74 - The Deep Gnomes Make a Vegetable, and Negotiating with Erelda

The adventures of the party as recorded by the Chronicler
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DalamarD
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Joined: Wed Nov 01, 2017 2:39 pm

74 - The Deep Gnomes Make a Vegetable, and Negotiating with Erelda

Post by DalamarD » Mon Jul 01, 2019 1:11 pm

After looting the drow, the Forsaken head to the Flawed Ruby to recuperate with drinks and food. The other Deep Gnomes seem to share a sense of camaraderie with us, at least insofar as people who have survived a deadly battle together. Kargian is less sanguine with us, but outwardly friendly. He tells us to report back to him when we secure the trade routes with the drow. After eating, drinking, and bantering, we head to the barracks to get some well-deserved rest.

First thing in the morning, Gurmadden comes to our barracks and says he needs to show us something. We prepare our morning spells and perform our ablutions, and then follow him out of the barracks. He takes us to Pingtu’s abode and gestures for us to enter. Inside the small hut, we see a drow sitting in a chair, with Briddick sitting next to her. Henkala, Pingtu, and some rangers are also there. Briddick tells us that we might want to question the escaped infiltrator before they take care of her, but he cautions us not to kill her. She seems wholly compliant and willing to answer our questions without reservation. We ascertain that Talebrina was Duskryn’s youngest daughter, that the drow already know of her death, and that no other drow are in the Blingdenstone area. Briddick informs us that all 19 of the drow squad from the warehouse have been accounted for. She further tells us that Blingdenstone is in the way of the drow conquest of the illithid. We learn nothing else of particular import from her, and indicate to the nearby deep gnomes that we are done with her. At this, Henkalah begins to incant, then Pingtu steps forward and assists. Afterward, the drow’s face is glazed. Henkalah leaves, and Briddick says they will drop her off at the trading outpost. We resolve to head to Mantol-Derith with them. Gurmadden asks us if we acquired any books from Telabrina. We confirm that we did, and he shows us several other similar books. He says he will use our book to help translate the others, and we give it to him. We bid Gurmadden farewell and prepare to depart for Mantol-Derith with the deep gnomes. When we meet with Briddick and the rest of the party, we see the drow prisoner with them. She seems out of it and incapable of speech. We learn that the deep gnomes do this to many drow-prisoners they capture. Briddick informs us that the drow would never rest if they knew Henkalah and Pingtu were in Blingdentsone.


We arrive at Mantol-Derith, and Briddick says he will let us find our own way back. We head over to the house where we met Eleenea on our last visit, and ask to speak with Erelda. We sit for several hours, until a female drow beckons us down a hallway and deposits us in a room. Soon thereafter, Eleenea enters and greets us. She asks for proof of Telebrina's demise, and we show her the broach we recovered from Telebrina’s corpse. Eleenea looks pleased and tells us that Erelda will see us soon. In a few minutes, Erelda enters and examines the broach. She congratulates us and asks if she might call upon us again for a mutually beneficial endeavor. We agree, and Valak asks her if she will let us know when Duskryn will attack the Horn, but she demurred and wants us to offer something in return. We discuss at length, but eventually Pretor ends up telling her that we intend to release a plague on the Lake States. She asks us about the Black Council, and we avoid answering directly. She seems satisfied, and tells us she will warn us when Duskryn intends to attack. We ask to set up a sending when this occurs, and Erelda sends Eleenea out to fetch Nancy Drow, who needs to "gets to know" Valak. After concluding our business with Erelda, we retire to Eleenea's quarters with Nancy Drow to enjoy an evening of debauchery. The next morning we are unceremoniously kicked out of Eleenea’s apartment and take our leave of Mantol-Derith.

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