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Somewhere deep in the underdark, Khaz, a heavily muscled and tattooed dwarf, slept...
(Dot)
"Insane? Somebody called me?"
The half-elf spoke to the wall. Again. He waited with baited breath for an answer that never came...
With jaws clamped shut so tight as to make it hard to even breath, Kriv strains at his bindings every so often in hopes that his constant efforts might loosen them.
Tail thumping constantly in agitation and glaring at any Drow he can see, Kriv notices two newcomers that must have been brought in while he was asleep.
Cade has fitful dreams of ominous tidings when he sleeps. He wakes trying to gauge whether he is feverish. Don't touch big spiders I think I got poisoned. Drow suck. I don't remember getting bit. But the spider is bigger than my hand.
Froog huddles in a corner and keeps making gestures like he's trying to summon something but nothing ever shows up. You can sometimes hear him muttering, "Lathander, show me your light..."
Deep beneath the surface of the world lies the Underdark, a realm of endless labyrinthine tunnels and caverns where the sun never shines. The Underdark is filled with races and creatures too numerous to count or list, and foremost among these are the dark elves — the drow. Hated and feared even by their fellow dwellers in darkness, the drow raid other settlements in the Underdark as well as the surface world, taking prisoners back with them. Rendered unconscious with drow poison, then collared and shackled, these prisoners are eventually sold as slaves or entertainment in the dark elves’ subterranean cities.
You have all had the misfortune of falling to such a fate. Captured by the drow, you are prisoners at one of the dark elves’ outposts (Velkenvelve), awaiting transportation to Menzoberranzan, the City of Spiders. Whether you came into the Underdark seeking knowledge or fortune, or were just in the wrong place at the wrong time, you were ripe prey for a drow raid.
You've spent most of your time locked in the slave pen (). A heavy iron gate is bolted into the stone. You each have a clay chamber pot, emptied only once daily on your shift. There is no other comfort. You sit on the floor. You are fed only a thin mushroom broth slapped carelessly through gaps in the bars. Despite having only a filty rag for covering, some of the more industrious of you have managed to scavange a few worthless possessions, perhaps just out of spite.
Occasionally you perform menial chores for your captor's amusement under heavy guard-demonic beasts they call "quaggoth". Sometimes the work is as bullshit as stacking rocks or coiling ropes, and if the drow are not amused you must start over. Those of you who have been captive more than a day, its starting to take a toll mentally. You have been wracked with bizzare dreams of oiled tentacles and colored bursting corpuscules in the sky.
At the very least, you are not alone. There are nearly 20 of you cramped together, and for the moment there is nothing to do but talk.
Slowly Khaz awakes. He looks around and yawns. ”Well fook.” It wasn’t a dream. Getting to his feet he walks over to Eldeth. ”Can’t day I’m looking forward to any more mushroom soup. Or wasting our talents stacking rocks. You get an idea of how many knife-ears are around here?”
She eyes Stool and gives the others a menacing glare before turning, revealing a fresh black eye "...I tire of these corrupt dark dwellers. I thought 18, but the b~@~* warden also keeps a junior priestess hidden in her temple. Hard to say of the beasts, perhaps a dozen quaggoth besides whatever the hell that is..." pointing at Derendil "...half dozen giant spiders maybe. I tell you I'm about to snap."
”Aye.” Khaz looked around. ”Well. We’ve got a dragon-kin here. Maybe some finger-waggles. Kill one knife-ear and then we’re armed. Would at least be a good death...”
Hearing dwarfs idea Kriz nods his head enthusiastically, eyes lighting up at the idea off taking revenge on the cursed drow.
She furrows her brow, thinking hard, as if tempering her words "...they wouldn't give it to you. Another poison bolt and a good hammering more likely." She nods out through the barred gate across a swaying spider silk rope bridge to the dangling stalactite (). There, 3 drow guard are seated a table playing a dice game, their crossbows at arms length. There is hardly an inch within the slave pen that isn't covered by their shot.
Krivs tail starts slapping the ground again in agitation.
Vic shakes his head to clear the fevered dreams of tentacles that wrack his brain. He has begun to lose his grasp on how long he has been here, but he does know he was one of the first. The prisoner ranks have grown significantly. He sees another wood elf, but does not recall if he recognizes him. The dwarves are plotting and the dragonborn joins.
If I can only get close enough to use this rope to choke out one of these thugs.
In elven he speaks to the wood elf in a low voice.
Where do you hail from, wood dweller?
Gael listened, this time to the prisoners around him. The half-elf was a competent guide and, beside knowing his mother tongues, he had learned Dwarven. And he also knew how to speak Drow but he kept that to himself for now.
He hailed out in Dwarven and then in common, "Count me in. Whatever you are planning. I have no plans to rot in this hell hole."
He tried again to conjure u his magic and failed, Maybe the Old One has finally tired of me...
He screamed at the wall, "We had a deal!
”Had a deal, did ye? With these knife ears?” Khaz asked threatingly in common.
”Had a deal, did ye? With these knife ears?” Khaz asked threatingly in common.
The half-elf turned around and hissed, "Aye, I had a deal with... you wouldn't understand. Sometimes, I'm not sure I understand."
He then scoffed, "You mean with the drow? Oh yes, I have something for them alright but they are not going to like it."
He looked at the wall again before sitting with his back against it, "But I have to wait before I see them burn. I've been here three, maybe four days and it already seems like an eternity."
He added, "So you better save your anger for the knife-ears. Maybe we can help each other out. How long have you been here? How did you get caught?"
”A day.” The dwarf said curtly. ”An’ a day too long. Yer a nutter, ye know that? Would think ye were a berserker if it were nay fer yer long legs.” His voice almost sounded like there was a measure of respect in it. He then said quieter. ”I’d keep me voice down if I were ye. The knife-ears can hear us. Best to find more like minded individuals ‘fore we let the good ole’ battle lust out.”
Vic shakes his head and speaks in low common.
If we speak in common we may be able to all help eachother. There is strength in numbers, and I have been here long enough to know the patterns of our captors.
Cade moves to the bars, "I have been here for 2 days. I think. I'm not sure if the feeding is on a schedule."
Froog perks up at hearing the other prisoners talking. He scoots closer trying to listen in. Before he can stop himself he blurts out, "Of course they feed us on a schedule! What kind of captors wouldn't feed their prisoners regularly? I just haven't been able to figure out their schedule yet." Without missing a beat, "I'm Froog! I haven't been here very long but it hasn't been very pleasant. I think we are here for their entertainment. I hope that the worst of it. What do you all think?"
Joining the conversation, Kriv positions himself so as to have his back to the door and the drow guards so as they can not make out his hand, as doing so he trys to get the groups attention.
After garnering the groups attention I start gesturing.
shifting his head slightly to indicate the guards, Kriv trys to make out the point that theirs only three of them by holding up three fingers, before pointing to the group and holding up ten fingers, closing them and holding up four more, trying to indicate we outnumber them.
There does seem to be a fairly regular schedule that Vic and a few others might be aware of. You and the other prisoners are typically divided into 3 groups for daily hard labor, with the sloppy shrooms coming just before. This has not happened yet today.
Jimjar, the annoying little deep gnome, stretches anxiously and paces about before, in common "So, who wants a shot at my soup? The game is to guess who brings it today. Will it be Shoor, the commander's new favorite? Jorlan the pain monger? Ilvara, Mrs. Tentacles herself? A belly empty or double full is better than half-full, I say."
Eldeth, the dwarven woman, crosses her arms and rolls her eyes.
Ront spits out "Maybe I just take. Little darky sausage..."
Jimjar responds "Oh no! That would be wholly against the rules of the game I'm afraid. The foulest of fouls." which seems to confuse the salivating orc enough for him to lose his train of thought.
The Elven language penetrated his unconscious. Where was he? He first thought before his memories returned in a flood. His face contorted into a maniacal smile as he struggled to a sitting position. He had finally succeeded! A Drow raiding party finally found him investigating one of the Underdark entrances that he tended waiting to become a slave, so he could track down his family.
The wood elf of average height with cropped, copper-colored hair and skin turned to face the other wood elf. Having arrived in the slave pen yesterday unconscious, his Elven traveler’s clothes are a little damaged from his abductors blades cutting away his weapons harness and anything of utility. However since he did not wear armor, he kept more of his dignity than those who only wore small clothes under their armor.
With a twinkle in his emerald green eyes and a maniacal smile, he replies in Elven, "Hello, Vic."
Ed? Cousin, is it truly you?
In Elven, the wood elves continue to whisper, "aye, it's me. I finally made it. How about you? How long have you been here?"
After Vic answers, Edlthron continues, "how many slavers are there? Do you have a plan to escape yet?"
Froog perks up at hearing the other prisoners talking. He scoots closer trying to listen in. Before he can stop himself he blurts out, "Of course they feed us on a schedule! What kind of captors wouldn't feed their prisoners regularly? I just haven't been able to figure out their schedule yet." Without missing a beat, "I'm Froog! I haven't been here very long but it hasn't been very pleasant. I think we are here for their entertainment. I hope that the worst of it. What do you all think?"
"Captors that are cruel or don't give a fig if'n we live or die. That's who'd not have a schedule. . . though it sounds like we might expect more of the mushrooms soon. If the pattern others have seen are true." Cade half smiles, "I'm Cade I'd hope for better circumstance at meeting anyone. I learned undercommon from a Sniver. . . . a SvIverfl . . . from a deep gnome like that one. Tales of the drow range from entertainment to labor to just plain torture."
Shroom meal coming soon, Ed. Then divided up for hard labor. May want to make a move when they divide us up. I have a makeshift whip I can use to try and disarm a captor, or get the keys.
Joining the conversation, Kriv positions himself so as to have his back to the door and the drow guards so as they can not make out his hand, as doing so he trys to get the groups attention.
After garnering the groups attention I start gesturing.
shifting his head slightly to indicate the guards, Kriv trys to make out the point that theirs only three of them by holding up three fingers, before pointing to the group and holding up ten fingers, closing them and holding up four more, trying to indicate we outnumber them.
"I think I get you. More us than them at least at first. I have a few tricks that hit harder than I can punch but we'll need weapons before long and gear if we are to get away."
Cade nods at Vic's suggestion, "We have no idea how deep we are down or far from anything know. A few of the others might be localish."
Glancing around, you posit that all the other prisoners are native to the Underdark except for Ront and Eldeth.
Jimjar continues "No takers? Drat! What's with you guys? Escape? That's a bit forward thinking, isn't it? We should concentrate on the now." he scans over you all, settling on Froog Ah, you look like you could use a double serving of soup. How 'bout it? Who's gonna serve us today? You understand the hierarchy, right?"
The drow captive has had enough and explodes with "'Suuster, waela svifnebli...yorn quaggoth luthk!"
Ront roars as the viciousness excites him, before promptly taking a crap in his chamberpot openly.
Seeing the Drow apparently attacking Jimjar for no reason other then to shut him up, Kriv shuffles over and proceeds interject himself in between the two while glaring as menacingly as he can at the drow.
Edlethron notices the drow prisoner at his outburst.
Talking past the dragonborn, the wood elf whispers to the drow in Elven, "Beth ydych chi'n ei wneud yma? Ydych chi ar ochr anghywir y bariau?"
Gael smirked at the ensuing violence. Sure the gnome was annoying but there was no reason to treat him like that.
Still, with no weapon and no magic due to his master's temporary absence, he was in no position to interfere.
He heard the elf trying to strike up a conversation with the drow but he was soon caught up in his own affairs, Was the absence of my powers truly just temporary? Was this some sort of punishment for becoming a prisoner? Am I being tested?
Still..., "Everyone calm down. Why don't we play the let's spot the weakness in our captors game so we can all leave and go our own ways?"
He added, "I like what I'm hearing about pooling our resources together..."
He stood up from his corner, "I am Gael and can probably guide us out of here once we leave this... town, city, wherever we are..."
"Does anybody know where we are or whose family we are prisoners of?"
”Weaknesses?” Khaz scoffed. ”They’re dark skinned knife-ears. They’re weakness be that they be weak. Get one in arm’s reach an’ ill twist it’s filthy wee head off with me bear hands. The problem be that they are treacherous. And have likely put a *spy* in here with us.” As he said that he looked pointedly at the Drow prisoner.
”Weaknesses?” Khaz scoffed. ”They’re dark skinned knife-ears. They’re weakness be that they be weak. Get one in arm’s reach an’ ill twist it’s filthy wee head off with me bear hands. The problem be that they are treacherous. And have likely put a *spy* in here with us.” As he said that he looked pointedly at the Drow prisoner.
"Yeah, maybe but all your anger didn't help you when you got caught so let's be smart about this."
He turned to the drow captive, "So what's your story? Why are you not playing dice with the other guards?"
The drow backs down from Kriv, turning his black back. At Edlethron and Gael's words he mumbles and waves his hand "Xuat waela kivven xanaalress telanth...rak'ness naut darthirii!" he spits.
Jimjir dusts himself off after picking himself up off the floor "Oh, 'spot the weaknesses' game? I like that! But hard to put to the test. What do you suggest?"
Edlethron's smile shifts from maniacal to madman and replies in Undercommon, "Burada nə edirsiniz? Barların yan tərəfində mi?"
Sorry, I'm too lazy to hunt through that dictionary.
It's easier if you pick a language Google Translate can handle like Welsh for Elven. And Azerbeijani for Undercommon. ;D
The drow backs down from Kriv, turning his black back. At Edlethron and Gael's words he mumbles and waves his hand "Xuat waela kivven xanaalress telanth...rak'ness naut darthirii!" he spits. ** spoiler omitted **
Cade points to the drow prisoner, "Says he don't speak our stupid languages."
Cade spits out a response direct to the drow in undercommon, "Legeshh berun hoch gib drigyn wektin."
He looks Edlethron up and down in disgust before, in Undercommon "Tch...You're the one in the wrong place, surfacer. There are crimes and there are accusations of crime, is that too much for you to understand..."
Buppido, the derro (a half man, half dwarf monstrosity) interjects "He killed someone! Usually ok unless someone sees you do it. He actually did it in front of someone. Strange choice, but I guess sometimes you just need to kill."
At Cade, still in Undercommon the drow answers "Tricksters? *scoff* Hardly. Tell me more about how a spy is supposed to behave..." Cade, the fact that he doesn't speak common would make him a lousy spy, but then he might be lying.
Edlethron shrugs continuing to smile and replies to the Drow in Undercommon, "Doğrudan da səhv yerdəyəm."
Then, the wood elf turns his attention to the derro, asking in Undercommon, "Kim öldürdü? Niyə buradasınız?"
To the Derro, "Who did he kill? Why are you in here?"
"He killed someone?! Surely he wouldn't be sitting here so calmly if that were true."
"I hope I say this correctly."
Switching to under common, "Ele orn'la dos inbal elggen foluss?"
Froog speaks slowly and deliberately as though he isn't familiar with the language.
Buppido responds, still in the dark language from below the mountains "I think it was his brother, or sister...I have a hard time telling them apart. Usually that's ok but he did it in front of everyone. As for me, I don't need to commit a crime to become a slave. I'm inferior to the drow, like you all." he states matter of factly.
The weird fish creature, silent until now adds slowly and in a half retarded sounding voice "Ooh me too, I'm inferior, too." before smiling warmly.
The drow gets annoyed again "Goddamnit...I didn't kill anyone, you psycho! What the hell do you know..."
Froog, there is definitely phosphorescent moss and fungi here and throughout Velkynvelve. Should you attempt to cast however, you would find your spell wasted and any slot spent lost.
Kriv watchs the exchange between fellow prisoners while keeping an eye out for any more trouble.