XXX. The Offer
General Summary
Two Ilithids approached the party.
“We are enemies of the Drow as well.”Valoryn walked up to the lava and saw through it as an illusion.-Mindflayer
“No need for your tricks here. Let’s talk amicably.”-Valoryn Nightshade
“We can sense your unease. We can sense your distrust. We know you have no reason to trust us, but we have a common enemy and we wish to destroy them. We have watched them here for some time.”Dev asked why the Mindflayers why they were at odds with the Drow. Valoryn started laughing.-Mindflayer
“Our histories are long.”-Mindflayer
“I was taught to hate Mindflayers since the day I was born. But I’m not averse to working with these clever folks—although I would prefer if they stopped with their parlor tricks.”Dev thought for a moment.-Valoryn Nightshade
“Seems like a lot of things are topsy-turvy these days. What is it that you offer?”-Devaughn Lightpaw
“We will not endanger ourselves to aid you, but we can offer something else.”-Mindflayer
“Information?"As they spoke, Mathazar approached the Mindflayers and began to inspect them up close.-Valoryn Nightshade
“No, we can offer more than information. We can offer an object of our creation. It is a weapon that will aid you in the fights ahead, and all we ask is that you place this ring on the finger of the Drow who calls herself Nedylene. It will allow us to find it. Don’t kill her—simply put the ring on her finger.”-Mindflayer
“Now that is something I can not abide.”-Valoryn Nightshade
“Your vengeance is justified. Know: her fate will not be spared. She will suffer—just not at your hand.”Valoryn shook his head.-Mindflayer
“But see, that’s the problem.”-Valoryn Nightshade
"What is the object you offer?"-Devaughn Lightpaw
“It will shatter the minds of your enemies. It has the last moments of a mind flayer’s anguish inside—it is a psychic scream that will destroy your enemies.”The item seemed powerful. It was a tempting offer.-Mindflayer
“Valoryn, there will be hundreds of Drow. Surely, you could let go of one…dummy…Drow."-Devaughn Lightpaw
"...You are my friends and we have a noble goal, so I will accede the point.”However, the party needed more information before they would agree to such a deal. They asked the Mindflayers how far the Drow had gotten in whatever ritual they needed to power the gate, and where Nedylene could be found. The Mindflayers did not know, but told the party that they could find out if they were provided with a Drow prisoner.-Valoryn Nightshade
"What are you going to do with her?"
“It is beyond your comprehension.”-Mindflayer
“Is it just you two down here?”The Mindflayers were silent.
“I believe the lady asked you a question.”-Valoryn Nightshade
“...We are many.”-Mindflayer
“What do you stand to gain?”-Kohinoor Sattari
"She suits our plans, which are beyond your comprehension. The Drow called Nedlyne has knowledge. She has a final record of her people. We want it."-Mindflayer
“They’re offering us a very powerful item. Surely it would be of use to us…"Valoryn winked at the sisters. Clearly he did not intend on upholding the party's end of the bargain. Alizeh, however, was still discontent with the idea of condemning someone else to whatever fate the Mindflayers had in store. In addition, she confided to the party in private, she worried that if they helped the Mindflayers with their designs, they could end up becoming an even bigger problem then the Drow. The Mindflayers interrupted, telling the party that they could sense their exhaustion, and offered to use their magic to conceal the party while they rested and mended their wounds. The party decided to provide the Mindflayers with a Drow subject so that they could get more information before deciding whether to take them up on their offer. They knew they would surely lose if they tried to fight Nedylene for the Ashmaker in their current state, but worried that they would have no time to recover before the Drow made it to Ivargrad. The Drow were in the next room, where Valoryn had originally overheard them talking. After a short skirmish, the party managed to return with the squad's commander. Alizeh stepped away, unable to bring herself to watch the horror she sensed was about to take place. Valoryn tried to shield Lady Kohi from seeing it as well, but she forced herself to watch. The Mindflayers waved a hand over the Drow commander's head. Her eyes opened, but she seemed to be in a strange state, simultaneously stunned and entranced. Tentacles wrapped around her head and dragged her backwards into the shadows. After a loud crack and a squelch, her body dropped to the floor, a cavity in her head.-Valoryn Nightshade
“Delicious. She had the information we sought. She was well regarded among her peers. We’ve come a long way to this point, and her memories will aid us."-Mindflayer
"As for our timetable?"-Valoryn Nightshade
"Nedylene is close. But she is not prepared. The gate will take time to open—at least enough time for you to rest."The party eventually came to the decision to accept the Mindflayers' deal and took a short rest within the protection they provided. In the middle of the short rest, the Mindflayers pointed to an approaching figure:-Mindflayer
“A strange presence has peered through the veil. It approaches...”It was Zendras, the convenient clerk the party had met in the fortresses of the Hill Giants and the Frost Giants. The party purchased various magic items, including a Helm of Teleportation, which was worn by Kohi. Toward the end of the rest, Kohinoor spent ten minutes summoning Nairi, a fey steed in the form of an Elk. Before the group left to continue their mission, she approached Alizeh.-Mindflayer
“Ali, I am glad you spoke up against that plan. I am ashamed that I did not. I fear my resolve is beginning to falter. The farther we descend, the more convinced I become that we may truly be marching to our deaths. That was something I have been ready to accept for myself since the beginning, but…not for anyone else. Especially you. What we’re up against now might require us to sacrifice everything, even our friends. If there comes a moment where it looks like we will not succeed—at least one person should live. I want it to be you.”Alizeh teared up.-Kohinoor Sattari
"I'm not leaving you behind."That was it. Everyone was determined to see this through to the end. Dev and Valoryn scouted into the next room, where they saw Drow running over a bridge that spanned a river of fire. On the other side was a Teleportation Chain much like they had seen before.-Alizeh Sattari
"Defend the chain!”Nedylene touched the chain and disappeared. Dev and Valoryn called everyone in. Utilizing their new Helm of Teleportation, the party joined hands and teleported behind the chain, bypassing the Drow on the bridge. Everyone touched the chain to gave chase to Nedylene. The last things they saw as they began to disappear were Fire Giants wading through the river of fire, led from behind by Prince Obmi. As the Drow prepared to hold their ground, the ceiling began caving in, pushed through by a mass of red scales...-Drow
