Underdark to Temel - Eleasis 30th

"Not here to trade, but we seek the Fey'ri village and must be on our way, unless you have any information that might aid us.'

“What? What? Who there? Ah, you trade? No trade? Ah, Fey’ri village. Yes, Trader Tol know of it. What have you to offer?”

"No items, but gold, what is the price of information?"

Trader Tol waddles over to you, pulling his cart of junk behind him. With your coin pouch in hand he holds his hand out for you to pour into. Slowly at first so only a few coins roll out, Trader Tol stares intently as the shiny objects fall into his hand.

Once six gold pieces have landed in the svirgneblin's hand he shoots you a look as if he were trying to size you up. You tilt the pouch a little more and a seventh coin falls out. Trader Tol stuffs the coins into his pocket.

"Not a village. Not any more. No-no-no! Drow enslaved them. I don't like drow. They don't like to trade at all. No-no-no! Not many drow there now, most have headed down to Svith with the mean guy. Maybe ten or so drow left to guard the elf-demons," Trader Tol shakes his head, "poor elf-demons. Drow cut off thier wings so they don't fly away."

Trader Tol pats his pocket to make sure the coins are still in there and silently starts to roll away to head down another passage.

Moving on or hailing Trader Tol again?

Jingling coins, "Trader Tol, would there be a secret way into the camp? Maybe a way that the Drow would not use or know of?"

Trader Tol stops and looks back at you. "Nope. Just be sneaky. Drow never expecting an attack. Sometimes Trader Tol gets all the way through camp without them noticing."

The svirfneblin winces and massages his shoulder, "Sometimes Trader Tol get caught too."

Perhaps I could take a look at that wound for ya, Trader Tol, and perhaps take a look at yer wares? I think we've a bit of time yet, and perhaps ye have a bit more information about this caverns ahead.

You take a look at Tol’s shoulder and find that it is dislocated. “This might sting a bit” warns Kregnok as he snaps it back into place. The bone on bone sound reverberates through the cavern.

Trader Tol tests out the new shoulder, apprehensively at first, and finds the pain for the most part is gone. “Trader Tol much better, you friend now!” The svirfneblin rummages through his wagon of stuff for a suitable prize. After the first few attempts that consisted of a half-eaten rat and a bag full of smelly mushrooms, Kregnok suggests a map of the Fey’ri village would suffice.

“Ah yes! Trader Tol draw you best map.” He fumbles around for a parchment and a lump of coal.

“Drow here, where X is. You go down that tunnel,” he stops and points to a tunnel behind him that matches the directions that the fey’ri gave you, “and you get up here at the circle.”

“Much thanks surface friends, maybe Trader Tol see you again!” And with a smile the svirfneblin leaves.

Let's head to NW Drow location, the silent types ahead considerable bit, to perhaps set up an ambush?

We should be wary of alarms. I'd feel better with our scouts checking the area before we act hastily. I'm no fan of the drow, and eliminating the guard might help us with allies, but I would urge caution. We might doom those we seek to aid.

Sorry about the delays, give me a couple of days to get things back in order and I'll post up here.

Following Trader Tol’s directions you arrive at the spot marked with the green dot on the map. You peer down each tunnel, pausing briefly to take a listen. Down the left most passage, you hear what sounds like chains dragging over stone. Specifically, it sounds like it is coming from the room with the green X on the left.

<<Looks up from a sea of boxes>>

We should split up in two groups and move around to the west and eastern sides of the western most green x!

You split into two groups, but are able to get to just about the same spot (the two green dots on the map).

From this vantage point you can see three fey’ri, wings clipped and chained to each other like prisoners. They wear tattered clothing and carry crude pick axes which they use to chip away at the rock, expanding this cavern. A single chain snakes back to the hands of a drow guard who stands next to another just inside the cavern. The sounds of axe on rock and the rattling of chains force the drow to communicate to each other by shouting in each other’s ears.

Hasimir looks to the monk (or anyone else who cares to answer) and signals a very crude "Should we kill them?"

Nods yes.

Althalus nocks an arrow and waits for the signal.

The signal is given and you unleash hell on the unsuspecting drow. Hasimir’s blade finds the back on the drow that holds the chains. The second drow turns to yell down the hallway but a well placed arrow from Althalus catches him in the throat. Unable to make a sound, he reaches for his blade only to have it knocked out of the hands by the monk.

The first drow slides off the blade of the half-elf and falls lifeless to the ground. The second drow stumbles away towards the fey’ri. The fey’ri seem confused, unsure if they should help you until one of them finally shoves the drow back towards you. Kregnok steps up and delivers a death blow to the drow with his heavy mace.

The cavern is suddenly silent from the constant banging by the fey’ri. They stand in front of you unsure of your intentions.

The monk gives a slight bow. "We come in haste, as we seek to free you and avenge Rajik's death. He has told us that your village is nearby and we must stop the drow."

The weary fey'ri look at each other, "This is our village. The other drow are nearby, there are only three of them left as Niadrem took the other back with him."

"Let us take care of the other drow, we will be right back." Similar sneaky tactic in the other marked cave.

Umberto leads the group towards the last of the drow when Senesus catches his arm, “Wait,” says the elf ranger, “They may be aware of our presence.”

You all get confused looks on your face as Senesus continues, “The caverns are silent. You, fey’ri, continue to bang away on the rock until you are either emancipated or recaptured by the drow.”

Having lived under the cruel control of the drow for some time, they immediately get back to work. Once again, the caverns are loud with the sounds of their work. With a nod from Senesus you all head out behind the monk.

Sure enough you spot a drow up ahead, or at least the back of one, as he walks back towards the cavern with the others. Certainly he came to check on the silence but returned when the noise began again.

You could probably get one person to make a silent attack on the drow before he returned. Who will it be?

The rogue, Hasimir, the others should be ready to attack!

Yeah!

Hasimir will attempt a silent attack on the drow

With nothing more than a nod of acknowledgement, the half-elf dashes through the tunnel as quiet as a whisper. Less than a minute later he returns. He was so quick and silent you are about to ask what happened. Then you see a splash of blood on his right cheek.

“Two left, up ahead in the cavern,” whispers Hasimir “both of them seated at a table.”

All eyes turn to Umberto for a response.