The Journals of Old Greyhawk and the Founding of NewHawk City
- Chapter Seventeen

Adventure Date: June 23, 2007
Last Updated: January 10, 2009

Day 207

The group woke up at 6 AM and begins to plan their approach to the main gate of the Drow’s citadel.

Nuria uses the 2 pearls (100 gp) to cast identify on the full plate and shield. One is found to be full plate +1 (2,650 gp), the other is a heavy steel shield +3 (9,170 gp).

The full plate +1 will be used as part of the groups "trade goods" to help get them into the Drow citadel. The heavy steel shield +3 is given to Agrona to help boost his defences.

Also since HHH now has Miranda (warhammer +3), it is also decided to give Agrona the longsword +2. Agrona’s longsword +1 is then given to Xana so that she too has a magic weapon. The hat of disguise is also given to Xana to wear so that she can appear as a human druid. PW takes the ring of invisibility.

The deep gnomes tell the group that there are 8 houses: Torm Tor, Everhate, Dispana, NoQuar, Aleval, Killsec, Goddeep, and Ellserves. Ellserves is currently the strongest and most powerful of all the Drow houses.

Once through the main gate, the deep gnomes tell the party that they will be staying in the foreign quarters.

The deep gnomes announce that it is time to depart and request the second half of their payment. Party balks and says wait till our return, one gnome starts to head towards the gate, no doubt to spread rumours of that the party is untrustworthy, so the group calls him back and PW gives them their 50 gp ( I thought it was 50 pp pipes up Nuria). The gnomes hold out the pouch for more. Soon the group kitty is depleted, and the team is forced to dip into some of the gems they found on route, as well as on the Frost Giants throne before the gnomes are satisfied and head on their way back home.

"Should have bound them and sold them as slaves" someone mumbles under their breadth.

Agrona casts undetectable alignment on all the "good" party members so as not to arouse to much attention when passing through the main gate.

At towers, 2 Drow can be seen at each tower, crossbows at the ready. At the gate between the towers 4 Drow and 4 mindflayers, 2 on each side of the visitors lined up to enter the drow city.

In front of the PCs is a party of Duergar, deep dwelling evil dwarves. The PCs listen in on what the Drow ask. It is typical questions, such as: What is your business? How long is your stay? Etc...

The mindflayers scan the PC as they approach.

HHH suddenly starts to get second thoughts, says that they shouldn’t go in now.

Nuria initially says to the Drow guards that these are her servants and handmaidens and that they are here to trade for magic. They show the enchanted suit of full plate armour and enchanted short sword, as well as the white dragon hide.

The guards ask for 2,500 gp as an entrance fee and ask for the trade goods to be given to them to be delivered later to their stall.

The PC do not like this and are gracefully trying to decline, when Rose exits the gates.

Quickly leaving the gates with Rose, the PC retreat.

Rose offers to help the PC get into the Drow city the next morning, eyeing Agrona up and down.

Rose speaks in Elvish to Xana, who quickly agrees to pimp off Agrona.

The PCs follow Rose to an area just outside the city. She and Agrona disappear.

INSERT HERE - S&M PORN FLICK

Day 208

12 hours later, Rose and Agrona reappear, Agrona is exhausted but smugly contented.

Rose says she will smuggle the party in on a caravan.

Soon after the caravan appears. And who should be leading it, but everyone’s favourite caravan master, the one, the only ... Guardo!

Guardo tries to tempt PW into getting high again. Sweat pours from PW, but he resists the temptation for now.

Party hides in hidden cavities in the wagon.

Later party emerges and is in a warehouse. They are now past the foreign quarters, the common area, and are inside the 3rd gate.

Nuria feels a tug on the rod towards the North side of the city.

Nuria takes back the hat of disguise to take on Drow form. Xana tries to take on Spider form, but fails since it is not yet within her capability, so instead she changes into a bat, while PW turns invisible.

Talk about HHH plays submissive as new recent captured prisoner. Ebreck and Agrona could pass as scout and bodyguard.

However, it is decided that for the initial scouting, only Nuria, PW and Xana will go. Once outside the warehouse, they find themselves in a warehouse district. As they follow the pull of the rod north, they pass through a market area.

A Drow patrol, led by a male captain, stops Nuria in the city streets and asks to see her pass. Nuria arrogantly addresses the male (an obvious lesser being in Drow society).

"You dare interrupt my mission for house Ellserves. Let me pass little man and things will go better for you."

His voice a little less sure, the Drow male captain responds timidly, "I must see your pass sister"

Well, Nuria just loses it. She berates the Drow male captain into submission.
"Your name Captain! For if my mission is delayed a moment longer, I fully intend to let my Matron at the House of Ellserves know where the fault lies".

Stammering and backing away, the Drow male captain quickly says, "Begging your pardon Sister, I meant no offence, please, pass on your way."

Nuria confidently strides past the patrol, an invisible PW in tow, along with Xana in bat form flying nearby, following the pull of her rod towards the fifth piece.

As they approach the house where the rod is pointing them too, a patrol led by two sisters of the house of Killsec (Mithral sword crest & 2nd in overall power within the city) stops them. Being respectful, Nuria tells them that she has come to warn them, that others fear their newly acquired item of power. The sisters ask who will support them, so Nuria replies that the house of Torm Tor will support them.

One of the sisters tries to grab Nuria, so she dimension doors (with PW and Xana) back to the warehouse.

Meanwhile, back at the warehouse, HHH, Ebreck and Agrona inspect the crates in Guardo’s warehouse. But they are protected by magical exploding booby traps and HHH has a flashback to an eyebrow-singing fireball, as once again, the hairs above his eyes shrivel away to nothing.

Nuria uses prestidigitation to darken the skin of Xana and Agrona to make them appear as Drow to the casual observer, and turn Ebreck’s and HHH’s skin grey, to make them appear as a Deep Dwarf and Deep Gnome respectively. PW will remain invisible.

The party wanders towards another of the Drow houses, hoping to seek allies to aid them in acquiring the rod. PW sneaks ahead to scout. Sees two guards in front of the house, bearing crests depicting a head of a bronze nightmare. Much to PW surprise, the guard see him in his invisible state, and "invite" him inside.

The rest of the party decides to approach and address the guards, seeking an audience, telling them that they have important information.

They are let into the main hall, where they are asked to relinquish their weapons. Reluctantly, Nuria decides to take a chance and agrees to give up her weapons, the rest of the party follow suit. The guards watch in amazement when it is HHH turn, as he proceeds to place his 2 lances on the table, followed by a small light crossbow, a medium short sword +1, a small long sword, a small cold iron warhammer, a medium-sized cold iron scimitar, a medium-sized masterwork Gnome hooked hammer, a small silver heavy pick, a medium sized dagger and finally his precious Warhammer +3 "Miranda". One guard quickly whispers to the other guard, "We didn’t find that many weapons on the other little one. Quick, go back and search him again, full cavity, and make it thorough!"

The party is escorted into the audience chamber, where they are introduced to Matron Nuretega of House NuQuar.

"I was told you have important information concerning the House of NuQuar" states the Matron.

"Indeed I do, Matron" says Nuria, "You are in grave danger, the House of Killsec has acquired an item of great power, and plans to use it against you"

"Fools", laughs the Matron, "We are allied with the House of Killsec".

"So you say, Matron, but with an item of such power, what need will the House of Killsec have for allies."

"There is nothing to be concerned about, the item is incomplete and they do not have the other parts", proclaims the Matron.

"Then I regret to inform you that even now, they seek the other parts. Before I returned, just outside the city, I interrogated one who was just leaving the city. This one claimed to be negotiating a deal with one of the houses, but I must warn you, his master already possesses one of the parts. It is obvious that the House of Killsec is also seeking new allies, what need will they have for you?"

Pondering, the Matron admits, "Yes, we were beginning to fear such a thing".

"Then now is the time to strike, Matron," challenges Nuria, "assist us in removing this item from their clutches. Remove the threat."

"I am not sure, there will be repercussions."

"The House of Ellserves will no doubt reward a House that displays such loyalty. The House of NuQuar will soon be second in power throughout the city" predicts Nuria.

"Very well, we will aid you and send a platoon of soldiers. But there is one further price to be paid Sister. None must know what has been spoken of today. Therefore, I must insist that once the item of power is removed, you will be exiled from the city, forever. To return will be your death. Do you accept these terms?"

"The conditions are acceptable, Matron", smiles Nuria. "We will need our weapons returned, and make plans to strike before the darkness of sleep is awakened."

Day 209

The next morning, the party and the disguised NuQuar Drow strike force approach the House of Killsec. Ebreck and PW stay outside with the strike force, while the rest of the party and the NuQuar strike captain, go inside, and into the audience chamber.

BIG BATTLE

"Screw it", says Nuria, as she casts a minor Globe of Invulnerability to protect herself.

Agrona telepathically sends a message outside to PW and Ebreck to strike at the guards by the main gate.

The Matron of House Killsec throws the fifth rod at Nuria in disgust, "Is this what you came for? Take it and leave" Nuria uses her mage hand to telekinetically grab the fifth rod in mid-air and draw it to her, securing it on her belt.

Drow flamestrike

Xana dies.

Agrona, bears the burden not only of the flame striking him, but also shields HHH from the blast, taking the brunt of the fire meant for our gallant paladin, but the effort is too much and Agrona falls to the ground, silent and still.

The House of Ellserves has taken advantage of the fray and have launched their own attack against the House of Killsec. Ebreck and PW race into the audience chamber with Drow soldiers on their heels. "Nuria get us out of heeeeeerrrrreeeeeee."

"Just a moment, I want to pick up a few of these Drow magic items for study"

Nuria, NOWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

BIG BATTLE

Nuria activates her teleportation spell and the group finds itself back in Greyhawk, the mages tower looming above their heads. Their mission, although a success has had a high price, as two of their companions were felled in the battle; Xana the Druid, and Agrona the Cleric. As they collect their thoughts and absorb their grief, PW pipes up and says, "Hey, you know, Agrona never has used that energy ring of his, and since it sure does do more damage than my crossbow, you all don’t mind if I use it, do you? Good." PW proceeds to wrestle the demon-cursed energy ring from Agrona’s cold rigid finger. "Got it!"

They go inside the mages tower and report their adventures in the Underdark and the Drow city to Joshua and Belgarath. Nuria hands them the fifth piece of the rod, so that they can divine its function, although without the fourth piece possessed by Andre, the rod cannot be made whole.

The group goes to see Benedict the Elder about resurrecting their fallen comrades, Xana and Agrona. As a donation to the church, the group provides the suit of Full Plate +1 and the Short Sword +1 that could be used by one of its guards, as well as 4 quartz gems (10 gp each) to raise Xana from her deathly state.

Day 210

The group returns the next morning to find Xana has returned to them. However, Benedict appears to be rather shy and humble, as he announces that the body of Agrona has gone missing. They cannot explain how it could have disappeared.

At that moment, Agrona says hello from behind the group. Turning in astonishment, the group find that Agrona too is alive and well, although Benedict claims it was not done through any of the clerics at the church.

The group puts this mystery behind them for now and welcomes Agrona back into their ranks.

The group splits up the remaining treasure (2,170 gp each) so that each member can go and re-equip him or herself.

Nuria rushes off and was lucky to find a wizard willing to trade in the Bracers of Armor +2 (4,000 gp) and the Cloak of Protection +1 (1,000 gp) to upgrade her Headband of Concentration +1 (100 gp) into a Headband of Intellect and Concentration +2 (4,600 gp). She also acquires an Amulet of Health +1 (1,000 gp). Nuria then pays a local mage to let her copy the spells "darkvision", "false life", and "see invisibility" into her spell book (900 gp). She then promptly makes the spells "darkvision", "resistance", and "see invisibility" permanent on herself as magical abilities using her newfound knowledge. She also takes the time to scribe a scroll of "protection from normal arrows" at a cost of 75 gp. Deciding it might be smart to update her weapons as well, she commissions a weaponsmith to turn "Dark Twilight" into a double-headed spear, with one point keeping its original masterwork silver spear tip, and the other end now equipped with a masterwork cold iron spear tip. She pays the weaponsmith with the Potion of Remove Paralysis and "Dark Fury", her masterwork cold iron morningstar. And since they are likely to face demons in the future, she thinks it may be prudent to acquire a vial full of "Oil of Bless Weapon" (100 gp). And finally, she just can’t resist buying that lesser Cloak of Elvenkind (100 gp) too, since it matches her Boots of Elvenkind oh so well, even if she had to sell a few items of miscellaneous equipment to afford it.

"So, did the rest of you have as much fun shopping?" inquires Nuria.


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