"Thank you ladies, at least I no longer fell like I'll die in my sleep tonight." Zane quips as his breathing becomes less labored, his skin and lungs healing some from the fiery blast, although still very much worse for wear.
Cynara draws a wand and taps the wizard with it a few times. "If we're going to set an ambush, we should be about it quickly."
"Thank you." Zane says breathing a sigh of relief as his wounds completely heal. "I'm Zane by the way,"
Shaking her head slightly, Sylvianna gives the wizard a sidelong glance. [b]"You are extremely luck, considering how utterly reckless that was."[b]
"Cynara Eruthiel, at your service. And I mean that literally--Lady Eviana ordered me and the rest of her forces in Mierani to help you as best we could. Though I would certainly have assisted even without her order; having driders and drow here is not acceptable."
Zephram nods, "In that, we're quite in agreement," then turns to the Wizard, "Zane, what do you remember of the alchemicals you saw? It's likely worth the circumstances of your explosion -- either to avoid doing it again... or to trigger a similar drow-killing blast."
Closing his eyes, Zane puts his eidetic memory into play, walking the group through his entry.
"Beneath the dome, a roaring fire blazes in the center of a cluttered chamber.
Above the fire, a trio of kettles bubble furiously, with a column of green smoke rising up to a hole in the ceiling.
Beyond, a pair of tall glass tanks sits against the far wall, one green and the other oily black.
Tools and laboratory equipment are scattered about the room on tables or hung from hooks on the wall.
There is an overpowering stench in the air, mixed in with the smell of burning chemicals. This is probably due to the half dozen or so Troglodytes bustling about working the various mechanisms, fetching and carrying, and so forth.
In the middle of all the activity is a drow female in protective gear, directing everybody.'
You are pretty sure the contents of the building were entirely alchemical in nature, and not magic.
You also remember rack upon rack of hand crossbow arrows, each with an alchemical capsule tip, color coded with either red, yellow, purple, blue or green.
There were several dozen flasks, marked the same as the crossbow bolts.
There were more recognizable racks of thunderstones, smokesticks, acid and alchemical fire flasks as well.
Out of time to search and several squads of drow bearing down on you, you quickly make your escape along the preplanned routes.
Eventually you make your way back to base camp, where you are debriefed at the command tent.
Kaerishiel nodded at you cooly.
"Congratulations on a successful mission. The Drow alchemical production has been stopped, and there is no chance they can resume producing their special hand crossbow bolts.
"I should point out that your solution, however effective, has released a vast cloud of horrible vapor that is currently drifting about the city..."
Evianna raised her hand and Kaerishiel stopped, grinding his teeth instead.
"It was well done indeed." She said.
Kaerisiel stalked from the tent silently.
"And I apologize for not recognizing the hazard the manufactury presented. No one could have suspected they were so careless with their hazardous alchemical materiels.
"Go get healed and get some rest. I have no doubt there will be more to do tomorrow." She assured you.
Cynara raises one eyebrow as Kaerishiel stalks out, then composes herself and addresses her superior. "Lady Evianna, shall I remain with the group? They have only limited healing, and that is one of my many talents."
"Well tey were using Troglodytes for their general labor. Perhaps assigning more valuable...and intelligent resourses elsewhere. We thank you Lady Evianna." Zane says with a bow."I may also be in need of a change of clothing." he finishes with a grin.
Noticing Nakoda's look and remembering that she didn't speak Elven he turns to the fierce Skald. "The Lady is reccommending we get ourselves healed if need be as well as rested and fed. If you like when we have time I could teach you Elvish. It looks like we'll have a need for it for the foreseeable future."
Zephram nods at Zane's description, "I may have some of those reagents... Still, I suspect that it would be unpractical to carry enough of them to trigger a similar reaction... Especially if we are not able to identify everything.."
He turns to the elves as they approach, watching them intently as the Lady cuts off Kaersiel, It would seem even destroying the drow is not enough to win the respect or regard of some. Such racism... or, maybe, isolationism ... either way, it is illogical... especially given the very real threat these drow represent...
Finally, he turns his attention back to the Lady, and offers, "If there is a threat to you, especially one that is alchemical in nature, I would be happy to offer my assistance... I am somewhat familiar in the ways of alchemy."
"From what I remember it was definitely the center of their alchemical production, with rows upon rows of crossbow bolts waiting to be loaded with a variety of color coded compounds." Zane adds
Cynara murmurs an aside to Nakoda. "I can also teach you Undercommon, if you have any interest in understanding what our enemies are saying."
"Lady Evianna, shall I remain with the group? They have only limited healing, and that is one of my many talents."
Evianna smiled.
"Of course." She said, turning to look after them."They are heroes, strange though they appear. Their fates are entwined with ours now...
"I will make it a written order, so that your position may not be challenged." She said, and proceeded to do so; writing out the official order detaching Cynara from the Scout service and attaching her to the Heroes unit. She gave Cynara a copy.
Food. Food was Nakoda's immediate priority...
Food was simple to come by, as a camouflaged service position dished up savory elven foods. Lots of fruit, vegetables and nuts; with a deliciously flavored water in plenty. The regular elven troopers make way for you to sit at table with them.
"I may also be in need of a change of clothing." he finishes with a grin.
"So I see." Mused Lady Evianna, looking at Zane's shredded and burned clothing, which drew astonished stares from the elven troopers as they strode by.
She gives him a chit that Zane can trade for an elven scouts uniform, as well as leather, studded leather or an elven chain shirt if desired.
"If there is a threat to you, especially one that is alchemical in nature, I would be happy to offer my assistance... I am somewhat familiar in the ways of alchemy."
Lady Evianna nodded at Zeprham.
"I appreciate your offer Sir Zephram, and we may well call upon your expertise sometime in the future."But for now, you must rest. There might not be time for it later." She said cryptically, shooing you out of the command tent.
Zane accepts gratefully taking the chit to be exchanged for a uniform, though he is unable to make use of the offer for armor as a wizard.
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Cynara takes the copy, folds it carefully, and puts it away. After dinner, she produces a small wooden embroidery frame and begins to work on a partially-completed sampler. It's a wreath of flowers around a motto in Elvish.
Zephram follows the messenger, silent despite the clear questions written all over his face. I imagine the lack of extra information will be addrssed by Lady Eviana... Little point protesting or asking questions a runner cannot answer... Either in ignorance or per his orders. Still, given the outcomes of our recent meetings....
He reaches down and consumes his false life extract. Better safe than sorry..
Sylvianna avails herself of the opportunity to eat and rest. Thsi group was definitely effective despite what might be unorthodox methods and she had no doubt the following day would at some point find them once again in the thick of things.
Lady Evianna met you in the command tent.
"I will be brief. A mission has come up suddenly, and you are the only scouts we can send; the others are all out on their own missions."
She turned to the map of the ancient city and pointed out a particular section.
"This mission is simple—a group of our scouts has gotten itself into a dreadful situation. The team ran into an ambush and was forced to retreat. The remaining forces are pinned down in a ruined tower that
the drow are preparing to destroy. Someone must make haste to the site to defeat the drow before those... can use a captured siege engine to destroy the tower and thereby kill the eves pinned inside."
She turned back to you and hesitated.
"This force was being led by Kaerishiel himself. It was his animal companion that escaped and alerted us. I think you understand why I wanted someone else to undertake it; but there is no one else."
Cynara smiles slightly, a hint of mischief in her voice. "It would be my pleasure to help rescue Kaerishiel." She produces a magnifying glass and bends over the map, examining the area carefully.
Zephram nods, "He may not be likeable, and, in fact, may be irrational toward us, but I wold think he should still appreciate a rescue..."
"Might even mellow him out a bit." Zane says with a smirk.
The Elves cast Invisibility Sphere and Expeditious Retreat to give you the means to move rapidly and without being accosted by Drow patrols.
And soon you come within sight of where the patrol was pinned down.
The Elven scouts were reported pinned down in the North and West ruined towers. The Drow were reported on top of the SouthEast tower, able to command the area around it.
Cynara squints into the distant blur as someone else describes the scene for her. "Do we run for the southeast tower and try to fight our way up?"
As you pause observing the area, you see the brief movement of heads behind the crenelations of the taller SE tower.
Then you hear the *thump* of a ballistae from the top of it, a streak leading to the north tower, and the BOOM and red/yellow fireball as it exploded, sending blocks of dressed stone high into the air.
We need to take out the ballistae and their ability to attack from the tower, otherwise we risk getting pinned down as well. We do that and we might even be able to turn those weapons to our side's benefit." Zane says as they approach the tower.
Stealth Checks everyone!
Cynara fumbles her way forward through the underbrush.
Now that you are close enough to see detail, you see there are two ways into the base of the tower occupied by the drow.
The first is through an ancient stone doorway. You see it is shut.
The other way is through a hole in the southern wall. This is difficult terrain and anyone clambering over it must make a Stealth check at
a –8 penalty.
Making your way stealthily towards the base of the taller tower, Nakoda put her foot down in some dry underbrush, which snap and crackle loudly.
Three drow elf heads pop over the battlements and look alertly down at you, their eyes scanning for enemies. It is close to noon though, and their eyes strain through as they blink against dazzling from the sun.
"Prepare for an attack" Sylvianna whispers, drawing her bow.
Zephram winces, Might have been better to freeze and hope they don't see us... But given how some of my companions aren't the best at hiding..., then risks a gently airy whisper, "That said, it may be better to strike first."
The oracle prepares to cast a blessing on the party if it looks like a fight's about to start.