trying for a short rest again. The smell of fresh meat from the purple worm and dead rats is filling the cavern.

2 PM
Another wave of giant rats, 15 this time. We waited and watched them. They swarmed the worm, ate their fill and then went back down the tunnel. 

3:50 PM
4 hours short rest during which another swarm of 6 giant rats came and ate; they were done by 4pm. 

4 PM
We decided to go back to the lumber room for a long rest; this cave has too many giant rats to rest in. No encounters on the way back. Blaze mentioned that in the Journal of Hairfoot, one of their team had a shortcut that bypassed the third level completely so they wouldn’t have to deal with the purple worms; the team member said to stick next to the walls and not walk over the disturbed soft dirt, which we have been doing. 

4:40 PM
In the lumber room. Breena on first watch heard something walking by. Elron peeked out through the keyhole; it was 3 black skeletons going west to east in the hallway. 

6:40 PM
Elron on watch heard a pair of wererats and 10 giant rats going east to west. 

10 PM
Probably the same black skeletons going in the opposite direction. 

July 13, 3517

Midnight
Wererats with a herd of giant rats looking for someone.

1 AM
Only two black skeletons this time. 

2 AM
9 goblins.

3 AM
2 wererats and 14 giant rats.

4 AM
A single black skeleton.

6:50 AM
An Ogre cautiously going around.

Elron heard the ogre stop in front of each door, listening. We’re very, very quiet. 

8 AM
We finished our long rest.

Ten minutes later we’re back in the purple worm cave at the stalagmite. The giant rat bodies were gone but something had eaten them and the worm carcass was almost stripped. The clerics’ bodies were gone as well. Another purple worm was here now. We could hear the worm but had no line of sight on it; it seemed to be near the mouth of the rat tunnel. We waited a few minutes; it was eating the dead rats.

9 AM
The second purple worm finished eating and tunneled into the floor. Sinis’s rough terrain is muddy and stirred up. Elron jumped over the stream and followed along the cavern wall and up the stairs to the secret door; everyone came up except Artie who was staying back near the stairs to the second level.

After examining it closely, Sinis said there was a 60 ft. range on the rune. Sinis cast dispel magic on the Rune of Insanity and it vanished.

Mage hand wouldn’t open the door. Elron examined the door, checking for locks and traps. The door wasn’t locked; it slides up on the column that goes up to the ceiling. Rocky, sent in first, saw a small room with a large marble sarcophagus, otherwise it’s empty. Blaze looked inside, there is an inscription on the Sarcophagus

. 
Rocky could see it and Breena could see through Rocky’s eyes. Breena cast comprehend languages and translated it for us:
 

I, the archmage who bent the very Weave to mine will, do proclaim: 

Let no soul profane these vaults without dire consequence. 

That which gleameth shall turn treacherous and leaden at thy touch. 

That which shineth fairest shall break into brittle falsehoods. 

And for every measure of golden worth thou dost pilfer, 

necrotic darkness shall carve its price upon thy flesh. 

Thus shall the greedy perish not in poverty, but in mockery of riches. 

Elron closed the door; we decided not to loot the tomb. Blaze marked the spot with an “S” in chalk for a secret door.

Continued in Session 83 - The Crystal Skull