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Message: <blockquote data-quote="PHDungeon" data-source="post: 5495324" data-attributes="member: 86320">Session #39Party:Bella, changeling rogue 16Melek, tiefling wizard/warlock 16Turak, minotaur warden 16Smar, shifter ranger 16Ardyn, elf ranger 16Corvin, human cleric 16Melek's journal:After a brief rest and much divine healing from Corvin, we start to discuss our options. Clearly holing up here in the basement of this tavern isn’t much of a choice. Fleeing the city seems like the only practical alternative to me, but I'm having a little difficulty in convincing my companions of this. And even that alternative has issues with it.We more or less have to assume that pixies will be watching our every move when we leave. Damned invisible little pests! I'm going to have to learn a way to deal with that issue. As we are arguing, the door leading from the inn upstairs into the basement opens. Standing in the entrance is another gnome who immediately rushes over to the corpse of the bear and starts weeping into its fur, getting blood all over his face. His two hobgoblin guards watch on in bemusement, and are obviously fervently hoping that we don't decide to kill them all. I do feel sympathy for the poor little man, though. To lose a loved one always hurts. I remember that when I lost my pet cathshee I cried for days. Cathshee? When did I ever have any pet at all let alone something exotic like that? This new gnome turns out to be Waylan, the owner of the bar and the brother of Neblin. Not at all unreasonably, Waylan is extremely upset at Neblin for bringing all of this trouble to his doorstep. It is a case of one sibling taking the aid and help of the other for granted and abusing the situation, just like occurs in so many of the best romances. I admit that I have some misgivings that I've been doing something similar with my sister Kallista. I've pressured her into accepting a role as the leader of the tiefling enclave that she may well be uncomfortable with, a role that could easily lead her into conflict with the Jarl that she would otherwise have escaped. I can tell myself that I'm doing it for the greater good and not just for personal gain. But while that is definitely true is it sufficient justification? Perhaps Neblin is also acting in what he thinks is the correct way for the long term. As virtually a slave here perhaps his mercenary ways are all that is keeping his family alive and well.I think that I'll need to have a long talk with Kali when I get back. At any rate, I'll put aside the personal soul searching for now.Waylan turns to us and tells us that he'll be able to hide us from the guards who are to be expected at any moment. While this seems doubtful to us, it’s definitely at least as good an option as any other we have. If it fails then we can start killing Cyclops at that point. If nothing else, hopefully the guard will be split up and we'll be able to deal with them a few at a time while fleeing the city. Thus, we follow Waylan up into the tavern’s kitchen area, and we are introduced to his absolutely terrified family. Terrified of us, terrified of turning us in, terrified of not turning us in. You've got to feel for the poor things.It is then that we hear some Cyclopian guards coming into the common room demanding to see Waylan. Fortunately for us, the captain was either a complete moron or somebody who arrogantly believed that Waylan wouldn't dare to lie to him and conceal anybody. Maybe he got his position not for his merits but because he is somebody’s son. The captain was basically more or less believing Waylan as he professed total innocence and ignorance to any knowledge of the outlanders that had just slain Kregan in the alley beside his establishment. He stated that he knew nothing about the dead bodies in his basement (which the guards had presumably just discovered), and that he hadn't even been in the basement.  The captain didn't even particularly mind all that much when Waylan changed his story given the bloody evidence on his face that he had actually been in the basement.With everything that happened later I admit that some of the details are now getting blurred. I'm finding it hard to differentiate between what I dreamed and what actually happened. I believe that the captain and his troops then left and Waylan sent a runner to contact his brother. I'm almost certain that the fairly clear memory that I have of Waylan mooning the captain on the way out didn't really occur.Before Neblin could return the captain came back and started to again interrogate Waylan. It seems he wasn’t fully satisfied with Waylan’s previous answers. This time the Cyclops used techniques that would surely quickly either cause Waylan to reveal our presence or to die (stepping on his head for example). Belladonna came to the rescue. She turned into a lowlife hobgoblin servant and left the inn under the noses of the guards placed outside the backdoor. She then went around to the front, disguising herself as a hobgoblin guard along the way. In the guise of a warrior, Bella then claimed that we'd been sighted at the far end of the festering cesspool that is this ward of the city and that he'd been sent to fetch reinforcements.This subterfuge was successful and the guards all hastened off to find us. I'm sure Belladonna later somewhat exaggerated her story of how brilliant an actor she was (who wouldn't?) but the basic details of her leading them away and then separating from them were doubtless true. Full marks to her for her ingenuityMeanwhile, back at the inn, we waited for Neblin. He arrived in short order and said that we should all go to another safe house that he has, the home of a former girl friend. I admit that Neblin doesn't strike one as the sort who would have ex amours who would think highly of him, but perhaps gnomes have different standards and attitudes in such things than do Tieflings. We all head off with the gnome, including Waylan and his family. I've advised them all to leave the city at once since not even the dumbest Cyclops is going to remain fooled forever and eventually they're going to bring them all in and torture and kill them on general principles if for no other reason.We hasten off to his ex’s house and, amazingly, she does indeed let us in, admittedly after Neblin wheedles her a little and bribes her a little with gold. We relax, hoping that we'll be able to spend some considerable time here. Meanwhile, Neblin leaves us again to go attempt to secure a means for us to leave this part of the city. While we try to rest, we learn that his ex is a pastry chef of some repute. Turak finds her blueberry pies the best thing that he has ever tasted. I admit that they're not at all bad, quite superior to the normal dreck that humans make, but they're still not a patch on the wonderful Mangosteen tortes that I had in Mithrendain.While we wait for Neblin’s return Belladonna shows up, having been directed here by an associate of Neblin’s. Neblin also returns soon after, informing us that he is making arrangements for us to go to the house of one Dregas, an ally of Sethrak who lives in the high class part of the city. However, our rest is interrupted by the sounding of a proclamation from out in the street. Everybody is to return to their homes as a house to house search is being instigated for Ours Truly. We clearly have to leave right away. Neblin tells us that if we go into the aquifer tunnels beneath the quarter we'll be able to make it to the house of Dregas. Of course, we'll have to face the hordes of undead down there since we don't have time to make it to the "safe route". Apparently the undead have been placed there by King Bronnor’s advisor Kaleestra, as a means of deterring smugglers from using the tunnels.We head down into the depths below the city. We are harassed by small clumps of ghouls and the like, but they're really not a significant threat. Well, not at first.  Just before we make it out of the dangerous area of the tunnels we emerge into a huge cavern with some fascinating symbols enscribed on the floor. They are runes that act to keep Purple Worms at bay. We really should remember to destroy them on the way out. However, at this point a large force of ghouls attacks us. They'd been gradually amassing themselves in the darkness. What feels like hundreds of them but were more likely only dozens hurls themselves at us from the multitude of passages leading into the cavern. I retreat behind a swift flowing stream and barely manage to leap across the stream successfully. As has occurred so often recently, my tendency to avoid physical pursuits has nearly been my downfall. Unfortunately, before my companions can join me, they are beset by the ghouls, and several of our number are paralyzed. Once again I find myself acting as a hero, and I use my arcane prowess to switch places with Ardyn as he is being grappled by a Cyclopean ghoul and only inches from going unconscious. There seems something ironic about the lowly wizard stepping in to save the mighty ranger. While most of my companions are adept at taking out large number of enemies it is my spells that are largely responsible for sweeping the battlefield clear of the riff raff so that we can concentrate on the several Cyclopean undead. Strangely, some of the undead actually have a sense of self-preservation and flee into the tunnels rather then being completely destroyed by us. The hardest part of the fight is probably keeping Neblin alive.After the battle we conversed amongst ourselves in Giantish as to what to do. I'm sure that I'm misremembering that I was so incredibly stupid as to mention in the hearing of Neblin that we should wait for the morning before trying to cast a Hand of Fate ritual to see if Sethrak is intending to betray us. There was a barred iron gate that sealed the ghoul tunnels from the tunnels beneath the King’s Ward. Bella used her ability to alter her form to contort herself enough that she could slip through the bars of the gate Bella and then pick the massive padlock hanging off of it. Neblin led us through the safer tunnels beneath the King’s Ward, until we were beneath Drega’s villa. We thought about camping down below, but it was decided that even the safe areas had their dangers and it would be better to avail ourselves to the help of Dregas. Nobody seemed overwhelmingly surprised to see us emerging from the well in the middle of Drega’s villa, and we were soon in the hall of Dregas.Dregas turns out to be, even by Cyclopean standards, a fairly foul and odious piece of work. He is a mercenary slaver, a traitor to his king, and not above trying to wrest a few gold pieces from us despite the fact that we are working for an ally of his and presumably his position will increase greatly should Sethrak succeed in his plot.In exchange for some money, Dregas revealed that a group of Drow elves had recently arrived at the city and were negotiating with King Bronnor to purchase an item that we guess to be the part of the Divine Engine that we're seeking. My visceral reaction to the fact that Dregas had sold them some eladrin as playthings surprised me. While any decent person would not like this it felt more like my own kindred had been betrayed. Dregas also told us where the drow were staying within the city.Finally, we retired for the night and for what should have been a good night’s sleep. Unfortunately, my sleep was anything but calm. Quite honestly, I think that I may be going totally insane.In retrospect, I think that all of my dreams since we came to the Feywild have been disturbed and similar to last night’s. It is just that last night’s was the first one that I remember. Not completely nor vividly, but I've definitely got impressions. Impressions and memories as if seen through a fog.I was dreaming the life of somebody else. I am sure that I was an Eladrin or maybe a half eladrin. Do such things even exist here in the Feywild? It seems likely that they do. If elves and humans can breed true, I see little reason that Eladrin and humans cannot.Can Tieflings interbreed with Eladrin? Perhaps I'm accessing the memory of an ancestor. Or, if what the southerners believe is correct, perhaps one has been reincarnated as me. Or maybe it is some gift of the Maiden of the Moon. Or perhaps my travails have finally caught up with me and I'm just going mad. It’s exceedingly scary that the last alternative is almost the most attractive.At any rate, I was leading a very different life. I think that I was a bard. A sword wielding bard- a great hero, a great adventurer, but one with a certain joie de vivre that I admit that I've been lacking. I greatly envy that bard of my dreams. He was sure of his place in the world, happy in what he was doing. He knew that he was leading a very dangerous life, but he didn't care because he knew that he was making a difference in this life and would be rewarded in the next. And not rewarded by an eternal life of battle and the hollow joys of wenching and endless mead and beer. His life was so much richer than mine in so many ways. He was good at so many disparate things- mental, physical, and social. While perhaps not a master at all of them he was certainly well above journeyman in all.After I woke up I felt strangely different. I almost feel like I can access some of the memories and some of his skills.But my own memories have also become blurry. At the moment I can't always tell which are my real memories and which are the memories from my dreams.And there is another side to this. In the morning, as planned I cast a Hand of Fate ritual in order to determine what we should do. Although it succeeded it felt a lot harder to get an answer than it normally does.  And I somehow sensed disappointment on the other side. One thing that is unequivocably true is that the Maiden of the Moon granted me a boon in my sleep. I remember her appearing to me in my dreams just before waking, and giving me a kiss on the forehead. I can still feel the power from her kiss, and I believe it may stay with me. Even more interesting is the fact that Odin did not grant me such a boon but instead chose to grant a boon to Bella of all people.I don't understand it at all but I'm absolutely certain that very soon I am going to have to make a major personal decision, one that will affect my very soul.After waking up, I cast a divination ritual, and I learned that the dragon is planning to betray us after we slay the King. More importantly, I discovered that the drow elves have the fragment of the Divine Engine. And they have already left the city.We take our leave of Dregas and descend back into the depths. There we put our sword to Neblin's throat and tell him that he has one chance to live. If he helps us and does not attempt to betray us in any way we will let him live. He can choose to accompany us when we leave the city or stay here. Since his desire to live outweighs his desire to serve Sethrak, he quickly agrees to our terms. He proceeds to again cast his disguising ritual on us and we then head into the city to where the Drow were staying. Perhaps there we can find some clue as to where they came from.It is both hilarious and disturbing to see Turak, in the illusionary guise of a teenage Cyclops girl, petting Neblin who appears to be a dog. Poor Neblin doesn't seem too impressed but he isn't complaining.We quickly and quietly arrive at the stone guest house that had been housing the drow entourage. We find it to be guarded by a couple of Cyclops guards. Heading around the back we see a Cyclops maid disposing of an eladrin body as if it were garbage. After she steps back inside, Smar sneaks up to retrieve the body and overhears a conversation through the partially open door. We learn that there is an eladrin inside that is still clinging to life.I voice the opinion that we have to save that Eladrin since she might have valuable information, and that rationale carries the day. In actuality my primary goal is merely to save her if she can indeed be saved. After all, she is my distant kin.Smar proceeds to brutally dispatch the maid. I can't say that I disapprove of the action in any way. As far as I'm concerned all the inhabitants of this city deserve to die. Well, all of those who more or less voluntarily live here anyway. We very quickly dispatch the two Cyclops guards inside, and then we rapidly bar the doors to keep any remaining Cyclops at bay. Inside we find the evidence of a linked portal ritual having been used in one room, presumably by the drow to leave the city, but Bella is not able to recreate the destination.Corvin heals the Eladrin survivor. She is a noble from the city of Celduloin, fortunately she knows enough to inform Bella how to scribe a portal to the teleportation gate there. Bella quickly scribes the portal with my assistance. Before we leave, we leave a couple of letters addressed to King Bronor informing him how Sethrak had plotted his demise with the aid of Dregas. We provide enough details to be moderately convincing. Hopefully the fact that we got as far as we could and knew as much about his defences as we did will lend credence to our story. I doubt that we'll actually manage to start a civil war but perhaps we'll be lucky.We managed to open the portal before enough guards arrived to give us difficulty, and we left Harrowthane behind. It seems that this mission has been a failure, for our enemies have claimed another piece of the divine engine. Hopefully, this eladrin maiden we have rescued will be able to tell us something useful about the drow.</blockquote>

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