Round3, Init 9
Kaylayne flicks her hand, causing the Staff of Darkflame to appear as she moves to the middle of the map, again above Allarnon (15' above Allarnon's head).
She sends 3 fiery rays into the genie-not-genie.
touch to hit; (heroism, PBS,haste)
fire damage.
touch to hit; (heroism, PBS,haste)
fire damage.
touch to hit; (heroism, PBS,haste)
fire damage.
[ dice]1d20+15-2[/dice] touch hit; (rapid)
[ dice]1d6+5+1[/dice] fire damage.
+9 Bab +4 Dex +1 magic +1 PBS
1d6 + 1 magic +1 PBS
Pearl of Power 1: 0/2 used
Pearl of Power 2: 0/1 used
Pearl of Power 3: 0/1 used
Pearl of Power 5: 0/1 used
Rod Metamagic Extend: 2/3 used (magic vestment*2)
Scroll of Water Breathing
Wand of Lesser Restoration: 9 charges left
Ring of the Ram: 11/36 charges left (unequipped)
Wand of False Life 19 charges left
Staff of Dark Flame (9/10 left)
10 Adamantine Stones
25 Cold Iron Stones
10 Silver Stones
Spells:
Magic Vestment (26 hours)
Overland Flight (13 hours)
Heroism: (260 minutes)
Barkskin (130 minutes)
MCPfE10' (130 minutes)
Produce Flame: 0/13
Other Kaylayne: round 0/13
The genie flinches with obvious pain at the strike...
But she retains her eyesight.
Kaylayne, SR check please. Lief, I think you'd have had one to make as well, but I saved so no worries.
SR
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Allarnon feels his body begin to slow for but a moment. "What is happening?"
Snarling he bites and claws at the imposter genie. "I have had enough of this world and it's dishonesty....."
Parker continues to press into the lone drow in front of him, keeping the dark elf from advancing further.
Allarnon-Bear Form
AC Bear: (AC 32) [+5 Armor; +4 Shield +1 Dex; +4 Natural; +3 Deflection; +1 Dodge; +4 Enhance Barkskin (Active); -2 Rage (+1 additional Dodge when raging); +1 dodge haste(active); ]
AC Human: (AC 29) [+5 Armor; +4 Shield; +2 Dex; +3 Deflection; +1 Dodge; +4 Enhance Barkskin (active); -2 Rage (+1 additional Dodge when raging)]
HP: 149/149; +26 Temp HP; -DR/5 Adamantine (110 remaining active)
Buffs: Barkskin; Rage 17/17)
Tarkir
AC: (AC 37) [+4 Armor; +3 Dex; +9 Natural; +4 Enhance Barkskin (active); +2 Deflection PfE (active); +3 Magic Vestment; +1 dodge haste; +1 Dodge]
HP: 72/72 (+00 HP- Animal Growth-Not active)
Buffs: Greater Magic Fang (active); Barkskin
Dimitrio felt foul magic surround his being but was able to shake it off thanks to his cloak. worth its weight in gold
He then continued the blade work on the drow in front of him.
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HASTE
CRITICAL?
HP 107/107
AC 32, touch 18, flat-footed 25
10 +4(DEX) +2(belt of DEX +4) +7(chainshirt+3) +4 (buckler+3) +1(ring of prot) +2 (dodge) +2 (natural armor +2)
Conditions: BLUR, HASTE
Melee (rapier+3): +23/+18/+13 = +11(base) +4(dex) +2(belt of dex +4) +3 (magic) +1(weapon focus)+1(swashbuckler specialization)
Melee Damage (rapier+3, arcane strike, panache): 1d6+19 = +3(weapon) +4 (dex) +2(belt of dex +2) +2 (arcane strike) +5 (precise strike)+2 (specialization) +1(swashbuckler specialization), 15-20, x2
5/5 daggers, 5/5 panache, 3/3 charmed life, 26/26 bardic performance, 5/5 1st level, 4/5 2nd level spells, 3/3 3rd level spells, 1/1 arcane bond spell, ring of fire 5/5
Ederin DMPC peppers the drow with death. Lief penetrates the genie’s hide and deposits a blindness though she resists. Allarnon tears the genie a series of new holes, out of which a mighty viscera spills as she dies. Tarkir manages a hit as well. Dimitrio slices Green to shreds with a critical to boot! Kaylayne will likely target any remaining drow with her fiery rays, scattering any remaining to dust.
The drow destroyed the genie smiles again - this time grimly, ”That was less impressive than I’d hoped. I should have planned for the long haul…” and with that, she dies.
The complex, so recently loud with the sounds of battle, quiets, and the darkness seems to close in with the silence.
Kaylayne looks around, trying to figure out what happened and who happened. She was not expecting this, but maybe she was being naive.
She goes down to examine the genie for magics, residual or otherwise.
"This is bizarre...that they were able to stage this suggests things that I do not wish to think about. It might be that we are already betrayed? By whom and how?" Kaylayne searches for clues to this mystery.
"Allarnon, Ederin, see if you can find any clues to this upstairs. There might be something to aid us."
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"If they knew we were coming here then they already know our whole plan...."
Allarnon climbs up stairs with his extended claws, leaving small pockmarks all over the stone where his claws dig in deep, cracking the softer stone and dirt.
"Think the genie is still here?" Allarnon places his nose to the ground and begins to sniff about the dust.
Dimitrio cleans and sheathes his blade, "So this was a setup?"
He echoed the bearman's question, "And we think the genie was not in on the setup, right? So where's the genie or her body?"
The bard carefully checks the bodies of the drow for clues or loot.
-------------
"Shaitans can shift planes on a whim, so I would speculate that Haiten may have left her post, possibly checking back until the threat had passed. She could have Veiled this imposter, but they usually revert back to an original form once slain."
Lief looks over the dead genie's body, hoping Kaylayne will deduce the nature of the creature properly.
"If they knew we were coming here, then they already know our whole plan..."
Lief debates the logic of the bearman's claim. "Being drow, I think Allevrah would be paranoid about anyone coming here against her, so we've proven her justified to neutralize a powerful genie who has taken on the role of protectress of these lands. Her own words betrayed her, when she spoke on who I assume to be Allevrah herself. 'I told her it wouldn't work'. Someone speaking directly, and negatively, to Allevrah like that, I'd postulate that we're looking at a dead colleague, a fellow female."
Lief looks about the room, now that he has time.
You search the dead woman and find a dagger of venom, wand of dimension door (6 charges), wand of greater invisibility (6 charges), bag of holding type II, headband of intellect +4 (knowledge history), ring of protection +1, and 200 gp. Inside the bag of holding you find about two dozen books, written in undercommon and elven, talking about the roots of magic, in particular illusionary magics, as well as other esoteric things. The texts are probably worth 4,500gp to a collector of such things.
Each of the drow (there were eight total) had a potion of cure moderate wounds, drow poison (x5), +1 mithral shirt, +1 hand crossbow with 10 bolts, +1 rapier, and a +1 dagger.
As you take stock of the surroundings, you also find, rather easily all things considered, that the altar swivels to one side, revealing a spiral staircase descending into the ground beneath it.
Most interestingly though is that while the dead remain in their original form, you do get magics of the school of illusion from the genie.
Casting Detect Magic, Kaylayne studies the body carefully, then more carefully.
Know (Arcana)
"There is something weird here, but I can't figure it out," Kaylayne says, divesting the magics and offering them around as they are identified.
"Maybe, like the air from a gnome's backside, it will pass." Kaylayne says, rising from her knees. "I don't know what it is, and I'm not even sure what it is not."
Kaylayne breathes deep and looks around.
"What I don't like is that they knew we were coming and what our mission was. That suggests that either they have very good scrying, something I'll confirm tomorrow...or that we have been betrayed."
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"Maybe you are picking up something weird cause it is a genie after all?" Allarnon suggests though he knows little in the way of the arcane arts.
"Doesn't seem the drow found out too long ago or there would have been more here I bet."
Climbing the stairs ALlarnon peers down the spiral staircase. "Suppose we should head down before more show up."
"Maybe you are picking up something weird cause it is a genie after all?"
"Maybe. I dunno. I don't understand it," Kaylayne says, wishing for a better answer.
"What makes you think more are going to show up? Why would they show up?"
"Ain't so sure they know our plan. Not the whole o' it anyway."
Ederin shrugs, glad his hunch proved true but not sure what to make of the situation. "Lemme scout a bit, maybe there's something down there wit answers, yeah?"
Keeping his bow in front of him, Ederin quietly descends the staircasem keeping his sense sharp.
Lief collects all drow poison(40), all of a sudden comfortable in his element. He handles them with great care. Not having had you around, I realize that I miss your small little threats.
He hooks a spare hand crossbow to his side, just in case.
Lief strides over to examine the body, sure that some kind of magic should have worn off by now. Hearing about illusory factors, he tries to place it.
"Well, that is interesting. Kaylayne, do you have magic capable of dismissing illusion, or seeing through it? That there is illusion magic still running, as you say, might it be reasonable to think of ways to reinforce the deception through highly-powered spells? We ourselves benefited from strong necromantic magics that cloaked our nature in drow skin, not so long ago." Lief can't think of anything else to suggest, at the moment, and gets swept up in the new find at the altar.
The young man bounds over to the top of the spiral staircase, and waits for Ederin to give the all-clear. That, or a scream for reinforcements.
To the south, a wide chasm bisects the cave, and on the far side the crystals grow much more enormous in size.
You hear a voice in your head, "Yes, come closer, closer that I may see you."
"I do have some magics capable of piercing this veil, but it can be costly," Kaylayne mutters, uncertain. "Let us see if we can find other answers first. What Ederin found might have more answers first."
Kaylayne floats after them, trying to keep quiet.
Stealth
I've moved a few of you on the map. Please check that I've put you where expected and tweak accordingly... just in case something were to happen.
She looks upon Allarnon, and Tarkir, as they step forward in the dim light. "You are not drow." she says simply into the minds of all present, including the hiding Kaylayne. She thinks a moment and thinks at you "Are you allied with them I wonder? And how can you prove your intent one way or another - particularly when drow lives are so... disposable."
She ponders and looks upon you.
- - -
Lief maintains his place at the top of the stairs, not interested in being caught unaware, should he descend to the bottom of the stairs.
He listens intently enough, as he keeps line-of-sight on Ederin.
Kaylayne snorts, floating out of hiding and a bit closer.
"Considering that your likeness just attacked us above, in league with the drow, you'll have to forgive our suspicion of *you*," Kaylayne replies.
"They are all dead, by the way. Those drow. Diposing themselves in vain efforts to stop us." Kaylayne looks around the chamber and casts Detect Magic. "No, they were not with us, nor us with them."
"You'll forgive me if I'm more cautious with you..." Kaylayne scans the area, looking for similar illusuary magics as above.
"By all means." the shaitan pasha shrugs, patiently, still peering at the party through the walls of the crystal - studying you.
Kaylayne, you'll need to move closer to see auras on the crystal. Assuming you do so...
- - -
She moves closer, risking her life for knowledge. Kaylayne examines the enchantment with more focus, trying to discern the its nature.
Know (Arcana)
"Did you know that there were drow above? And that they were impersonating you?"
Kaylayne approaches the woman in the crystal who responds telepathically, "Of course. A very powerful mage did this to me, and one who was placed here is, or perhaps was, a great illusionist. So I have seen many apparitions during my imprisonment. You could, perhaps, be one more."
He tilts her head slightly, "The stones do not know you. So you are illusory, or very recent to this place. I wonder, did you teleport to arrive here? Had you been here before, before even the stones could know you? An interesting riddle."
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Allarnon is interested as he taps the crystal with his paw. "Are you trapped in there? Kaylayne here is a good....a good....well she is very powerful. She can raise the dead! She helped raise Tarkir when the drow killed him." Allarnon grows sad as he look back and nudges Tarkir.
"She might be able to free you!" He grows excited. "You see we are trying to stop the drow from destroying the world. They are trying to call down the stars above to slam into the earth."
Allarnon continues to talk about the drow's plans until someone more eloquent stops him.
Dimitrio watched and waited, well more than watched to make sure others did not surprise them.
-------------
Ederin keeps his mouth shut and just listens as the genie speaks. He watches her, and listens to every word, wondering if she too, will turn on the party.
"We flew in from the upper world, down from the elven homeland," Kaylayne replies honesty. "A powerful mage did this, did they? And they were an illusionist as well?"
Kaylayne looks around.
"What the bear says is partially true. I might be able to break all the veils here...and maybe the enchantment that binds you here. Would you want that? What would you do if I freed you?"
* * *
Kaylayne turns and yells up the way.
"Lief! LIEF! Bring me the body of the genie! I will work magics upon it here...I would see all of everything for a short while!" Kaylayne looks at Allarnon to go help as well.
She listens interested as Allarnon speaks. She responds in your minds, "That is a detailed story, and lends some credibility to your claims."
She shakes her head at Kaylayne, "Flying makes sense, but there were two. A powerful mage, and a powerful illusionist."
"So, how do you propose to free me little one?" she asks Kaylayne vocally, her silvery voice, smooth in the halls of the dimly light chamber.
"You have not answered my questions," Kaylayne notes. "But I will answer yours..."
Kaylayne waits to see that the body is being brought down.
"First, I shall truly see what is in front of me and what is not true...and, after that, we'll see about the rest. Without knowing the nature of your bind, I cannot say for certain that I can free you. I am hopeful...but not certain."
Kaylayne folds her arms.
"Now...? What about my other questions?"
She smiles, speaking in your minds again, "Ah, a stickler to the forms are you? I wonder..."
She tries to straighten up in her bubble, but it's size does not accommodate her and she must contort to loosen her limbs and stretch her spine. Hunched slightly, she speaks in your minds further, "I shall answer your questions, and more, if you free me. I know how it can be done, but am curious as to what you shall see."
She seems naturally curious, but offers, "However, I will tell you what I know of my imprisonment should you require it." she watches Kaylayne's preparation with interest.
"Lief! LIEF! Bring me the body of the genie! I will work magics upon it here...I would see all of everything for a short while!"
Lief waves to Dimitrio, pointing to the dead 'genie'. "Looks like they want the body brought down. Come, let's drag it over."
For as mediocre as his strength is, he uses whatever ingenuity he can to leverage movement of the large lady's form. He tries to understand if the body's weight is proportional to the body's size.
Eventually, with either Dimitrio's help and/or Allarnon's, Lief sets foot on the lower floor, and almost immediately loses interest in lugging the body, while another genie lies ahead.
He approaches, at first wordlessly. Once he's taken in what appears to be another shaitan, smaller than he'd imagine one to be, he introduces himself, then inquires.
"I've read quite a bit about your kind. How in earth did you get stuck in there?" He turns to the others. "Has she already explained that? These creatures have the ability to sense invaders through the ground, and can themselves burrow." He thinks for a moment, looking back on the other 'genie', and its powerful magics. "Powerful illusion. You were deceived then. We have a common enemy then. If you are the Haiten Bhaq about who we've been told, then you are just the ally to speak with here, as long as you know about the drow threat, and its extent. There is an elf which became drow, by the name of Allevrah, and she's working towards a sizeable destruction of the Upper Lands." Lief pauses, not sure how redundant he's being.
"We need your help. Looks like you need ours, too." Lief stops talking, now that Kaylayne seems ready to pierce the Veil.
Dimitrio helped Lief drag the dead body around so that Layne may see what it is or isn't.
He turns to companions and cares not if the genie heard, "So I guess we are not sure that this is the genie or some other illusion..."
The genie bristles a little at Lief's suggestion, and speaks into your minds, "No, I was not deceived young man, though if you are, what you say you are, we have a common enemy indeed. No, I was overcome by powerful magics, and bound here - it's really quite uncomfortable." she fidgets a little further, trying to stand straight, but cannot.
"I know of Allevrah, it is she who put me in this bauble, and I know what she plans - the stones have told me." she shakes her head, "Most unpleasant woman. A disgrace to her sex."
"You are wise dark-haired one. I could well be an illusion, as could all of you, though time is making that less likely in your case." she smiles, but there is an uncertainty to it as she continues to try and take your measure.
"Hmm...yes, we shall see what is revealed to me. This is my first time doing this. But don't worry, I've had good success with trying things for the first time," Kaylayne says, her eyes flickering to Tarkir.
She reaches into her spellpouch and removes a salve that she applies to her eyes as she chants words of power.
"Let my eyes see only what is truth! Let the true world be seen by me!"
She will examine the fake genie first, then goes back to the imprisoned one.
Know (Arcana)
Scanning upward, you see the sphere the imprisoned genie crouches within. The sphere is the physical manifestation of the Binding spell (link). The True sight does not reveal what the trigger is for her release however, though she has hinted that she knows it.
Finally, you can pierce the veil of the spell to see her magics. She has a +2 speed scimitar, bracers of armor +6, and a ring of protection +3.
She appears, within her prison, to be Haiten Bhaq, the shaitan pasha you seek. Her form is shrunken by the spell to be contained within the sphere. Naturally the spell does not reveal this, but there is nothing in opposition with it either. No illusions down here.
- - -
The genie shifts but waits patiently, a slight smile on her face, as Kaylayne investigates.
"No, I was overcome by powerful magics, and bound here - it's really quite uncomfortable."
Lief looks towards the trapped genie, mentally comparing her to the tales of other genies trapped in similar states, lamps and all, and recognizes that he may have injured her pride. Genies seem so easily trapped, especially one who can speak to her surrounds to know all. He doesn't press the point.
"Very sorry you're trapped." Lief waits for Kaylayne to finish her studies.
Kaylayne sucks her breath in as the illusions fall and she can see *everything*. After examining the drow-genie, and then the true nature of the genie, she looks at each and every party member in turn...seeing all of their true faces.
Her wish is to have a mirror handy so she might look at herself as well...but fears she might see the Other Kaylayne rather than herself staring back. She shudders that that might be true.
For the second time in a few moments, she sucks her breath in again as she prods the bounds of the genie's confinement.
"I could get you out, but it will require a trip to the surface. It would take a day, maybe two to come back to break you free. Now that we know this place, it might be quicker," Kaylayne explains, then tries to explain more to everyone.
"The magic that binds her *really* binds her...more than death binds one to death even. It is very sophisticated magics, beyond what I or the Other Kaylayne...uh, beyond that I can do. There are items and scrolls on the surface that would suffice. It would be costly, but we can acquire them."
Kaylayne looks again upon the genie.
"And yet you have still to answer my questions...so I will prompt you a third time: 'Would you want to be freed?' and ' What would you do if we were to free you?'"
"Very sorry you're trapped." Lief waits for Kaylayne to finish her studies.
"Thank you, I'm sorry too!" she chuckles in your heads.
Kaylayne looks again upon the genie.
"And yet you have still to answer my questions...so I will prompt you a third time: 'Would you want to be freed?' and ' What would you do if we were to free you?'"
"Yes, it is the nature of all creatures that they wish freedom, as do I. Sorry, I thought that was a rhetorical question."
She thinks a moment and suggests, "Other than the answers you seek, there are other things I may do for you, certainly." she sits crosslegged in her sphere and continues to think to you. "There is much I have to offer I think - and if you are truly enemies of the drow, I may even sweeten the pot."
"You may need to surface to free me, but I was also told there was another way out of my predicament. Perhaps you do not have the means, but it may trigger some other idea."
She goes full lotus a moment, and intones in another's voice, a drow voice, "...if the light of the sun shines upon the crystal, Haiten may go free."
She opens her eyes, and pierces your minds again, "That was spoken by Allevrah as she cast the binding. I believe it was in reference to what might happen here should she be successful in calling down a star from the heavens."
Ed raises an eyebrow as the genie reveals the key to her escape and looks at Kay.
"Well, we're definitely enemies o' the drow, an' I'm pretty keen on sweetened pots. Don't you 'ave a spell bright 'nough to make it like day? Or maybe I'm rememberin' wrong..."
He rubs his chin,wondering if he might also have the means to help, and shines the light of his sword on the crystal, just in case.
Ederin's light, though very fine, does nothing to the sphere but brighten it, and the room. You suspect spells like Sunbeam might also do the trick. Something potent.
"You may need to surface to free me, but I was also told there was another way out of my predicament. Perhaps you do not have the means, but it may trigger some other idea."
She goes full lotus a moment, and intones in another's voice, a drow voice, "...if the light of the sun shines upon the crystal, Haiten may go free."
Kaylayne smiles as the pasha answers her questions and gives a good hint. Then she shrugs and gives it a shot. She touches the hand of glory at her neck and hopes it is enough.
Kaylayne looks at Lief.
"Well? That scroll will get us back to Kyonin quickly. We can hope that they will Wind Walk again and we'll need to impress on them the need for the scroll. We could bargain with our magical items, but hopefully they will see the need rather than diminish our chances at success. Unless any of you have other ideas?" Kaylayne begins to think.
"I could send them a message of what we need, but there are no assurances that they would be able to deliver it to us. Or might be that they have another solution."
Lief steps up to examine the crystal prison, bringing his own Light out, on the offchance that it would simulate the 'sun'. He doubts it, as the true sun's power is more difficult to generate through simple magics.
"So, we need to prepare a stronger, sun-based spell? I only fear that returning to the surface now, when Allevrah almost certainly knows we're here, gives her time and an edge, for when we finally come face-to-face."
"I have no direct argument against returning swiftly, if Haiten is truly an asset to our mission. Haiten, can you prove what you say? That you've been told by the stone what Allevrah is up to?"
As Lief breaks out his ioun stone and steps forward, the shell immediately cracks in the light, splits, and falls away. Strangely simply.
The genie straightens up, and up, and up! In the end she’s over 15’ tall and towers over the party. She stretches, and reaches for the ceiling, still far above, pulling tendons and muscles that have been bound up for months…
”Ahhhhh. That feels good. Thank you very much. Seems likely you are not working for the drow, as they would not have freed me as you have.” she chuckles at the thought.
... Haiten, can you prove what you say? That you've been told by the stone what Allevrah is up to?"
”That’s a good question, and I suppose I haven’t any proof, assuming none of you have the usual spells for such things. You’ll just have to trust your own intuition, as I have.”
Lief considers putting his Light away, but decides not to, as the shaitan's look in the light is appealing, the way the stone-like skin reflects.
"Well, that was convenient. Almost forgot I had it." The young man touches the ioun stone in its floating, before returning his full attention to Haiten Bhaq.
"Haiten, if I might be so bold, you are an oasis in the desert that is this Land of Black Blood. An entity desirous of protecting such a strange environment to us, and one who possesses knowledge that would benefit our cause greatly. If it pleases you, we were instructed by the elves above to bring you a gift." Lief waves to the one in the party bearing the elves' gift to the genie.
"Time is of the essence. We know about focus glyphs and a master glyph. That should be our focus, likely. What can you tell us, that will help us strike at the heart of Allevrah's machinations? Let us be your vengeance."
As Lief presents the gift to the genie, she smiles warmly and the whole chamber seems to brighten, ”Oh, that’s so sweet. You free me, and still seek to ply me with gifts. You are very generous indeed, and so shall I be.”
”I shall grant each of you a Wish to assist you in your endeavors. Consider then, what it may be, as I tell you what the stones have told me.”
”I consider myself the ‘guardian’ of the Land of Black Blood, and even though none have officially granted me this title. I have dwelt in this realm for hundreds of years. I find the Black Blood to be soothing in the ways it interacts with the surrounding stone, and Allevrah’s presence here is an unpleasant taint to that soothing sensation!”
”Allevrah arrived at the Shrine of Bound Earth several months ago and demanded my obedience. A fight ensued in which I was defeated and imprisoned here as you saw me.”
Although she’s been imprisoned here for the last several months, her close bond with the surrounding stone has not completely isolated her. She’s been receiving whispers from the stone, and as a result is somewhat well informed about the situation in the Land of Black Blood.
She knows, for example, that Allevrah has chosen the island in the Caltherium as her fortress, and has taken to calling the site the ‘Throne of Abraxas.’ She also knows the locations of the five focus glyphs.
Haiten warns you about the dangers you’ll face at the five focus glyph sites (ropers at the Weeping Cliffs, the abyssal harvester at the Crystal Plaza, the drow at the Bloodforge, the Moldering Emperor at the Fetid Palace, and the chardas that dwell under the Rotstone Hollows - feel free to ask questions about each of these locations as she sort of breezes by them assuming you know the creatures of which she speaks). She has little information about what awaits you on the Throne of Abraxas however as it is surrounded by water.
Dimitrio was just about to try his own daylight spell when the genie was freed.
He added, "Yes, we seek only your aid and it seems that we have a common enemy in this drow."
He asked, "Please slow down for some of us who have a harder time evaluating the dangers we are facing. We need to be prepared and there's no better way than with information."
He looked and continued, "Is there a preferred order with dealing with these glyphs? And we'll need more specific information on the guardians at each place."