The expedition left from Two Swords, from the quarry at the bottom of the central hall. The Quartermaster Grigor Corundum saw the party off with a number of supplies and the advice to bring back gems and precious metals.
The route taken began at Two Swords, delving into the Iron Way via one of the connecting mine shafts. The passage descends into water, and then connects to the top of the The Iron Way. After the water, there is a cliff drop off and a waterfall. Below the waterfall and cliff, there is a tunnel. The tunnel winds to the left and levels out. There is a path off this cavern that turns to hewn stone with a creeping fog spilling out. This hewn tunnel was cut by the Deep Geneen. Within the hewn stone tunnel is the Observatory. Another door leads to the court of King Alcohol. The hewn path loops back around to the start. The expedition returned from here to the surface.
The Observatory is within a large hewn stone room believed to be cut by the Deep Geneen. There was a magical rune trap at the threshold of the door, a set of runes that cause overwhelming despair. A piece of this trap is preserved in an exhibit in the library's collection. The observatory itself contained a large device, made of finely wrought brass. The construction is likely that of gnomish work. Inset in the brass were carefully crafted lenses, made of glass or translucent quartz. Around the room, and proceeding up through a hole in the ceiling a set of mirrors was found. The mirrors directed light from the surface down and into the device, suggesting it was used to observe the outside from underground. The room also contained the remains of a wooden, or possibly fungal, cabinet. Both the brass structure and the mirrors were magical, enchanted with divination magic.
A creature, about a foot tall, with long ears, a long nose, stumbling drunk and dragging a bottle, was encountered. Normally found on docks or ships, they are bot-bellied monstrosities, weighing about 10 lbs. They are known to cause mischief, possess razor sharp teeth, and produce a vapor cloud of booze around them that can poison those who wander too close. This one informed the party that they "Don't look like one of [King Alcohol's] subjects," because most subjects look like him. He was carrying two flasks of oil that he was releaved of by a sticky fingered party member.
A cracked door was encounted, and singing emerged from within. A bearded, green skinned creature with a broken bottle for a crown sat upon a craft throne, singing to himself.
The treasure room held a loathesome rune inscribed upon it, dreadful to behold. It shatters when it was removed from the door. Within, trinkets and debris were scattered around the room, and a stone chest stood near the edge of the room. Another wooden or fungal shelving unit once sat in this room, but had long since decayed. A glowing wand, a well-knit cap, and a scroll in a quartz scroll tube were found in the chest, along with 300 copper pieces, 750 silver pieces, 90 gold pieces, and 8 art pieces worth 100 gold pieces total.
A Quoggoth was encountered blocking the escape route. It called the adventurers "Dirty, dirty, dirty surface dwellers," asked if they were "ready to pay the toll" and when offered an insufficient prize, informed them that "You insult me." It attacked, and the party was able to neutralized it with blades and bolts.
Brass aperatus, several mirrors, 300 copper pieces, 750 silver pieces, 90 gold pieces, and 8 art pieces worth 100 gold pieces total, wand of secrets, cap of water breathing, scroll of Meld to Stone
Robber took a despair trap to the face. Monitor for prolonged effects. Some minor scrapes were received the fight with the Quoggoth, but nothing bad enough to follow up on.