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Captured by the drow! You wouldn't wish this fate upon anyone, yet here you are-locked in a dark cave, the cold, heavy weight of metal tight around your throat and wrists. You are not alone. Other prisoners are trapped here with you, in an underground outpost far from the light of the sun.
Your captors include a cruel drow priestess who calls herself the Mistress Ilvara of House Mizzrym. Over the past several days, you've met her several times, robed in silken garments and flanked by two male drow, one of whom has a mass of scars along one side of his face and neck.
Mistress Ilvara likes to impress her will with scourge in hand and remind you that your life now belongs to her. [b]"Accept your fate, learn to obey, and you may survive." Her words echo in your memory, even as you plot your escape
Vothe has been here for
...additional GM stuff
Atendarius has been here for
...additional GM stuff
Bryn has been here for
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Lenthus has been here for
...additional GM stuff
Kingsley has been here for
...additional GM stuff
Ril has been here for
...additional GM stuff
Velkynvelve's slave pen is closed with a heavy iron gate bolted into stone. You are provided with clay chamber pots, and one of your duties is to empty them into the pool during your shift in the slave pen. You must sit or lie on a stone floor and are fed only once each day - a thin mushroom broth served in small clay bowls passed though gaps in the bars of the gate.
The other prisoners include:
Buppido: A talkative and cunning derro.
Prince Derendil: A Quaggoth who claims to be a cursed elf prince
Eldeth Feldrun: A female shield dwarf scout from Gauntlgrym
Jimjar: A Deep gnome with a gambling problem
Ront: An orc bully
Sarith Kzekarit: Drow accused of murder
Shuushar the Awakened: Kuo-toa hermit and mystic
Stool: Myconid Sprout
Topsy and Turvy: Deep gnome twins.
curse these drow! They think they can hold us in their fancy cages! We'll get them Lenthus, yes, yes we will says Axthres.
Lenthus keeps quiet and watches, looking for opportunities of any sort. He makes note of all prisoners that have gotten here after him, noting their habits and gauging their personalities.
"Oi, Sarith! Entāṇ laṅghikkukayilla oru aṭimayāṇ sambhavikkuṁ? enn, alleṅkil orupakṣē mēāśamāya ..?" Bryn presses when there is no answer, "ñān apēkṣikkunnu, ñaṅṅaḷkk vēliyēṟṟaṁ ōṇ ceyyān kaḻiyuṁ. pēāluṁ niṅṅaḷkk niṅṅaḷuṭe niraparādhikaḷāya alleṅkiluṁ irikkunnu sthānaṁ aṟiyunnu ñaṅṅaḷe sahāyikkukayuṁ ñaṅṅaḷ niṅṅaḷe svatantrarākkukayuṁ kāṇuṁ ennu vēṇaṁ." Bryn waits for an answer to give some insight when there might be a window to escape. These creatures of shadow are capable of such cruelty, but their hubris must leave some opening.
I beseech you, the information can turn the tide for us. Even you must know the position your are in innocent or not, aid us and we will see you freed.
Several nights, Vothe wakes, crying out, as he dreams once more of living on the streets of Baldur's Gate as an orphan. When he's not working, he spends his time trying to figure out how to escape. He tries everything he can think of, but is limited by his lack of training in lockpicking. He even tries at one point to pick the lock, but without training or tools it quickly becomes appearant that he has no chance of succeeding. After a week of imprisonment, he has started to tell himself stories to keep from losing hope.
Aten found that the Drow did not like it when he sang or hummed a song. Signs of merriment did not seem to be something they were used to seeing in a slave. So, he made sure to do it often. Annoying the guards was one of very few moments of solace he could find in this prison. I haven't been here long and it is getting harder to believe I will ever escape with each passing minute. The others are good conversation, but no one seems to have any plans on how we get out of here yet.
Ril has slept rough many times during his time in the army, and been kept on short rations as well but rarely this rough and seldom so short of food.
He doesn't let captivity distract him from his first duty - escape!
A nail? Some wire scraps? Any thing could mean the difference here, he thinks.
He works silently and without complaint, emptying his chamber pot and doing whatever duties assigned. They'll make a mistake with me sooner or later.
Back in the pens he avoids the Orc - possibly having to fight is a waste of valuable energy, but he'd fight if it came to it. He keeps quiet on any plans for escape - he doesn't trust the drow in the cell either.
What he does do is concentrates on getting the others to teach him some words and phrases of undercommon.
Friend Bryn, you seem to speak the local lingo. How about some words and phrases?.
"And I'll suffer many more beatings unless one of you can let me know what is to happen to us! I think the guards have been more forthcoming than most of you!" Bryn says too loud for the quiet cavern but not yelling. He continues more quietly, "I'd rather not see the city of spiders." We'd have little hope of seeing daylight again; no one even boasts about returning from there.
"Wait for an opportunity Bryn. The more you get beaten, the less fit you will be for an escape."Lenthus explores all walls of his cell "If it becomes necessary, I can still cast most of my spells"
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What the prisoners know
There are nineteen drow at the outpost, including Ilvara, Shoor, and Jorlan, as well as another priestess named Asha. There are also a dozen quaggoths and a number of giant spiders.
Three drow guards watch the slave peen from the hanging guard tower across the rope bridge, visible through the locked gates.
Jorlan the drow warrior suffered disfiguring injuries recently. Before then, he seemed to be more in Ilvara's favor. Now Shoor seems to have displaced him.
Jorlan used to have a wand that shot globs of sticky material able to trap targets. Now Shoor carries it, as another sign of their change in status.
The cell has some sort of antimagic effect on it.
It might be a matter of days or tendays before a contingent from Menzoberranzan arrives to take prisoners back to the drow city.
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Sairth, the drow prisoner looks at you and says, Does this escape plan include all of us or just you. I don't want to die in the City of Spiders either, if we even make it that far.
Jimjar will look at the drow and then at the group, I'll bet you ten gold that it doesn't but don't look past us, especially me, we can help you get out and even show you the way around here.
"The more the merrier. I would prefer we can all escape if the time comes." Aten decides to put his thoughts out there for everyone as a sign of good will. "I am thinking right now that we might have two possibilites. This Jorlan may be looking for revenge after his change in status and if we can offer it to him... Otherwise the moment of transfer may offer us opportunities as well."
"Aye, it'd be preferred if we can all get out. No man left behind, right?" Kingsley tries to peer into the different cells to observe the other prisoners. "Though like I mentioned earlier, patience is a virtue and the moment will rise, trust me."Though I hope it's sooner then later, been down here for a bit now and this prisoner food is tearing up my gut like no tomorrow.
Lenthus tests to see if he can cast his spells whenever he has a spare moment "Drevab!" He says, pointing at his cell doors.
Lenthus tries to form bonds with Shuushar and Stool. "Do not worry my friends, when the time come, we can escape this evil place." He asks Shusshar about his life, and how he lived with the kuo-toa. "Do you know any magic? When we escape, I would be interested to learn about your kind
Bryn moves his head and neck as if the manacles were an ill fitting cravat. "Of course we must leave together, without unity there is no plan. Leaving anyone behind is not just a death sentence, I give my word I will hand myself over before any of you," Bryn says quietly, "Once freed we should part ways to our individual destinations; it will be harder to track us down. Anyone without a bed to return to can come with me. I know these dank caves well enough to survive on the trail, and there is a wide world out there to find a new home in."
"Until we are free, I fear I am of little use without my armaments. My movements lack finesse, though I'm stronger than most. I also have a way with people and know the language of that can help. Put me to use as you see fit, until then I will try and calm myself and not draw the guard down here." Bryn then begins his meditation and prayers silently, but continuing to listen in like a temple gossip.
Aten decides to question Sairth about the circumstances that led to him being imprisoned. "Is it true that you were imprisoned for murder Sairth? Did you kill someone important? I was under the impression that death is a normal part of Drow society. At least that's what my mother always implied."
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Shuushar will say to Lenthus, I do not know about magic, I have spent my life in isolation to stem the tide of the hubris that affects my people. When we leave, Sloobludop is not far, I can take you.
I only want to go back to the Neverlight Grove, says stool, That and keep that drow, pointing at Sarith, away from me!You do that and my people will grant you sanctuary. He will then move in the slave pens and stick to the side of Lenthus.
"Thank you Shuushar" Lenthus turn's to Stool "I will do my best to return you to your people Stool. And I promise I will keep you safe"
foolish Lenthus! making promises to the fungi? this is not our way!Axthres says I know Axthres, but Stool is much like you, no? you both want to go back home, but the difference is, I can help Stool. Axthres is silent after that.
Aten is annoyingly persistent in trying to get Sarith to talk. He might be the only drow I have a chance to talk to that isn't trying to kill me at the time and I want to know more of my mother's people. But it was all to no avail, Sarith continued to ignore him. That didn't make him give up of course. Though his questions had become increasingly innane. "Do drow have interior decorators or is it assumed that all buildings are just spiders and spikey bits?"
He also makes an attempt to be friendly with Prince Derendil, "How long have you been cursed into this form my Prince? And who did this to you?"
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Derendril looks over at Aten, a smile washes over his face,
Once more. Bryn summons his strength and break free from his chains.
Aten is moved by Derendil's story, it was hard not to believe him with his clear elven accent and heartfelt speech.
With a new burst of purpose Aten tries to slip his manacles.
Can these guys actually break or slide free? Have I been going about this all wrong, Ril wonders. He keeps quiet so as not draw attention to his fellow creatures but heads over to the side of the pen to keep watch for guards.
Vothe listens to the back an forth and begins to formulate a plan:Like the old dwarf taught me...touch my thumb to the base of my pinky...touch the tips of the pointer and ring finger together...and...SNATCH!
Vothe hisses as he tries to snatch his hands free, but seems to only manage to scrape his skin on the uncaring metal.
"Any luck?" Vothe asks quietly.
Lenthus listens to the others talking. Axthres, do you know anything about shackles?
no, nothing about breaking them. Axthres seems unusually solemn.Might as well try. I want to help Stool escape as well, so he is our ally, as are any other that escape. Do you understand?
yes
Lenthus doesn't know much about shackles, but he tries anyway.
Stool, come over here and talk to me for a bit... tell me, what can you sense when it comes to the guards?
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Bryn being tired of his captivity summons the full force of his strength. He pulls, and pulls, and right at the point where he feels his bones about to snap the pins break, and his hands are free.
Aten and Lenthus manage to slide their slender hands through the confines of the manacles, leaving their hands a bit sore but free nonetheless.
Stool waddles over to Ril, and plops down against the wall maybe a little too close to him. At Ril's question he shrugs and then establishes the telepathic bond: Don't know. Haven't tried. Might hurt stool if they find out. There used to be another one of us, but he acted up a lot. So they came in got him and tossed him down to the spiders. All we heard were screams and then nothing.
Jorlan brings you the food once again, a role he is not happy about, you get the feeling that Shoor makes him do this for that exact reason. He looks at Vothe and whispers to him: If I could give you a means to escape from here, would you take it?
Vothe whispers back "It depends on what I would have to do, but assuming it's not sacrificing children or the like, then yes I most likely would. I have no desire to be the plaything of those in Menzoberrenzan"
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Jorlan furtively glances around as he speaks quickly, I will leave the gate to the slave pen unlocked and create a distraction for the guards on duty. There is an armory, located in the chamber above the guard post in the hanging guard tower directly in front of you. You can jump from the tower into the webs below, then over the edge into the pool, making your escape from the cavern floor below.
Stool waddles over to Ril, and plops down against the wall maybe a little too close to him. At Ril's question he shrugs and then establishes the telepathic bond: Don't know. Haven't tried. Might hurt stool if they find out. There used to be another one of us, but he acted up a lot. So they came in got him and tossed him down to the spiders. All we heard were screams and then nothing.
Ril, even after all this time is wierded out by Stools method of communication but is grateful for the means to talk silently. Have you thought of any way to escape? Some of the others may be getting free of their bonds. Have you seen anyone try before?
free! free at last! quickly, grab the fungi and lets go!
Patience Axthres. We must wait for the others.
Lenthus walks over to Stool and Ril. He shows them his hands, making sure there are no enemy drow nearby. "I will go to the other prisoners and try to help with an escape plan. Stool, could you come as well? Your spores could come in handy, and you might have some ideas."
Lenthus looks at Ril When the time comes, will you be ready to escape?
Aye! And gladly.
As the guards leave from the feeding Bryn reveals the fruit of his labor silently. He then moves his hands back in place to hide the damaged manacles, and appear still securely fastened. Maybe Buppido isn't wrong to trust a divine plan.
Aten slips his hands from the manacles surprisingly easy. Why didn't I try that earlier? He makes a show of appearing to still be manacled, but he makes sure the other prisoners know his hands are free.
Kingsley watches as the others slip free from their shackles. Well, might as well give it a try too. Using his strength, King makes an attempt at breaking free from his shackles.
"Sounds good, but I can't seem to get out of these manacles. They're really well made."
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Buppido slips from the bonds, points a bony finger to the sky look at you with a wry smile, See, divine smile.
Prince Derendil bursts from his bonds.
Jimjar easily slips from his manacles, Betcha didn't think it would be that easy. No seriously, any takers on the bet?
Sarith Kzekarit slides his slender elven hands and shrugs.
Ril, seeing that others have been able to slide free of their bonds spits on his wrists a few times to make the work of slipping from his bonds easier and tries.
Lenthus uses Stools spores to tell everyone who didn't escape Once we get out of here, I will find a way to get you free.
Be prepared Axthres.
always.
Ril husstles the others out of the cell as quietly as they can move.
C'mon, he hisses.
Which way Lenthus? Are we escaping directly or heading to somewhere like the armoury?
"We won't live long past this outpost without armaments, let us use Jorlan's treachery to to the fullest and grab everything we can. If nothing else, the weapons can aid freeing the others from their manacles," Bryn darts out the door scanning for the guard tower and wading that direction.
Let me scout ahead, says Ril moving rapidly onwards.
"We must be quick! No doubt Jorlan can only hold them back for so long. A quick dip into the armory and then we are off!" Aten slips from the cell, making sure the others are following. Especially poor Kingsley still trapped in his manacles. He then looks around furtively, trying to spot anything useful about the guard tower they are about to enter and if anything has gone awry in Jorlan's plan, like perhaps a guard staying behind.
"We have little time to spend considering how well Jorlan is distracting the guards, let us move as quickly as possible to the guard town and have faith we won't encounter resistance! If we take our time and cautiously approach, then we will likely lose our narrow window to make it to the tower at all!" Bryn moves full speed ahead, hoping the others will keep up. The quicker I get my hands on some equipment the safer I will be, the other may have other abilities to rely on but I can only trust in a blade.