D&D 5E [IC] Uller's Out of the Abyss

Uller · Oct 18, 2015

OOC:

"Wits and swords are as straws against the wisdom of the Darkness..." - Robert E Howard

Things settle down back into the drab routine but not too long afterwards another patrol arrives, this time lead by Shoor who brings 5 new prisoners into the already crowded pen:

A human named Evandur. Evandur seems even more despondent than the others here, almost as if he is giving up hope.
A high elf noble named Erevan Aenivinde
A dusky half-elf named Ezraen. He and Evandur seem to know each other. The drow particularly like mocking Ezraen as his lineage suggests his birth was the result of an earlier drow raid.
A strange little creature that calls himself a derro...seems distantly related to a dwarf...named Buppido. Buppido seems to be amused by all the events around him and surprised by none of it. The others tell you he claims to be the avatar of a god of some sort.
The most surprising new prisoner is a drow named Sarith. He is somehow connected to Jorlan and is accused of murdering a drow mage named Nildus during the patrol that brought these other prisoners back. He says he does not remember the events surrounding Nildus's murder and denies his guilt. But on the way back to Velkenvelve the other prisoners have noticed he is having other lapses in his memory.

Once everything settles back into the routine you are able to begin to interact with each other. Derendil (the elf-quaggoth) seems to be recovering under the care of Eldeth and Orsik. Several threats are made against the life of Sarith and the drow make no attempts to stop them, but Derendil does.

Work details begin again (Sarith is never put on a work detail, neither is Shuushar or Drum). Jorlan comes to the pen and hand picks a detail that includes Surana, Klep and Topsy and Turvy. During the detail, the drow decide to entertain themselves by antagonizing Topsy and when Turvy tries to intervene beating him within an inch of his life. But you notice (as do the drow) that the little deep gnome heals _very_ quickly. Too quickly to be natural and both get a kind of feral look in their eyes when they become angered. When they snap out of it a look of shame or fear comes over them.

As the work detail comes to an end, Jorlan takes Surana aside and in broken common says "You know I heard what you said about escaping. And what you said earlier about Ivana...I should throw you to the spiders."

"But I haven't done so...instead I mean to present Ivana with a gift. A gift she'll never forget...Something is happening here. I don't know what. But we all sense it. We've all had the dreams, including you slaves. There is a tension like the pressure in a cavern before a collapse. Soon one small stone will break loose...and then..." he smiles evilly.

"When things begin to move, I will arrange for the slave pen doors to be left open and delay the changing of the guards. You will find keys to your shackles hidden in the pile of rocks near the door. Begin making your plans and gathering what you can. I don't know how long you have. Be careful who you speak to. I am sure Ivana has spies in the pens and I do not know who they are."

He sees your puzzled expression...

"No, I don't do this for you. I doubt you will get far. A surface dweller can only expect death in the wilds of the underdark. I do this out of hatred for Ilvana and her house...farewell. I doubt we will speak again."

A handful of other drow and two quaggoths approach within hearing distance. Jorlan looks at them then back to you "Now...you'll double your effort if you know what's good for you." Then to the other drow "take them back to the pens."

OOC:

You know Jorlan is right...something IS happening. The dreams that you all have are getting so real that you have trouble convincing yourself that they didn't actually happen.

You have probably less than 48 hours to prepare your escape, gather your team, your equipment (if you can find it) and whatever supplies you can get a hold of. You can talk among yourselves to come up with a plan and you can spend time talking to NPCs about the surroundings and where to go. Certainly any and all NPCs would be willing to come with you if you let them.

You are aware of the following areas but don't know much about them yet:

Menzoberranzan - drow city - Sarith
Blingdenstone - deep gnome settlement (Topsy, Turvy, Jimjar)
Gracklstugh - duergar settlement/factory/trade post (Buppido)
Sluublodop - koa-toa settlement/trade post (Shuushar)
Darklake - area of lakes, wells, water filled passages (Shuushar, Bupiddo)

Evandur, Ezraen and Erevan, you notice that the patrol packaged all of your confiscated gear (at least everything of value, including weapons and armor) into bundles. When you arrived you caught a glimpse where it might have gone: Arms and armor were taken into the guard tower (area 10). Those that have been here for several days know there is an armory in there. Spell components, spell foci and valuables such as money were taken into Ilvara's quarters in areas 6-8. Occasionally a single slave is taken into the lower two chambers of this area to clean (under heavy guard and constant supervision) so if you want it is possible for one of you (any of you) to have gotten in there to have a look around.

Here is the map again:

And a refresher on the areas:

1 Guard post
2 Drow Barracks
3 Main hall/kitchens/larder
4: Elite Drow Barracks (Jorlan stays in the western most one)
5: Lift
6-8: Ilvara's, Shoors and Asha's quarters
9: Waterfall
10: Guard Tower
11: Slave Pens
12 Quaggoth cave
13 guard post
14 Pool

You can use the OOC thread to plan and coordinate your actions. I'd like to shoot for Thurdsay evening to post what happens next...

SunGold · Oct 19, 2015

OOC:

When she gets back to the slave pen, Surana is going to telepathically convey her conversation with Jorlan to Drum and request that he bond with each of the PCs and pass it on to them, as well as Derendil. (Bertram, Klep, and Orsik already know she's planning to escape and Ilvara hasn't killed her so she doubts they're the spies. Of the newcomers, she knows it's incredibly unlikely that either paladins or a high elf are spying for a drow, so she trusts them, too.)

ETA: Maybe I'm letting paranoia get the better of me, but if Drum's bonding requires physical action, I'm going to ask him to spread out the "invites" to avoid drawing attention.

This Effin’ GM · Oct 22, 2015

Evandur watches the beatings of the two strange gnomes, wondering why he does not muster the strength to try and intervene. He knows that there is little he can do, but he also is aware that even making the attempt can be enough to inspire.

That is what a knight does, is it not? Evandur thinks to himself as he works, A knight inspires. Realizing he must do something, if only to maintain what little part of himself he has left, he approaches Ezrean at first opportunity.

"If there is a plan," Evandur does his best to speak the words. His throat is dry and his chest hurts from the air, which feels stale so deep below the ground, "then I wish to be a part of it."

Uller · Oct 23, 2015

There are two people in this barracks who know I didn't do it. Me and the guy that did do it.
- Sefton, Stalag 17

Sarith smiles wryly. "He's letting you free, huh? Well isn't that a stroke of luck?" He thinks a bit. A red flicker in his eyes belies a nature you are not at all familiar with...no elf or drow you've seen so far has eyes that glow red when the light catches them...

"I'll come with you and even help you. Free in the Underdark is dead in the Underdark for surface dwellers. So helping you is the same as killing you. But my fate here is far worse than death...and if you meet me again afterwords...well...you won't like it. Yeah...I'll help put a bow on Jorlan's gift to Ivana. Her fate will be even worse than mine."

He tells you he doesn't know what sort of distraction Jorlan might be cooking up but he feels the same sense of doom everyone else does and says that Shoor lead the patrol out to find Sarith's patrol because Ivana senses it too. "There is a growing danger. She knows something is happening. Our relief patrol is 10 days late. They likely aren't coming. She has had to send a small patrol back to Menzoberranzan to find out. Supplies are running as low as morale."

"The best way down is the pool. If you want to chance it, you can leap straight into the pool but avoiding the webs isn't as easy as it looks and I bet it will hurt to hit the water from this height. If you want to use the webs to slow your fall you can but...then the spiders will be on you. I can probably draw them off of you for a few moments if you get stuck...but not for long."

He also points out that all the garbage that is generated in the outpost is dumped into the pool (along with the contents of the chamber pots) but the pool doesn't get fouled..."I don't know how it is on the surface, but every pool of water in the underdark contains hidden dangers. Something is in that pool and it eats whatever we throw into it...so you better get out of it quick".

"You're only other alternative is the lift. It would take a mighty distraction indeed for more than 4 or 5 of you to use the lift. But an enterprising work crew could use it to lower some supplies or tools down during a work detail and hide them. But that's a big risk and you might have to convince the quaggoth's that operate it to look the other way. Food works best. If the drow catch you, they'll know you are up to something and it won't take much for them to get it out of you what it is."

OOC:

DC 10 Athletics or Acrobatics check to avoid the webs on the way down (or you may make a DC 10 Dex Save to go by the book, but I'll allow you to use a skill if you it's better for you) and DC 10 Acrobatics check to avoid any damage when you hit the water. Otherwise it will be 3d6 bludgeoning. If you hit the webs (you can hit them on purpose automatically) then you will have to break free to get to the water but then there is no chance of damage from hitting the water). If you can figure out another way to slow your fall you can avoid the damage and the webs.

It's a DC 12 Dex Save to avoid being stuck in the webs when you enter them or start your turn in them and an action plus a DC 12 Athletics or Acrobatics check to break free.

Anyone who would interacts with Sarith, make a perception check

DMAesh · Oct 23, 2015

Ezraen watches everyone in the pen, and keeps an eye on Evandur especially. Evan has been quiet, he must be formulating a plan...

When he hears the chosen of Lathander speak, Ezraen nods, "The light is with us. You will have my help as well."

Upon hearing that a plan is being formulated, the ex-burglar starts to fall into an old familiar pattern. Ezraen begins casing the encampment. He watches for the shift changes, looks for weaknesses in the drow patrols, watches for "watchdogs", and looks for weaknesses in their "subordinates" (namely the quaggoth).

After listening to Sarith and his quiet explanation of the ways down, Ezraen mumbles, "The fall could kill us..."

OOC:

How far down is it? Do we ever get put on cleaning detail in the guard tower? According to the map, it is very close to our pens. Does anyone need anything that might have been taken to the shrine and evil b&$%'s chambers?

Perception on Sarith [roll0]
Insight on the other prisoners (to see who is willing to back us up in this escape attempt) [roll1]

Ranger20 · Oct 23, 2015

For a distraction I will get near the guard tower stand on a create and yell "Roman's go home"

... wait wrong genre, I will start preaching that the gods have not forsaken us and tell the slaves to have hope while Bertram is sneaking in.

Uller · Oct 23, 2015

DMAesh said:
...Ezraen mumbles, "The fall could kill us..."

OOC: How far down is it? Do we ever get put on cleaning detail in the guard tower? According to the map, it is very close to our pens. Does anyone need anything that might have been taken to the shrine and evil b&$%'s chambers?

Perception on Sarith [roll0]
Insight on the other prisoners (to see who is willing to back us up in this escape attempt) [roll1]

OOC:

No, the fall can't kill you...but the abrupt stop at the end can...

It's over 100ft and you aren't sure how deep but there are rocks and shallow areas and deep areas...so hitting the water in the wrong way or wrong place is bad.

Don't forget...webs burn. As a last resort, if someone is stuck in the webs about to get attacked by spiders, lighting the webs will free them (and burn them for 2d4...I don't think 2d4 will knock anyone out, so that might be preferable to risking 3d6 from hitting the pool full force. But you'll need a flame source.

There might be other ways you can lower yourself down safely...if anyone has a suggestion I can tell you if it is feasible.

[MENTION=6801671]itcomeswithamap[/MENTION]: Surana notices something strange with Sarith. Like everyone else in the pen, he is covered in all manner of filth and dried blood, but you notice some orange patches on his skin...They remind you of mold.

A nature check can be made to determine what it is. It's a DC 20. Anyone with particular knowledge of the underdark can make it with advantage.

Also, someone mentioned earlier they searched Topsy and Turvy's garbage pile. Everything is pretty much useless, rags, some dead bugs and rotting food and such. It's pretty stinky.

Did I miss anything I owe anyone? I'll try to post what happens with Surana and Bertram's attempt at recon in a bit.

Edit: Surana volunteers to clean Ivana's quarters to get a look at it and Bertram is trying to slip away from a work detail to get into the guard tower (to answer DMAesh's question)