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[IC] Uller's Out of the Abyss
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<blockquote data-quote="Uller" data-source="post: 6720177" data-attributes="member: 413"><p>[ooc]</p><p>Edit: I think I'd like to introduce a new tradition to my posts...like this:</p><p></p><p>"The world is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind." - H.P. Lovecraft</p><p></p><p>[/ooc]</p><p></p><p></p><p>Jimjar eagerly shakes Klep's hand sealing the bet. He then goes on to explain "The drow have an insati...insatia..insas...unsatisifiable need for slaves. Their entire way of life is built on it. Without slaves to do their work for them their wicked cities would fall apart. Besides, their goddess demands it. The Demon-Queen of Spiders favors those dark elves who are most cruel. It's sad, yes. But the world doesn't care about sad, my friend."</p><p></p><p>As they are talking, a work detail is taken from the pens to clean up the kitchen and make a meal for the slaves...Surana among them. She gives Klep a wink....Not long afterwards, a dwarf slave comes to the pen with a pot and cups. The broth is piping hot. Jimjar is astonished. He looks about..."Well I'll be son of a goblin! Maybe you're good luck, Klep." He reaches under his rags and produces a gold coin and hands it over...it's not like one Klep has ever seen...it has strange writing on it and half a face..."It's from Blingdenstone...oh don't worry...I've got others hidden about. That's old King Guliver...he was never able to sit still long enough to get his face drawn...so they only put half his face on the coin."</p><p></p><p>Several hours later Klep finds himself on a work detail along with Derendil and Orsik. You are taken to the bottom of the cavern and told to pile rocks near the tunnel entrances to the south and west (Orsik is able to determine the direction). It seems a strange task and you aren't sure if it's just making work for the sake of it or if it has a purpose, but they seem very interested in arranging the rocks around the tunnels. Two other quaggoths are there helping. Klep gets his opportunity to "pick a fight" with a one. He accidentally/on-purpose drops a large stone on its foot. Enraged the quaggoth slams Klep against the wall. Klep struggles, kicks out from underneath the creature and smashes it in the face. Now the creature becomes wild. Klep begins to think this might not have been the best plan...the creature grabs Klep's chains and hurls him 10' across the stoney floor. It begins stalking toward him when out of nowhere a second quaggoth blindsides this one and slams it to the ground and begins furiously biting and ripping at it. Blood is everywhere. All of the sudden Klep and Orsik feel a familliar sting...hand crossbow bolts from the guards...sleep overtakes them both.</p><p></p><p>They awaken back in the pen. Derendil is not there. The guards seem to think the quaggoth Klep tangled with started the fight. Both it and Derendil were lead away in chains and none of the slaves know what became of either. You all learn that normally troublesome slaves are thrown to the spiders. Quaggoths are immune to poison. They are too valuable to kill...so they'll likely be back after Ilvara is done with whatever fun she has in store for them.</p><p></p><p>Both Orsik and Klep then settle down into the routine (<strong>ooc</strong>: Orsik is very good at not being noticed...that 8 CHA isn't low enough to make people outright not like him but it is low enough that people just don't notice him in a crowd. It's why Jimjar made the bet with Klep instead of Orsik).</p><p></p><p>Orsik is caught several times praying to Moradin. Every time he is dragged before Ilvara and punished to the point of unconsciousness. On one occasion when he is brought there, Jorlan is with her and as usual she is mocking him, teasing him about his scars and telling him how Shoor clearly has the favor of Lolth and he does not. Orsik begins to realize this is the source of the tension...The favor of Lolth is of utmost important to the drow, particularly the priestesses. Jorlan must have been Ilvara's consort at some point but now it is Shoor. Asha and Shoor are of the same house (perhaps siblings). So Asha is very pleased to see her brother raised to a higher position than an older more accomplished rival (Jorlan seems older and more experienced). Being second to Ilvara means Asha's consort must be Jorlan and she is probably very resentful of this. Most female drow are very ambitious and rising in position is impossible if your consort does not have the favor of the goddess. </p><p></p><p>You both look for material to make your flute and holy symbol. You notice that nothing here is made from wood. Tables, chairs, tool handles, etc are all made from a substance similar to wood in density and hardness. But it has no grain like wood. At first you think it might be some sort of stone. You each find a piece and secret it back to the slave pen. Other slaves tell you it is zurkhwood. It is from a type of mushroom that grows in the underdark, sometimes as tall as 15 or 20'. It's caps are edible but more importantly it's stalks are hard and useful for building. Zurkhwood groves are a great economic resource to underdark cities.</p><p></p><p>It is also not too hard to smuggle small tools. The guards occasionally search you or your area in the pen but they rarely seem interested in doing a good job.</p><p></p><p>Klep, it will take you a long time to craft a playable flute in these conditions. So you will have to be patient. Orsik is able to fashion a holy symbol...not one that can be used as a spell focus but one that he can at least use for prayer. But shortly after making it, you go to get it from it's hiding place to find it is gone. In it's place is a spider! It is about the size of your palm. You're initial instinct is to smash it. But then you catch a flash of light in it's eyes...(it has about 20). They are arranged on it's face like in a shape that is the unmistakable shape of Moradin's symbol. It seems completely unafraid of you and crawls back into it's hiding place.</p><p></p><p>Several days pass, or so you would guess. You have long lost track of night and day and time. How many days have you been here, you are not quite sure? You sleep in short naps, you are awake for training or labor and then you sleep some more...always hungry, often thirsty, always filthy. You are losing your sense of yourself too. The training is beginning to convince you that you are indeed, just a slave but you resist it. You are becoming numb to the cruelty the drow show toward others. </p><p></p><p>Your sleep is always disturbed by dreams. They are very vague...the light of the full moon is shining upon you but you cannot see anything around (or even the moon). Then a shadow blots out the light. You cannot breath. You are underwater. You awaken with a start. In another you feel something wrap around your leg. It is coated in slime, very very strong and wherever it touches you it leaves a searing pain, like it is coated with hundreds of barbs. You feel it tighten then it is dragging you, then you wake...the pain and constricting sensations remain. In yet another you are wandering a maze. You know something is stalking you but it is always just out of sight or hidden by shadow, you sometimes see it's eyes blazing with hatred. Again the moon is bright and moving...just as the light is about the reveal your predator, you wake. Each time you awaken from these dreams, you have trouble remembering where you are for several moments. Then you remember...and you wish you hadn't.</p><p></p><p>(<strong>ooc</strong>: All the other PCs are en route to Velkenvelve at this point and you have these dreams as well...the further you go, the more intense they become. <ul> <li data-xf-list-type="ul"></li> </ul></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Uller, post: 6720177, member: 413"] [ooc] Edit: I think I'd like to introduce a new tradition to my posts...like this: "The world is indeed comic, but the joke is on mankind." - H.P. Lovecraft [/ooc] Jimjar eagerly shakes Klep's hand sealing the bet. He then goes on to explain "The drow have an insati...insatia..insas...unsatisifiable need for slaves. Their entire way of life is built on it. Without slaves to do their work for them their wicked cities would fall apart. Besides, their goddess demands it. The Demon-Queen of Spiders favors those dark elves who are most cruel. It's sad, yes. But the world doesn't care about sad, my friend." As they are talking, a work detail is taken from the pens to clean up the kitchen and make a meal for the slaves...Surana among them. She gives Klep a wink....Not long afterwards, a dwarf slave comes to the pen with a pot and cups. The broth is piping hot. Jimjar is astonished. He looks about..."Well I'll be son of a goblin! Maybe you're good luck, Klep." He reaches under his rags and produces a gold coin and hands it over...it's not like one Klep has ever seen...it has strange writing on it and half a face..."It's from Blingdenstone...oh don't worry...I've got others hidden about. That's old King Guliver...he was never able to sit still long enough to get his face drawn...so they only put half his face on the coin." Several hours later Klep finds himself on a work detail along with Derendil and Orsik. You are taken to the bottom of the cavern and told to pile rocks near the tunnel entrances to the south and west (Orsik is able to determine the direction). It seems a strange task and you aren't sure if it's just making work for the sake of it or if it has a purpose, but they seem very interested in arranging the rocks around the tunnels. Two other quaggoths are there helping. Klep gets his opportunity to "pick a fight" with a one. He accidentally/on-purpose drops a large stone on its foot. Enraged the quaggoth slams Klep against the wall. Klep struggles, kicks out from underneath the creature and smashes it in the face. Now the creature becomes wild. Klep begins to think this might not have been the best plan...the creature grabs Klep's chains and hurls him 10' across the stoney floor. It begins stalking toward him when out of nowhere a second quaggoth blindsides this one and slams it to the ground and begins furiously biting and ripping at it. Blood is everywhere. All of the sudden Klep and Orsik feel a familliar sting...hand crossbow bolts from the guards...sleep overtakes them both. They awaken back in the pen. Derendil is not there. The guards seem to think the quaggoth Klep tangled with started the fight. Both it and Derendil were lead away in chains and none of the slaves know what became of either. You all learn that normally troublesome slaves are thrown to the spiders. Quaggoths are immune to poison. They are too valuable to kill...so they'll likely be back after Ilvara is done with whatever fun she has in store for them. Both Orsik and Klep then settle down into the routine ([B]ooc[/B]: Orsik is very good at not being noticed...that 8 CHA isn't low enough to make people outright not like him but it is low enough that people just don't notice him in a crowd. It's why Jimjar made the bet with Klep instead of Orsik). Orsik is caught several times praying to Moradin. Every time he is dragged before Ilvara and punished to the point of unconsciousness. On one occasion when he is brought there, Jorlan is with her and as usual she is mocking him, teasing him about his scars and telling him how Shoor clearly has the favor of Lolth and he does not. Orsik begins to realize this is the source of the tension...The favor of Lolth is of utmost important to the drow, particularly the priestesses. Jorlan must have been Ilvara's consort at some point but now it is Shoor. Asha and Shoor are of the same house (perhaps siblings). So Asha is very pleased to see her brother raised to a higher position than an older more accomplished rival (Jorlan seems older and more experienced). Being second to Ilvara means Asha's consort must be Jorlan and she is probably very resentful of this. Most female drow are very ambitious and rising in position is impossible if your consort does not have the favor of the goddess. You both look for material to make your flute and holy symbol. You notice that nothing here is made from wood. Tables, chairs, tool handles, etc are all made from a substance similar to wood in density and hardness. But it has no grain like wood. At first you think it might be some sort of stone. You each find a piece and secret it back to the slave pen. Other slaves tell you it is zurkhwood. It is from a type of mushroom that grows in the underdark, sometimes as tall as 15 or 20'. It's caps are edible but more importantly it's stalks are hard and useful for building. Zurkhwood groves are a great economic resource to underdark cities. It is also not too hard to smuggle small tools. The guards occasionally search you or your area in the pen but they rarely seem interested in doing a good job. Klep, it will take you a long time to craft a playable flute in these conditions. So you will have to be patient. Orsik is able to fashion a holy symbol...not one that can be used as a spell focus but one that he can at least use for prayer. But shortly after making it, you go to get it from it's hiding place to find it is gone. In it's place is a spider! It is about the size of your palm. You're initial instinct is to smash it. But then you catch a flash of light in it's eyes...(it has about 20). They are arranged on it's face like in a shape that is the unmistakable shape of Moradin's symbol. It seems completely unafraid of you and crawls back into it's hiding place. Several days pass, or so you would guess. You have long lost track of night and day and time. How many days have you been here, you are not quite sure? You sleep in short naps, you are awake for training or labor and then you sleep some more...always hungry, often thirsty, always filthy. You are losing your sense of yourself too. The training is beginning to convince you that you are indeed, just a slave but you resist it. You are becoming numb to the cruelty the drow show toward others. Your sleep is always disturbed by dreams. They are very vague...the light of the full moon is shining upon you but you cannot see anything around (or even the moon). Then a shadow blots out the light. You cannot breath. You are underwater. You awaken with a start. In another you feel something wrap around your leg. It is coated in slime, very very strong and wherever it touches you it leaves a searing pain, like it is coated with hundreds of barbs. You feel it tighten then it is dragging you, then you wake...the pain and constricting sensations remain. In yet another you are wandering a maze. You know something is stalking you but it is always just out of sight or hidden by shadow, you sometimes see it's eyes blazing with hatred. Again the moon is bright and moving...just as the light is about the reveal your predator, you wake. Each time you awaken from these dreams, you have trouble remembering where you are for several moments. Then you remember...and you wish you hadn't. ([B]ooc[/B]: All the other PCs are en route to Velkenvelve at this point and you have these dreams as well...the further you go, the more intense they become.[LIST] [/LIST] [/QUOTE]
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