Upgrade your account to a Community Supporter account and remove most of the site ads.

Reply to thread

Message: <blockquote data-quote="Goonalan" data-source="post: 5353317" data-attributes="member: 16069">H2 Thunderspire LabyrinthThe Seven Pillared Hall.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40504969@N08/5064121223/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/5064121223_ff46ae99e0.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>Welcome to the Seven Pillared Hall.And so the PCs venture into the Seven Pillared Hall, and are met at the entrance to the underground trade centre by a bunch of creepy looking Human Guards who go out their way to be offensive, a little at least, in the background an Ogre watches the PCs like a hawk- this is Brugg, bully of the Hall Randall explains.In short order the PCs, who state they have come to place to trade- not far from the truth, they have Nimozaran's package to deliver afteral, take charge of the situation. Phrenic spreads a little love, and a few gold coins, Dirty (Dave) looks like he wants to take them all on- here and now. Common sense (phew) prevails and after a short sojourn- a wash and brush up, at the Halfmoon Inn the PCs are about their business.<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/40504969@N08/5064735162/" target="_blank"><img src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/5064735162_4baff07266.jpg" alt="" class="fr-fic fr-dii fr-draggable " data-size="" style="" /></a>Map of the Seven Pillared Hall.Dirty is taken aside by Ulthand Deepgem (of the Deepgem Mining Company), a fellow Dwarf, Dirty thinks he's going to get the lowdown on the situation in the Hall, alas he departs a short while later with only a damp shoulder. Ulthand is missing his pet Dire Boar, Mr Grumpy, the poor Dwarf is distraught- he sobs as he describes Mr Grumpy's furred features- he wants him back... please, more jagged sobs and Dirty finally escapes. Dave is disgusted- Dwarves don't cry, nor do they require transport, a Boar indeed, you wouldn't catch him etc.Kaspard, meantime, makes a friend in the Temple of the Hidden Light, a small shrine to Pelor- Phaledra, the Halfling Priestess, expresses her concern, guardedly- things are not as they should be in the Hall, the Bloodreavers for instance... a meeting is organised, at the Inn, after last orders.Grey shows considerable interest in the huge (nearly sixty feet tall) statue of a Minotaur in the centre of the Hall, clearly this place has changed masters... He examines the base of the statue (Iain's like that), and finally locates a secret panel, alas this is not the time or the place- Grey stores this information for later use.Eventually, after asking directions, all of the PCs make their ways to Gendar's, they have a package to deliver remember, and Gendar is a... Oh, a Drow.Phrenic is not happy, a little while later when James has delivered a potted history of the Drow, remember these guys (save James) have no knowledge of the monstrous compendium of good guys, bad guys and downright evil treacherous two-faced sons-of-bitches that make their way in the D&D/Fantasy universe. James explains that the Drow fall into the latter category.The other players are at a loss, negotiations are protracted, Gendar is civil but insistent, particularly when he learns the PCs have a package for him. A good deal of role-playing ensues, I even get to roll-out the 'if you prick us do we not bleed?' speech from Shylock in 'The Merchant of Venice', or at least a version of it. Eventually the PCs are persuaded, they'll try trusting Gendar- which turns out to be a positive move, he has information.First off there are guides for hire hereabouts, for travelling in the Labyrinth, the maze of tunnels that lead from the Seven Pillared Hall, never leave home without one- a guide that is, he recommends Charrak, a Kobold, to be found in the Inn.Secondly he recognises Dirty's clan markings, the Hard Tac clan, Dave is intrigued (well sort-of), Gendar tells Dirty the story of the Hard Tac's fall- their destruction, a tale Dirty is familiar with, and does not wish to be aired again. But Gendar has a purpose- an odd Dwarf stalks the Labyrinth, Thain Cardanas, a mad Dwarf- with mad followers who eat the hallucinogenic lichens and mosses of the stones; he believes himself to be the last of the Hard Tac clan, and to demonstrate his superiority, and Lordly status, he wears the Crown of Hard Tac- Dirty is now very interested...A while later the PCs head to Dreskin the Provisioner's to stock up, and pay through-the-nose for the things they need, the PCs are not short of money but it becomes painfully obvious very quickly Dreskin is not charging them 'friend prices'.Next stop Rothar's, the Halfmoon's competition in the Hall, a dive, a flophouse, a spit-and-sawdust alehouse- and home to nearly a dozen Hobgoblins, dressed identical to those the PCs fought earlier  when rescuing Randall, and much earlier still- way back in KOTS- Bloodreavers. The PCs get some strange looks, and soon after are ushered out by the sensible one- Kaspard, before it gets heated.Then on to the Grimmerzhul Trading Post, and another explanation- the Grey Dwarves, James is front and centre again, explaining the the Duergar are the Dwarven equivalent of the Drow- as with Gendar the PCs are cordial and polite but very cautious. They leave quickly, feigning business elsewhere, answering the Grey Dwarves probing questions with lies, half-lies and the parts of truth that make no difference. Eventually the PCs retire to the Halfmoon Inn; rest up, drink and chat a while- meeting a few more of the Halls inhabitants, and generally kill time until the secret meeting after hours. Randall, it seems, has also been busy- the meeting includes Phaledra, the Halfling Priestess of Pelor, a gaggle of Halfmoons- including Randall, Charrak the Kobold Guide, another Human (another guide- not introduced), and a Tiefling Merchant by the name of Noristo Azaer. The later is immediately filed under 'suspicious' he has a way about him- he also seems to know much more than he is saying, at least the PCs think so.At the meeting the PCs learn that the Seven Pillared Hall has of late fallen under the control of the Bloodreavers, indeed Goblinoids are often seen in the Hall, Brugg (the Ogre) and the Hall guards have been paid off. The Hall used to be controlled by a group of spellcasters known as the Mages of Saruun- these strange Wizards controlled trade here, and through the Ordinator Arcanis (a Wizard of their order) enforced the rules.The problem is the Ordinator has not be seen for some time, perhaps three months, hence the new order- the Bloodreavers infiltrating the Hall and taking over things. The PCs first choice is to contact the Mages of Saruun, this idea is quickly quashed, the Ordinator Arcanis (in the past) would simply appear- teleport in perhaps, when they were needed... None of the inhabitants of the Hall are aware of the location of the Mages.Which brings us back to the Bloodreavers- regarding the Goblin slavers the inhabitants of the Hall are better versed- and aware of their suspicious activities, including slave trading- although who they trade slaves with is unclear.That said The Chamber of Eyes, an ancient temple to some dark god, and latterly the lair of the Bloodreavers is two days journey into the Labyrinth- Charrak the Kobold will lead the way, the PCs have a purpose- they must route the Bloodreavers, and in doing so- hopefully, wrest control of the Seven Pillared Hall from them.The meeting breaks up and the PCs sleep, disturbed only by dark dreams of ancient underdark halls, yawning chasms that fall to infinity, and winged demons of shadow and black... They head out of the Hall, the Kobold Charrak leading the way, early next day... into the Labyrinth.All in all a pleasant 90-or-so minutes of role-play in the Seven Pillared Hall, sated- and itching for a fight, the PCs head off.</blockquote>

Verification