Magpie peeks out from under Anklebiter's cloak and gives Calla a tiny thumbs-up gesture, then waggles her eyebrows expectantly.
"Fine," Calla whispers back, doing as the onetime goblin requests.
Magpie accepts the spell and lifts off, wings beating for height -- but not too much height. The homunculus telepathically relays her findings while she circles overhead, scanning both for threats to herself and for people following her creator's group with intent.
Kel follows the lead set by Magpie and AB, grateful for the skills of the constructionist. "Bless that contraption, it's saved our lives a few times by my count."
"Been useful..."
He keeps his eyes and ears out for trouble
Anklebiter's construct does not see any obvious threats or signs that you are being followed. Still, you take a circuitous route back to the Hose of Vonnarc, just to be sure. The gate guards, recognizing you, and having been apprised of your impended return, let you through the gates, with two of them leading you back to Alcavniss' tower. Once in the tower, you were instructed to proceed directly to the First Daughter's rooms. They didn't even make you go through the pomp and circumstance of leaving your weapons behind.
"Let's get this over and done with," Anklebiter Arca says, looking at the others. "Don't want to upset her by poking about just when we're getting adjacent to her good graces."
"Fine," Quevven grumbles, acceding Arca's point. "I wish we had time to copy these, so we knew what we were handing over, but you're probably right - she's our best chance of reaching our goals."
"Look on the dim side," Arca sighs. "Whoever she's going to squeeze was already in the pocket of a whoremongering drugdealer. They're just migrating to a better class of pocket."
"Unless the person being squeezed is her," he said, locking eyes with Arca. "And then, once the patsies have done their job, she has no need for them, and so...", he draws a finger across his throat, letting the implication stand.
"I miss simplicity," He mutters
When you arrive at Alcavniss' door, it opens for you, with no apparent means. Stepping inside the room, you find the First Daughter seated at her desk, a sheet of parchment held before her as she reads. She lets nearly a full minute pass before looking up at you.
Finally, she spoke "Bring me Orvignato's files." That was it. No pleasantries, no beating around the bush. Just brusque business.
When you handed over the papers, she barely glanced at them before placing them in a drawer in her desk. Then, her attitude thawed a bit and she said "Please, be seated."
"You have completed your part of our bargain, and now it is time for me to do the same. The Azrinae have departed the city for a realm far to the east, even deeper below your surface home than we are now, in the deepest reaches underground to a place known as Orv. There they conspire in a legendary cavern known as the Land of Black Blood. The Azrinaes were led there by their matron, that mad snake Allevrah. It is she who Allevrah. It is she who seeks to call down the very heavens, to scour the lands of light of our frail kindred with the ancient aboleth glyph magic. Our legends of that time, of Earthfall, are quite vivid, and judging from what you have experienced this is a very real threat. Yet you do not know Allevrah’s target. I do, and it is that target I share with you now.
“She’s ambitiously chosen to stab at our foe’s very heart. The Land of Black Blood lies beneath the hateful surface elf realm Kyonin, you see. Unlike in the days before Earthfall, millennia ago, this time there will be no sages spouting prophecies, no mages offering warnings. There will be no time for cowardice, abandonment, and retreat. The elves will not escape this second darkness when it comes down upon them. That is, unless someone were to warn them."
“I bear no love for House Azrinae and their fanatic mistress. Where dear Allevrah sees vengeance and glory, I see calamity and the impulses of the lowborn. A strike powerful enough to destroy Kyonin would certainly cause upheavel down below as well, and I am too comfortable with my current situation to let a lowborn trollop like Allevrah ruin that. And so I’ve told you what I know, and where these vipers nest. Even further, I know of a gap back to the world of light, a still functioning elf gate two days journey from here, that provides a connection to Kyonin—a connection, I might add, that my kin have known about for some time but are hesitant to use for various reasons all amounting, I suspect, to cowardice.” She produces a pale scroll from her desk. “This map follows a plain route, which will lead you swiftly from our realm.”
Knitting her long, thin fingers—both of flesh and of iron— the dark elf’s voice takes on a dread seriousness. “Our bargain is completed, yes, and I have granted you the further boon of your return path home. Should you manage to ever see your noxious sun again, in your short remaining years when you speak of your time here in the soothing dark, let your people know the might and splendor of the drow, and that first among them, Alicavniss Vonnarc, is generous.”
Calla smiles coldly.
"Oh, we shall certainly remember you. Your aid is certainly repayment for ours, and it is nice to see our bargain benefit both sides. Before we leave you, do you know how many of Azrinae travel with Allevrah?"
"At this point, I would say...all of them. Oh sure, they left a few members of the family in place here in the city to keep their operations going, but the entire House Azrinae and retainers, more or less, is gone from here."
"As you call Allevrah 'low-born', but she still manages to maintain control over a House of the Drow, I must assume she is mighty," Arca says in a businesslike tone. "You despise her. You must have gathered information about her strengths and weaknesses, the kind of preparations she makes to stack the deck in her favour. Anything you'd like to share on that subject before we get out of here?"
"Actually, no. And now I think it is time for you to leave here. For everyone's best interest."
"I can't agree more, First Daughter," Quevven said, doing his best to contain his contempt for the woman. "Only question I have is this - what sort of obstacles lie between us and the elfgate? Whatever would give the houses of Zirnakaynin pause to strike at the heart of Kyonin must be significant. If we are to be your weapons one last time to strike at Allevrah, then I think we're due that knowledge."
Kel can't wait to leave the filthy city and it's dirty inhabitants. She waits by the door as the last questions are answered.
"Despite your appearance, and protestations to the contrary, you are no drow. Oh, you are arrogant to be sure, but have no idea how to hide that arrogance when dealing with someone of superior position. Your demands and dues are like spores tossed to the winds. Yes, you will leave. But before you go, one more gift, one that I am sure outsiders like you will appreciate the gravity of."
Alcavniss chanted a short phrase and clapped her hands. A wave of magic washed over you, completely removing all trace of the recorporeal incarnation spells that allowed you to see, move, speak, and act like drow.
Anklebiter, despite his shock at the turn of events, recognized the spell as a wish. Either Alcavniss was gifted it as a boon from a very powerful outsider, or she was among the most powerful wizards he had ever come across.
That should help hasten you on your way. Be swift, my pawns, and stealthy. If word should reach the inhabitants of this city that despised surface dwellers were spying among us, I can only imagine what they would do to you. Go now!"
She made a shooing gesture at the portal behind you to indicate that you should leave. At the same time, four hulking figures stepped from places evenly spaced around the walls, appearing as if from thin air. Easily ten feet tall, with glowing purple eyes and spectral tones, there was no way these creatures could have been missed simply hiding in the shadows.
Calla's jaw drops for a moment as she realizes what the spell did, before snapping closed, her usual glower coming across her face.
"Very well. But once we've dealt with one drow matriarch, can the next be so difficult?"
She turns to leave, fingers itching to grab her bow -- either to gain revenge against the First Daughter or to prepare for what's out there.
They have traders -- traitors -- from outside too. Stay calm and this will be no more than what you dealt with at Father's.
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Anklebiter .... smirks a bit. Then he tips his hat to Alcavniss and walks toward the door.
"Save it, Calla," he advises. "Let's go, friends. We've clearly overstayed our welcome. But with luck, we may meet Undamesta on the way out."
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Quevven wasn't sure where the First Daughter was going with her speech until the magic started happening. He saw the lithe and dark-skinned forms of his allies shudder and shift into their familiar, natural bodies, and watched as his stature diminished. "Oh fu..."
"...ck me!", he exclaimed, realizing just how screwed he and his friends now were.
"You have a strange way of discarding your intended weapon, First Daughter," he says, after Calla and AB have had their say. "If we die, so dies your most clandestine weapon against Allevrah. If I ever see you again in my life, I will see you dead." He follows his allies out, knowing when to pick and choose his battles.
Kel smiles evilly, showing she has learned something of drow culture. "I suppose if we get caught we'll just have to tell them that you were working with a dwarf, goblin, human, and two half breeds." She turns and flounces out the door, stopping just to add one last thought, "And you wanted to be known for being 'Generous', I'm sure the other drow will respect you then."
The tower seemed to be as deserted as when you had arrived. Apparently, Alcavniss wasn't interested in having you captured right away. The door to her chambers closed behind you, and you were left with a choice. Do you run, stealthy and swift? Do you fight your way clear? Or do you come up with an alternate plan?
"We can't run like rabbits, or we'll be caught, skinned and eaten like one," Calla says. "We have the hat of disguise, so let's use that. One of us poses as a slave trader and the rest are her property or guards. We may be best served by heading to the portal and enlisting more elves to stop Allevrah, as we can't beat an entire house ourselves."
HP 68/68
AC 22/24, touch 16, flat-footed 18/20
Fort +10*, Ref +6*, Will +12* (+2 vs. enchantments); CMD 22; SR 19
Divine retribution (DC 16) 0/6; Judgments 1/3; Bane 0/8; Discern lies 0/8
Arrows: 0/40; cold iron arrows 0/29; bolts 0/20; elf-bane arrows 0/3
Spells: 0/5 (first-level); 1/5 (second level); 0/3 (third level);
Consumables: Gravity Bow ring 0/3
Effects:
"Agreed," Anklebiter says, whipping the hat off of his hat. "It'll have to be Kelendra or Bruendor."
"And unless Kel retained her ability to speak their language, I'm your only option," Bruendor said, taking AB's hat. He places it on his head, and concentrates...
...resuming the form of Quevven again.
"I told you all to learn the language!" Anklebiter chides those who did not bother to learn Undercommon. "As soon as we have the time, I'll be teaching you the Drow language. And the demon language; we'll need it, once we're out of here. Now let's get going."
Lefrik actually felt a rush of relief to be himself again. To feel like a man again and not like he were half a man in structure. Then the news came in of her plans and he snorted, and fled with the others, grabbing what he could and going.
He smiled at Kel's parting shot.
And then sighed at Anklebiter's lecture...however justified it might be
"I told you all to learn the language!" Anklebiter chides those who did not bother to learn Undercommon. "As soon as we have the time, I'll be teaching you the Drow language. And the demon language; we'll need it, once we're out of here. Now let's get going."
"I'm no skald. I don't pick up tongues as quickly as you..." He mutters.
And he is grateful he has learned how to at least fight in the dark.
"I like the idea of leaving quickly, but let's cover ourselves in cloaks and draw as little attention as possible." Both excited and afraid, Kel hastily prepares to flee.
"Agreed. Shall we head for the gate and enlist help? If we've learned nothing else the last days, we've learned that we aren't a match for a full house of drow."
Though the tower seemed to be abandoned, the grounds certainly weren't. You had to move quietly and swiftly to avoid being seen. You had almost made it to the stables when a drow came around the corner. He didn't see you at first, being caught up in reading a sheet of parchment held in his hand. He looked up at about the same time you came in arm range. His eyes widened, and the gasp of air rushing into his lungs as he prepared to scream was cut off by Bruendor's rapier thrust through his throat. The drow servant died, gurgling, and you made haste.
At the stables, you ran into your old friend, Gadak, yoking a pair of lizards into the stays of his wagon. He didn't look up as you came in, his back to you.
Anklebiter pauses only to snatch up the servamt's paper before hurrying along after the others. When he sees Gadak, he .... grins.
Sneaking up on the light-fingered coachman, the Goblin pushes the skull on his staff into the small of Gadak's back.
Anklebiter was more than a little put out when he realized that the paper he took from the unfortunate servant was nothing more than a shopping list.
In the stables, with Anklebiter's staff pressed against his back, Gadak did exactly as he was instructed not to, and turned around. His eyes went wide as he took in your appearances, and his mouth gaped like a landed fish's. A tiny squeak came from his throat, but he didn't appear to be trying to scream.
Calla gives a cold grin at Anklebiter's tactics.
"Not a good start, Gadak," she says coldly. "You're already not following simple instructions."
"And that's bad," Anklebiter says, very seriously. "I'm a Goblin, and even I think what this staff can do is f!+&ed up. But I can use it, and I will, if you cross us. I. Am. Not. Lying. So; are you ready to do a bit of work for us and get paid? Just nod. Or shake your head. We don't want you raising your voice right now, you look a bit nervous."
The drow nodded, then nodded again, very very carefully.
"Good boy. In a minute, we're going to get in the back of your cart, and you're going to get up in front. You're going to take us out of this cesspit city nice and easy, without making a fuss. And the staff will be pointed at you the whole way, not to mention all the other little bits of nasty we have to throw at you. If all goes right, you get paid and no one will bother about us, I can virtually guarantee.
Understand?
And are you going to be a good boy and cooperate.... Gadak?"
Anklebiter bares his teeth. A lot of teeth. Someone nearsighted and very stupid might mistake the expression for a smile.
"Trust me, Gadak," Quevven says in a far gruffer voice than he'd had a day before. "He'll do it. He'll kill you in an instant, and it'll hurt the whole time he's doing it. I told him that I could drive the cart just fine, and we didn't need you alive, but he's persuasive. You've got one way out of this that ends with you still drawing breath, so make the right call. And fast."
Not fully knowing what is said, he instead GLARES hoping to add whatever 'oomph' they need
Kel watches for unwelcome company as the party threatens Gadak.
"Where am I taking you? There are four major exits from the city, and several minor ones. If you want to avoid being caught, then I would suggest one of the latter. But where are you going? It might make a difference."
"East is enough to start with," Anklebiter says. "You get more details once we're out of this viper's nest."