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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Seravin" data-source="post: 1591135" data-attributes="member: 6783">The Task now DoneHappy New Year.   <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f61b.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":p" title="Stick out tongue    :p"  data-smilie="7"data-shortname=":p" /> This is probably the last post for the week.  The next installment actually veers away from the entire module for a little while.  The party and myself both needed some time from the trolls so I pulled out a little product called 'Den of Thieves' and got the party involved in a little bit of mystery and murder.On the whole it wasn't as successfull as a later side-quest, but that was because I decided to focus more on Kestral and Panther (who's on-again/off-again player was currently in on-mode) and their diplomatic skills, leaving Kellron, Jallarzi, and Ashimar not as much to do for the first part.  But this adventure allowed for a truly wicked sequel.   <img src="http://www.enworld.org/forum/images/smilies/devious.png"  class="smilie" loading="lazy" alt=":]" title="Devious    :]" data-shortname=":]" /> --------------------------------“Eleven trolls?”  Asked Carmeneren, using a spell of speaking to grant herself the Imperial tounge.  “That is all that was left?”  The gnome and her guests sat at low (for humans) table.  Indeed, the four surface-worlders found it easier to sit and kneel at the table while Carmeneren sat upon her ornate stone bench.Kestral smiled deprecatingly.  “I wouldn’t quite say all that was left.  Eleven trolls was certainly dangerous enough, and it’s not like we fought them all at once.”  Perhaps it was pride, but Kestral neglected to mention that a few of those final trolls had been diseased.  “The scary thing though was that lumpy, tentacled garbage monster that grabbed me.”Carmeneren’s eyes glittered in the enchanted torchlight set out for the human guests.  “An otyugh is a dangerous creature.  That you fought one in addition to the trolls shows you are as skillfull as we had hoped and our faith was not misplaced.  She smiled, “You have our most profound thanks for clearing those caverns of the trolls and troglodytes, you have truly made this place that much safer.  We also thank you for telling us of the orc patrol you encountered on your journey back.”*  She motioned to one of her attendants who quickly marched over with a small bluish-stone coffer and placed it before the priestess.  He bowed low once and then marched back to his post.Carmeneren nodded her thanks and continued to speak.  “However, you did not do this for free, so now is the time for our agreed upon payment.”  She looked to Ashimar and then to Kestral, Jallarzi, and finally Kellron.  “First though, I would like to personally thank you all for bringing back the body of poor Yurickrun and his belongings.  The dagger you returned was an heirloom of his family and they are quite grateful for its and his return.”  Carmeneren opened up the coffer and pulled out a small cloth bundle which she laid carefully on the table and unfolded.Nestled within the folds of the cloth was a blue-green gem the size of Kellron’s thumb.  Carmeneren touched the crystal lightly and looked gravely at the group.  “They wished for me to give this to you, in appreciation and thanks.”Kestral had been paying close attention to the rituals of the svirfneblin and so did not immediately rush to pick up the gem.  “We are honored by their gift.”  She said simply and sincerely.Carmeneren bowed and folded the bundle up and placed it back in the small stone coffer, which she then moved to the side and promptly disregarded it for the box was no longer the property of her clan.  Instead she pulled out a rolled up piece of hide and unfurled it on the table before her.  “We have created a map using our scout’s knowledge and bravery.  This copy is for you to use.  We are over here.”  She said pointing to one side of the map.  “A place known as the City of the Glass Pool is here, filled with a race of creatures called kuo-toa.”  This time she pointed at the opposite side of the map.  A group of surface-worlders passed down this central tunnel here not so long before you arrived.  We do know that they did not survive the journey and the members died off one by one as they continued down the tunnel.”  The priestess let that sink in.“What’s this tunnel?”  Asked Jallazri, pointing to a side tunnel that was marked.”“It says ‘great reptiles’.  We know there are two, great scaled beasts living in the caverns at the end of that tunnel.  None of my scouts who got close enough to discover what type of beast returned to tell us what they learned.  I would suggest you avoid the area for now unless you are truly confident of your abilities.  Even then I would not advise it though divinations sugges they have great treasures.”“But it’s what beyond them that may prove most worthwhile.”  This was spoken impulsively by Carmeneren’s attendant, who had been shifting from foot to foot, barely able to contain himself.Carmeneren glared at the young attendant who immediately shut up, embarrassed.  The priestess looked back to the party.  “He is young.  In truth we do not know what lies beyond the reptile caverns for the area resists all scoutings, scryings, and divinations.  Great magic lies there, and not evil I think, but we truly know not what.Because of this, I would suggest you explore the main tunnel, gathering what strength you can along the way. This grand tunnel leads all the way to the City of the Glass Pool and that is where you will find the humans who have been brought down below.”Kellron looked at the map.  “Will we meet these illithids along the way?”The wisened little priestess shook her head.  “I do not believe so.  Those creatures have their own passages that they take their captives down.  That entrance to that passageway is warded and none of my clan my pass through it.  Being humans, you might be able to.  When you are ready we will take you there and you may try if you like.”Carmeneren’s demeanor, normally grave, suddenly turned fierce, and even Kellron felt like stepping back momentarily.  “Just before you reach the City of the Glass Pool you will find the Diregund.”The room in the air turned electric and it seemed as if every gnome in the chamber had hissed at the name.  Carmeneren’s face twisted in a mask of fury.  “When you find them, kill them.  Kill them all.  When they are dead you may return here and we will tell you what else we know of the kuo-toa and their cursed city.”The meeting did not end there of course.  As a natural diplomat, Kestral wouldn’t have let it.  The party soon discovered that the Diregund were a twisted race of maligned dwarfs who had nearly destroyed the svirfneblin in the area twice before.  Kellron was uncomfortable with this obvious hatred and demurred about wiping these Diregund out until he had leared more.  However it was decided that they would follow the priestess’ advice and follow the main tunnel, assuming they couldn’t use the same passages that the illithids used; but that would be for later.  All of them wanted to go to the surface again for a little while.  Kellron wished to check on his inn and they all wanted to go to Corlean for various reasons.That night the group was feasted and thanked again.  In the morning they set out for the surface.  First to Kupier’s house to collect their horses and then onwards to Thurmaster and finally Corlean.  They would be back again in a month if all went well.----* I don’t have a lot of notes on this, but memory recalls that this orc encounter was far more difficult then it should have been.  I think it was six orcs and they lasted almost eight rounds against the party in a 100ft of tunnel that had a slight curve that provided cover and broke lines of sight and effect.  The party was using lights since the darkvision spells from the wand had run out, so they were easily visible while the bulk of the orcs could stay out of the way.The orcs were classed and included one sorcerer I believe and were essentially an advance scouting party looking into what had happened to the orcs from the caves above.  Not that the party ever found that out.</blockquote>

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