Chapter 21: D&D 5E - Dungeons & Drow 5ever

General Summary

The group woke up on the 26th of Laeroth and discussed their plans. They decided that they would need to go to the museum but that it could wait and they would check out the Luthyra house in the Core in Old Athelis. The spent the day going bar hopping, gambling and playing poker. Jacquora was banned from The Sleeping Dragon. At the Hissing Hornet, both Jacquora and Lenihlra lost and won money. On the way back to the inn they noticed that there were many guards out dressed in the armor of Ilythyra. It appeared that they were looking for someone and they deduced it was likely Falaern. When they returned they found Falaern and Thydona, who had spent the day going to the chapel. They too had noticed the increased guards and decided to leave a few days early. Inhe mentioned that the crew of The Glowerm were planning on swinging down to the south of Emaniquora and could get them close to a mountain pass that would take them to Ilythyra unnoticed. Falaern didn’t want to risk her mother’s ire and having Thydona found out by going via the river or via the guards in the city. By boarding the boat disguised as refugees, they would be able to enter the city under the radar. The next morning, on the 27th, they all went to pick up their new armor. Thydona told them about an alternate entrance to the upper city via an old mausoleum in the Kerriq Hills Cemetery. They discussed their plans on the way up to the surface. They entered out of a mausoleum bearing the name “Oshtillo.” The cemetery was peaceful and quiet, free from the hustle and bustle of the city. They noticed that there was still a faint haze in the air but the sky was overcast and it looked like it might rain. On the way to Old Athelis they passed by the museum and asked some guards who told them that it was open to visitors. Once they approached The Core they changed their appearances into guards. They fibbed their way into the Luthyra compound and then entered a hedge maze to change their appearances once more. Jacquora disguised herself as a stagehand. Inhe and Lenihlra disguised themselves as house servants. Jacquora: As a stablehand, Jacquora decided to name herself Laura. In the stables, Jacquora met Norvid and Gerrod. Norvid decided to show her around. He gave her a tour of the grounds and the house (mostly pointing out the location of the kitchen) before exercising the horses. He also showed her to the area where the carriages were stored and told her that her first task as a new worker could be to clean out the carriage of the new guests who had just arrived. It was a matte black carriage, slightly rustic, with curtains on the inside that blocked out the light. Inside she found a plethora of weapons including an intricately etched dagger of a make she had never seen before. Also littering the carriage floor were pinecones, leaves, and twigs. She cleaned out several others and found several…interesting…items before returning to the stables to meet Inhe and Lenihlra later in the day. Inhe and Lenihlra: Inhe took on the name Grelod while Lenihlra took on the name Juniper. They entered into the large foyer and went down the right hall. They were eventually stopped by a woman named Rosemary who was the secondary matron of the house, serving just under the person who controlled all the staff, Mariella. She told them that there was no dungeon in the house and that if they were supposed to be emptying out chamber pots then they should head upstairs were the guests were all staying. They checked several rooms and eventually found a darkened room where a voice shouted at Inhe to “get out!” They eventually entered into a sitting room where there were several elegantly dressed individuals. They listened in on them and they were talking about how a family by the name of “The Harvines” had to flee the city. They also walked through a breakfast room where Lenihlra was able to pocket some of the delicious uneaten foods that were being thrown away. Finally, they found a familiar study, lined with stained glass windows, with a fireplace and two large armchairs. There was also a sturdy desk with four locked drawers. Inhe found two teacups sitting next to the armchairs. One was empty and one was barely drank. The cup with tea in it was lukewarm. There were mostly burned papers in the fireplace. She also found a mostly empty cupboard. Lenihlra, with the finessed skill of someone raised on the streets of Moldoryn, was able to pick the locks on all the drawers. In one drawer she found a ledger book showing that the household was buying far more food than a household of that size should be purchasing. In the second drawers she found a map showing the following things: Arnsholdi, Moldoryn, and Avonnoque Forest with checkmarks and back and forth arrows between them and Luthyra; Olfyra circled with three arrows going from it down southward; and X’s through the Fire Isles and Ilythyra. In the third drawer she found a partially finished letter reading: "I have received your emissaries. Their housing, food, and other accommodations are just as you specified. I am glad that the talks have gone well. I will expect your legions to be ready within the next two years in time for the quincentenary celebrations. And what celebrations they shall be if all our plans are successful. As always, I appreciate your discretion. I would expect no less from a King such as yourself. Let me know if---" As she was opening the fourth drawer, they heard voices outside the hall. They quickly made it appear as if they were cleaning up the study as the door opened. Leomer Luthyra entered the study and was shocked to see people in it. He ordered them out. As they exited the room, they noticed that curtains were being drawn tightly shut. Both went down to the foyer where the entered, which was also darkened. They were able to see two figures cross from the guest quarters. They couldn’t see any of the skin on the figures but they noticed their dress. It was simple, with high leather boots, gloves, and a veil surrounding their heads connected to a wide brimmed hat. After they left, the curtains were opened again. It was at this time that Jacquora and Norvid entered in. They all followed Norvid to and through the kitchens. After going through the kitchens, they noticed a door down the hallway with a guard stationed in front of it. While Jacquora and Norvid continued on, Lenihlra and Inhe changed their appearances once more to match those of guards. Lenihlra relieved the guard on duty of their post and stood guard while Inhe went through the door. She grabbed a torch and walked down approximately two flights of stairs and entered a secret dungeon. While exploring the dungeon she ran into several people. First, a man named Dilton, who was languishing in his cell because he tried to hide his husband who was a magic user. Later, she also ran into dwarf named Lee, who was trapped in the cell for practicing magic. Finally, deeper into the dungeon – which progressively became more and more high security – she found the two people she had been looking for: Rastix Pebblespring and Hamiir Faelar. Hamiir, a half-elf cleric, told Inhe that he had moments he couldn’t remember. This was usually when he was taken out of his cell to a place to be tested. But he possessed more clarity than his friend across the hall, Rastix. Hamiir also seemed very relieved to hear that Dalia and Linn had been rescued. Rastix admitted that he couldn’t remember a lot and had large gaps in his memory. Inhe told them that they or someone would be back to save them and left back down the hallway. While this was happening, Lenihlra was faced with Wesley and a small retinue of guards who entered the dungeon. Wesley noted the missing torch but didn’t press the issue and instead created balls of light to illuminate the path. It didn’t take long for them to come upon Inhe. Inhe heard them coming and disguised herself entirely in black and hid in one of the unlocked and empty cells until the group passed her by. She quickly left the dungeon. Lenihlra stayed on guard until she was relieved of her duty some time later. Wesley eventually emerged from the dungeon with his retinue in tow. Inhe once again changed herself into a guard and went to the barracks where she met Karli, another guard. Karli told Inhe that the new visitors who they had spotted earlier arrived in the dead of night in a black carriage. She was on guard duty on the wall at the time and noticed that the pair had the appearance of Elves, but they had dark blue skin. After some time, Lenihlra, relieved of her duty, joined Inhe in the barracks and the two left. They found Jacquora, washing her hands outside the stables, and left the compound together. They all shared their knowledge and returned to the cemetery to make their way back down to Xhosidva. Before they did though, they made a quick trip to Loras Hamonet's memorial obelisk. The obelisk itself is comprised of black marble veined with white. Several bronze plaques are affixed to the stone and the one bearing his name has been touched and rubbed so often that it retains it's original shine. Numerous gifts and offerings have also been left before the obelisk. When they rubbed the plaque, they gained the ability to choose one roll to roll with advantage. They eventually returned to their room at the inn in Xhosidva. Thydona informed them that they had been attacked by another Shadow Assassin during that time but that she had been able to take care of the single combatant. Falaern was able to inform the trio that based off of the dagger and the descriptions of the guests at the compound, they had come in contact with two Drow. Drow are dark elves who had some connection to extremely dark deeds. Though not always necessarily evil, they were extremely secretive and were not easy to befriend. Ilythyra had been trying for years to no avail. The Drow society is located in Avonnoque Forest and they changed their paths through the woods so often that most Emaniquorans believed the forest to be unpopulated and uninhabitable. They all set their watches for the night and got ready for the next day, when they would go to the museum.

An example of what a Drow looks like