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Message: <blockquote data-quote="ilgatto" data-source="post: 9698945" data-attributes="member: 86051">Duergar & Daemons Part V: Land Beyond the Magic Egg – Continued The old duergar takes our noble heroes, past many stalagmites and columns and whispering voices, to a central, twilit plaza of sorts, where they notice what must be shops. Here, every now and then, some duergar appear out of nowhere and disappear again, especially so, it seems, when entering or leaving the shop-like buildings.“Are you all invisible?,” Sir Eber asks the old duergar. “Do you see each other?”“Yes. And no.”“Isn’t that a problem?”“Duergar used to unseen and have protocols.”“Can you turn invisible at will?”“Certainly,” the old duergar says. “All dwarves can become… invisible.”Which does seem to explain the fairy tales and why no one in The Forest has ever seen a dwarf, Navarre thinks.Unfortunately, this seems to call for some more slapstick, with some of our noble heroes apparently mistaking a city full of evil dwarves for a friendly place. Sir Oengus announces that he has found the tavern (a building on the central plaza from which some music comes); the chevalier orders a ‘selection of pastries’ from what he declares to be a pâtisserie; Sir Eber inquires after dwarven master smiths and asks one for a magical sword; Sir Suvali suggests leaving the Sword of Shadows in the city; the chevalier sells his saddle, which he seems to have dragged all the way into the city without anyone noticing; and Sir Eber purchases a set of tools from a stonemason’s shop cum atelier, setting him back fifteen gold coins; all in a day’s work and all that.Eventually, our noble heroes cross the plaza, past what appears to be a classroom full of, visible, duergar boys and then past an ink-maker. Until now, they have only seen male duergar, although the significance of this does not really register at this moment in time. The old duergar takes our noble heroes about fifteen yards into a street leading off from the plaza, past a huge gate and into a building not unlike the refectory in the egg.“Humans sit down,” the old duergar says, pointing to some stone benches gathered round a table. Almost immediately, numerous duergar appear out of nowhere – soldiers judging by their equipment and manner.“Une grande spectacle!,” the chevalier exclaims, applauding after our noble heroes have taken seats. “May I ask what it is you have to defend yourselves against? Is there the threat of danger?”“Yes,” the soldier replies.“Of what kind?,” the chevalier asks. “I am not familiar with the area.”“Duergar.”“Your enemies?”“Duergar of more rank,” the soldier says. “Duergar have rank.”“Splendid!” the chevalier says. “I assume that there are regular challenges for position?”“All days.”“Is that some kind of ritual?,” Sir Eber asks.“Yes,” the soldier says. “In arena.”“Are the fights to the death?”“Fight end when one duergar down.”“And no hard feelings?”“Of course there are,” the soldier replies sharply.“Ah!,” the chevalier says. “A society of warriors.”Sir Suvali mutters something unintelligible.“Most rank duergar is king,” the soldier says to him. “Twelve ranks.”“Would I be right in recalling you mentioning that the king is a bit of a problem?,” the chevalier asks.“King rebel against queens,” the soldier says. “Travels Underdark to plunder.”“On a boat?”“Steeders.”“So there are tunnels here? Corridors in which you can walk?”“Y-e-e-e-s,” the soldier says, beaming and making a grand gesture. “Thousand miles! All king’s soldiers always ready to fight!”“Do they fight… unseen?,” Sir Suvali asks.“No unseen fighting,” the soldier says. “Duergar fight seen.”“How does this challenging for position work?,” Sir Eber asks.“All duergar can challenge,” the soldier says. “Fight in arena with rules.”“And what happens when one wins? Does the winner get to keep his opponent’s stuff?”The soldier looks at him in some confusion.“Only king have stuff,” he says, after speaking to some of the other soldiers. “Big honor is for winner.”“So can you challenge the king?”“Challenge everybody is possible. Defeat king to be new king.”“How many women are in this city?,” Sir Eber asks.“¿Que?,” the soldier asks, obviously shocked.“How many women are in this city?,” Sir Eber asks again.Now, all soldiers turn their faces to the table – are some of them blushing?“How many queens are there?,” the chevalier asks.The soldiers remain at a loss for words.“Is this a sensitive matter?,” the chevalier asks.“Taboo!,” one of the soldiers cries, obviously distraught. “Big taboo!”The soldiers start taking excitedly among themselves, throwing angry glances at Sir Eber and the chevalier.“Mes amis!,” the latter says hastily, with the most angelic of expressions on his face. “Je vous-en prie! Please accept our most profound apologies! We are strangers and unfamiliar with your habits and rules! Can you forgive us?”But the soldiers remain quite agitated until the old duergar barks something at them and they start staring at the table again.“Womans are inside,” one of them says after a while. “Womans have many guards.”“What is your rank?,” Sir Eber asks the soldier.“Two.”“Do you think you could take me?”“Heu…,” the soldier hesitates, throwing the ranger a guarded look. “Maybe difficult.”“Would another dwarf take me on?,” Sir Eber asks.“Hmm…,” the soldier says. “Princess. Difficult. Humans are guest. Princess back soon to get friends.”“How old is the princess?,” the chevalier asks“Forty.”“How old do you people get?,” Sir Eber asks.“Four hundred.”“Enough,” the old duergar cuts in. “Now eat and drink as guests.”He signals to a counter, where, soon, some noises seem to indicate that someone is preparing some dishes.“Humans want trade?,” the old duergar resumes.“You’d better talk to our chief merchant over there, old bean,” Navarre says, pointing to the chevalier. “He knows about these things.”The chevalier throws our noble hero a sharp glance before he addresses the old duergar.“A-ha-ha-ha!,” he laughs lightheartedly. “Trade, stories, the road ahead, we are interested in all things, mon ami! We would bring a message to the surface, negotiate a treaty, that sort of thing!”“Duergar have no interest in surface,” the old duergar says.Presently a number of duergar appear our of nothing and put some bowls containing what seems to be porridge and a variety of paste-like substances on the table.“That’s more like it, my good man,” Navarre says to one of the duergar before digging in to the porridge. He finds it to taste quite bland.“Put in paste for taste,” the old duergar says after watching our noble hero eat.Navarre adds some of the pastes to the porridge and finds each to have its own pungent taste, usually quite sharp or salty.“An unpretentious but nourishing meal, I say!,” he says to the old duergar.Then, our noble heroes have to roll d20s, obviously more ‘Perception Checks’ since presently only some of them are informed that they notice a commotion at the entrance. It seems that more invisible duergar soldiers have arrived and that they are talking to yet more soldiers at the door, all as yet unseen by our noble heroes. The conversation seems to turn into an exchange of harsh words until, eventually, the soldiers who were in the refectory leave and some new ones appear out of nothing. Like the former, these are fully geared-up and armed to the teeth, clad in plate armor of excellent quality and carrying shields and swords.“Excusez!,” the chevalier calls out to one of them, a look of blessed innocence on his face. “The changing of the guards?”“Yes,” one of the newcomers says, with some steel in his voice.“Are you of the same regiment?”“Same clan.”“But you must be of higher rank, n’est-ce pas, since you sent our friends away?”“Exactly.”“And where did you have your armors made?,” the chevalier asks. “Mine pales in comparison!”“Smith.”“Surely you must be the royal guard?”“King is renegade,” the newcomer says, glaring at the chevalier.“Is this king the king of all duergar?,” Navarre asks.“Ten cities are here,” the newcomer says. “King is renegade. Travels his own way.”After some similar exchanges and several interruptions and explanations from the old duergar, it becomes clear that the duergar king commands the duergar army and that he is supposed to do what the queens tell him. Unfortunately, it seems, the current king rebelled against the queens, turning into a robber knight of sorts. He has been roaming this part of the duergar realm ever since, accompanied by well over a hundred high-ranking duergar mounted on steeders – the giant spiders our noble heroes saw in the cavern with the egg – all of them ready for combat at all times.“I see,” the chevalier says after this. “Could we bother you for some maps of the region? We travel by river.”“Duergar make no maps,” the old duergar says. “Trade. You have gold. We very interested.”“Of course, mon ami,” the chevalier says, gesturing to the door. “What about your quay? Is it the last one on the river? Do you ever venture further downstream?”“Duergar work,” the old duergar says. “Maybe fishing duergar go there. Maybe one time in ten days. No more than three posts on water.”“So the…, duergar realm ends further downstream?”“Yes,” the old duergar says. “Further is end. Big water begins.”“Are there any other ways to travel?”“Maybe.”“A-ha-ha-ha!,“ the chevalier laughs lightheartedly. “Surely you can help us out here? Hmmm? Trader to trader?”“Beyond have big gate.”“Ah! And after that? Roads?”“Yes.”“And is it on these roads that we will run into the king?”“Big chance king in Stalag.”“What say ye as to we be helpin’ ye with this king?,” Sir Oengus asks.Suddenly, one of the soldiers grows considerably in size until he stands at least eight feet tall. Almost immediately, he returns to his own size again.“Cor blimey!,” Sir Oengus exclaims. “That was some trick, to be sure! How did you do that?”The soldier shrugs his shoulders.“Can all duergar do this?,” Navarre asks.“Yes.”“What is your rank?,” Sir Eber asks.“Four.”“You think you can you handle me?”The soldier takes a moment to look at the ranger.“Er…, yes,” he says eventually. “Yes, I think I can.”The ranger scoffs.“When you’ve grown to eight feet, no doubt?,” he asks“Yes.”“Bah! And what if you’re my size?”“Yes… I think I can,” the soldier says. “What is this? Human challenge me?”“We could arm wrestle,” Sir Eber suggests.“Hmm…,” the soldier growls, looking at the ranger in some frustration. “Maybe not.”“I thought as much,” Sir Eber says. “So, to the arena, then?”The soldier seems to have some trouble restraining himself.“Is not as plan,” he says eventually.“Ah!,” the old duergar interrupts the proceedings. “Wine! Wine from queen!”Another duergar has appeared and he presently puts an amphora on the table. Another duergar appears and starts handing out glasses to each of our noble heroes.“Great honor!,” the old duergar says, a look of relief on his face. “Queen likes you!”He starts pouring the wine.“Drink!,” he says. “Drink! Queen is pleased!”“Messieurs, a toast!,” the chevalier says, raising his glass. ”All hail the queen!”“Gentlemen,” Navarre adds, also raising his glass. “Her majesty! Hulde!”And so our noble heroes drink their first toast to the queen of the duergar – or, rather, one of them as it later turns out.“An interesting bouquet!,” the chevalier says, smacking his lips. “It is not made of grapes? Some other fruit, perhaps?”“Duergar drink gnome blood,” one of the soldiers says, emptying a small stone container in one go.“Gnome blood?,” Navarre says to him. “You do not get on well with gnomes?”“Yes!,” the soldier says, spitting on the floor. “Rats! Newcomers! Svirfnebli! Live deep!”“I see,” Navarre says. “And are there any more dwarves besides you and these… svifnibli?”“Stonebones.”“And where would one find them? Do they live between you and the svifnibli?”“Duergar close to surface,” the soldier says.“Ah, yes, the surface,” the chevalier says. “Can we get back there via the river?”“Big ice down water,” the soldier says. “Up water is dragon nest. Destroyed.”“Er…, dragon nest?,” Navarre asks cautiously. “Destroyed? That must have been some force.”“Yes. Other dragon destroy nest.”“And would that dragon also be a ‘newcomer’?”“Everything is newcomer once.”But Sir Eber has not forgotten where the conversation was going before the wine came.“So how about it?,” he addresses his soldier again. “Are we going to the arena or what?”“You tired,” the soldier says, grinning ever so slightly. “Drowsy. Not good fight now.”Sure enough, Sir Eber doesn’t really feel as chirpy as he should and neither do the others. The chevalier yawns ostentatiously and has a good look around the room, to find that all visible duergar are watching him and his noble companions with some interest. After thinking for a bit, he concludes that it must be around five o’clock in the morning.“Messieurs,” he says, getting to his feet. “On retire!”“Not at all, old bean, not at all,” Navarre says, pouring himself another glass of the wine. “I say, my good man, where are the princesses? Are they coming or what?”“Princesses don’t come,” the soldier says, with a sly glance at our noble hero.“Mes amis,” the chevalier says, looking around the table. “We thank you kindly for your hospitality but it is time for us to go.”Navarre wonders what is wrong with his noble friend. Has he lost the ability to hold his drink? Granted, he suddenly feels pleasantly inebriated himself but isn’t that too be expected after all that wine?“Humans stay,” the old duergar insists. “Guests! Sleep here!”“That’sh the shpirit!,” Navarre says, raising his glass.“I am afraid we must be firm,” the chevalier says, with an urgent glare at Navarre as the others start rising with all the haste they can muster.“No!,” the soldier says. “Beds is here!”“We insist on relieving you of the burden we present, mes amis,” the chevalier says, dragging Navarre from his seat while the others are starting to move to the exit – not all of them in straight line.“Messieurs! To the boat!”“Zhe boat?,” Navarre slurs. “What…?”“Get yourself together, man!,” the chevalier hisses. “We have been drugged!”“Are you shure, old beasht?,” Navarre says. “I feel rather shpifffy!”Now, one of the soldiers gets up and starts for the door on an intercept course.“Et voilà!,” the chevalier cries, starting after the soldier as he pushes Navarre toward the door. “Our escort! Mes amis, bonne nuit!”Now all duergar in the room rise from their seats.“Duergar insist!,” one of them yells.“Not at all, not at all,” the chevalier exclaims with a grand gesture. “À demain!”And so it is that our noble heroes push through the duergar soldiers and leave the refectory in all haste, make their way across the plaza, and find the door to the quay closed.“Gatekeeper!,” Navarre hollers. “Open zhe gatesh!”Not surprisingly, there is not a duergar in sight, let alone one who is opening the door. Now actively fighting a strong urge to cuddle up in some corner and fall asleep, our noble heroes open the door themselves, step onto the quay, procure the largest version of the folding boat and climb aboard. And now, finally, Navarre realizes that something could, indeed, be wrong. He feels remarkably drowsy and some of his noble fellows seem to be positively staggering rather than walking.“Zhe schnuff!,” he slurs, flailing his arms. “Zheresha’s schnuff!”It takes a while before his noble fellows understand what he is on about but then Sir Suvali procures the stimulant he found on Captain Clifford’s barge. Our noble heroes take turns sniffing the powder and are then told to pass saving throws, which the chevalier, Navarre, and Sir Eber pass with flying colors. Although still a bit groggy, the noble threesome now feel up to steering the boat downstream.“Jolly good show, Oengus,” Navarre mutters to himself when the boat is about half an hour downstream. “Wouldn’t have made it upstream back there.”</blockquote>

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