Journal of Arcadius - Day 125 - 2

(hastily written scrawls)

We have learned much, but we have lost the initiative. Our attempts to continue downward and under or around the prepared defenses of the Drow appear to have hit their limits.

Walter-Tupper continues to do his job poorly and with increased haphazard recklessness. He has been acting so strangely I fear he is losing his mind again. In a search, a loose, man-sized floor tile was found. Walter-Tupper's idea of checking it for traps proved to be prying it up with a ten-foot pole and thus exposing himself and Oda to poisonous gas!

Once the gas dissipated, the tile proved to cover a tunnel down. This Jacob offered to investigate, which he did by flying down. Alas, some sort of anti-magic field was in place in the tunnel and he fell far enough to sustain some minor injuries! At the bottom of the tunnel was a curious separate complex of rooms, with its own kitchen and larder, library, and what proved to be a sealed laboratory.

THERE we found the eldest lady of this Drow house. She is very noble in her way, but alas mad. With some conversation and discussion we have found that she, like the two sisters on the far northern coast, has been in contact with horrific beings or powers from the Far Realms and seems to have been driven mad by the experience. However, she is very learned and powerful.

I bid my farewell to her almost immediately, but many of the party did not, and they remain trapped in the room with her by a gigantic Pseudonatural Dire Tiger that appears to also live down here. I have taken Miranda aside and discussed the situation with her, pointing out how clearly this fits into the greater pattern of spreading evil.

***

Others have been filtering out of the room. It appears, if I understand correctly, that it is merely a matter of asking gravely and politely to be allowed to leave. Despite this, they are having problems. Why do these Northerners find basic courtesy so difficult? Meanwhile, Walter-Tupper appears to be gibbering to himself in some mixture of fear and madness. It appears earlier I was correct about his mind. Perhaps he is already in some subtle way in the grip of the madness-inducing beings from the Far Realms. We must watch him.

***

Good news and bad news. Jacob has somehow managed to convince the lady to summon Fflam from his prison. However, this is apparently for the purpose of feeding his brain to an Ilithid. I was alerted to these events when informed that several party members were talking up the deliciousness of Fflam's brain, in Fflam's presence. It is apparently some complicated plot to free him. Perhaps the grip of madness is spreading? In the meantime, I will busy myself with some writing on other subjects of import.

***

By the Sevenfold Spears of Ar-Shahmash! Fflam has apparently accepted some drink from the lady that is meant to "season" his brain to make it tastier to Ilithids. May the gods protect us! Apparently, his brain was insufficiently appetizing before. One wonders why. Certainly, it was already well cooked. Perhaps Ilithids prefer brain tartar? Ah, and I have forgotten to mention that previously, Jacob had taken him on some sort of journey back and forth using his planar shifting power, which continues to fail to work according to plan.

So here we are. Hours lost. Some party members trapped. Fflam unconscious with something no doubt very bad coursing through his brain. The Drow no doubt well prepared and waiting to strike us down.

How we shall accomplish our mission now, I don't know. I do know that I must see this through. I have given my word. I believe we must succeed or spend our lives in the effort. If the others lack this resolve, and I fear they do, then at least I will stand and die covering their retreat.

May Lord Pelor protect us.
May the gods have mercy on us for our folly.
May we yet have victory.

*A*

The Mute: Later Day 125

Lessons Learned:

• Miranda is something called a Druid, from a place called Ismere.
• Druids can grow trees underground.
• Druids can slow down poisons.
• Drow have many poisons.
• This group also contains a dwarf named Flam.
• Dwarves of this region are highly flamable.
• Jacob has a power which allows him to fly.
• It is not very reliable.
• Drow keep their elders locked in the basement.
• These elders have excellent planar libraries.
• They also have pseudo natural pets.
• Pseudonatural cats like to be scratched behind their ears.
• Drow elders also keep Beholders and Illithids, to "improve" them
• These efforts happen in at least two places: here and Ismere.
• Dwarf brains taste delicious, if properly seasoned.
• Proper preparation involves making them quite spicy.
• Drow elders are much nicer than other drow.
• Pseudonatural cats unexpectedly fade out. (Could be problematic re: commercial venture)

Questions for Further Study:

• What kind of effect does the poison in Tupper have?
• Is the flamability of dwarves related to their rumored alcohol consumption?
• Is it possible to judge the depth of a hole by the screaming of one falling down it?
• Would the sale of pseudo-natural pets be a profitable business venture?
• How would a Beholder be improved, if not by killing them?
• Where is Ismere?
• What are the ingredients to brain seasoning?
• Does the drow elder have any good travel stories which might be useful?

Sztu's Journal

We lost Alcander. He was a bit of a jerk, but at least he died gloriously in battle!

I should write a poem or a song to honor him when we get out of this Drow establishment.

The new fellow is odd. Mute. We have no name for him.

A loss of a warror and rage that is building within

We lost Alcander today. He died like all warriors want to die, in battle. I was not able to witness his end because I fell unconscious during battle. These Drow due not fight with honor, they use tricks to try and defeat their enemies and then run when they lose the upper hand. They remind me of ninja’s from my land. They too use tricks to get upper hands in battle, but tricks can only last so long.

(Later that day: )
I feel rage building in me. I keep falling for these tricks these Drow using. I find myself taking so much damage that I am becoming a burden on the group. I am dishonoring my clan and must not allow this to continue. It is time to not hold anything back and reclaim my honor.

The Mute: Day 125 (To be composed in his journal once he finds it)

Lessons Learned:

• Drow have a poor reputation, even among other denizens of the Underdark.
• Drow respond poorly to written questionaires.
• Drow will not continue in a fight if they lose their weapon.
• Drow can create magical darkness.
• Drow have a smell similar to surface elves, but with an adamantine tinge.
• These particular Drow live in a large manor of some sort.
• There are many secret doors around it.
• Fleeing Drow are inclined to use secret doors.
• These doors are not terribly well hidden if you can follow a trail to it.
• Drow respond poorly to unexpected visitors.
• Six Drow is too many.
• Drow manors have many shadows.
• Drow possess a poison that renders one unconscious
• Drow have terribly uncomfortable guest quarters.
• Drow are not adept at keeping track of the luggage of guests.
• Drow feed guests shockingly poor quality food.
• Guests in Drow manors seem inclined to travel in packs.
• Guests also seem inclined to kill their hosts.

Questions for Further Study:

• Is the Drow reputation deserved?
• The Drow inclination to flee amid darkness seems similar to the octopus. Could the two species be related?
• How many secret doors are there, and where do they go?
• Could the Drows lack of hospitality be related to their poor reputation?
• Is the guests inclination to kill their hosts related to this poor hospitality?
• How well can our hosts fight?
• How well can the guests fight?
• Where did the Drow place my luggage?

Journal of Arcadius - Day 125

(hastily written scrawl)

We have made many mistakes! Alcander is dead! He fought with his usual reckless, almost mad courage. His death was not it should have been... stabbed in the back by a cowardly foe we have yet to catch. At least we've slain their chief wizard. I hope that is their chief wizard. Farewell Alcander. May you take your place of honor beside Heracles.

Fflam is gone. The enemy drow had a teleportation amulet much like that of lady Gozen. We tried to use it, but had difficulties. We teleported into a room with what may have been the ruling lady of this evil house. Somehow when we escaped, we lost Fflam. We returned but both were gone. He has almost certainly been captured. I pray he doesn't become a spider again.

And... what is wrong with Walter-Tupper? He is refusing to do the basic tasks for which he was sent to us. Cowardice seems to have gripped his soul. Surely Heracles can free him from the grip of fear! Perhaps the gods will show kindness and send Alcander to him in visions, to show him the path to honor and courage.

Praise be to the gods! We have freed two potential allies. One, some strange and apparently mute man, who possesses far more power than meets the eye. He teleported out of his own cell once we opened the shutter. He has donned drow weapons and armor to help us as well. The other freed prisoner is a druid from Izmir of all places. She seems to have been captured just before the curse descended on the sacred grove at the center of that city. She was most upset to hear of recent developments, and agreed to join us.

May we be worthy of the aid of the gods!
I Praise thee o' Lord Pelor.
From darkness, light.
From evil, redemption.
From fear, new hope.

*A*

Journal of Arcadius - Day 124

Of Trials and Preparation

Though the Duergar seem a properly law-abiding people, the application of their laws is so strict that I spent my time in the city in constant apprehension that one of my companions would do something rash.

As noted in my last missive, Jacob proceeded to do exactly that.

After a grim day guarding the book on Demonology and watching for treachery from Jacob - the tension relieved only by pleasant and instructive prayers for the spiritual edification of Walter-Tupper - we were at last ready to set out.

A few hours out from the city, we found a place to exit from the main passage and deal with the book. We determined that it might have other wards, but was probably not waterproof. After some discussion, Fflam offered to hurl holy water at it. He has been developing his skills in handling thrown weapons - a good thing, given the formidable array of Alchemists Fire he carries at all times. With aplomb he tossed a vial on the vile book and it soon burst forth in evil energy. Something, some power, drew the book into the ground, and almost certainly back to its home plane.

Jacob complained, but wisely chose not to intervene.

We shall have to watch him. He may yet betray us. Why would anyone of good intent want to buy a magic-radiating book on demonology from someone in a city in the Underdark speaking Demonic. For that matter, why does JACOB speak Demonic? Thus far however, he continues to fail to radiate evil.

The rest of our trip was, relatively speaking, uneventful.

We came to the laboratory of the house of Gozen, and here we are now, preparing weapons and spells for our impending assault on the evil drow. May the gods give us strength and guide our hands. May the vile followers of Lolth be cast down! O' Lord Pelor, may your light shine forth in these places of darkness!

*A*