SD.1.4 One Betrayal After Another

Session Preface

Already, the restful sleep of only a few hours ago seems distant and foreign to your body after stumbling upon the pair of mutated drow with their chandelier maces and thrown boulders of drow hewn stone. Exploring further in this strange new locale, you realize you have perhaps disturbed an even more pressing threat. As the part-Drow, part-scorpion monstrosity clambers his way up the northern wall and overlooks the chamber from the gap between the ceiling and the massive spider statue hanging overhead, the stone-turned-flesh dark elf warriors glare at you with a primal hatred as they descend upon you hastily.

Session Summary

With the monstrous creature looming over them and finding themselves caught between a possible dead end and the unknown of delving further into the dungeon, the party quickly charge through the necy corridor in hopes of escaping this new predator. Stumbling upon a secret chamber, Fenris leads the party into a small alcove containing a statue of a drow woman, scorned and sad. When Hawk touches the statue, he suddenly teleports into a separate chamber depicting a brokenhearted drow male.
After his allies join him in this new portion of the dungeon, the companions soon find themselves assaulted by four drow guards and phase spiders, the latter of whom nearly kill Thaust outright with a devastating poisonous bite. To the surprise of the adventurers, one of the drow guards betrays his kin, shooting one, and fighting back a phase spider to allow the party to escape into a guest suite dining hall. Over a much needed resting period, the party learns of this drow, Sornnozz, and his reason for saving them. Sornnozz, a member of the House Auvryndar who believes currently leadership is ineffective and spread too thin has allied himself with a Shadowblade of rival House Freth by the name of Xarran A'Daragon, who is shortly planning to free a captured ally currently being interrogated and attempt to assassinate the high priestess, Vlonwelv. Sornnozz promises to provide safe passage wherever the party wishes to go throughout this tenth floor of the dungeon if they aid Xarran in getting a clear shot at his target.
Agreeing to this terms in principle, the party meets the shadowblade in a small chamber containing an altar to the drow god of assassins and thieves. Xarran explains his plan of causing a distraction which will allow the party to surprise a group of drow soldiers and overwhelm them, allowing him and Sornnozz to find their captured companion, Tazirahc. In addition, if the party continues forward to the throne room, Xarran offers all the treasure secured in the process and in the queen's private chambers as reward. Intrigued by the opportunity and story to tell, Hawk volunteers the party and the companions follow their new ally down a hallway towards a raucous crowd of drow cheering on a sparring match.
As planned, Xarran interrupts the fight, intending to challenge Vlonwelv's niece Drinrith to a duel in front of her trainees. When Xarran's blade of shadow catches the drow warrior unaware, however, he manages to defeat Drinrith in a single strike, quickly winning over the frightened drow in his presence. Splitting the forces, he sends Sornnozz to find the interrogation chambers and leads the party members and a handful of drow towards the throne room.
Making their way through several secret passages, Xarran's new soldiers pretend to have captured Thaust and Fenris who Xarran drags before the high priestess and claims they are responsible for the death of Drinrith. During this declaration, an invisible Hawk strikes the priestess with an arrow with chaos erupting from the massive chamber. With guards fighting guards throughout the hall, it quickly becomes unclear who is on whose side or which side is winning. In the midst of the confusion, Hawk and Xarran make quick work of the priestess before a pair of loyalist mages charge into the room escorted by a massive crystalline spider.
As the battle rages on, it becomes clear to many of the drow a sudden shift in power and stance is about to occur and the opportunistic among them slink off into the shadows to reappear when safety has been restored and they can position themselves among the victors. For those who do not escape, Fenris delivers a quick and sudden end in his barbaric rage. Turning their attention to the mages and their golem ally, the party quickly finds themselves on the brink of collapse given the day's already troublesome encounters up to this point. Thaust, in an effort to save their new companion's life after a series of spells and brutal attacks from the golem, casts his last spell to heal Xarran, only for the drow to shadowstep to Hawk's position and stab him through his back, knocking him unconscious.
Upon this betrayal, Thaust and Fenris charge forth and overwhelm the shadowblade, managing to return Hawk to consciousness and briefly heal themselves before defending themselves against the crystal spider. When the tide of battle once again takes a dangerous turn, Thaust retrieves his scroll of Polymorph and transforms the golem into a turtle, providing the party a momentary respite as the last of the drow retreat.
Following the battle, the party efficiently loot the shadowblade, priestess, and mages and explore the massive chamber, discovering a prison cell filled with the Sing Alongs, a famous troup of halfing performers whom Hawk is familiar. The band retells of their capture and being forced to perform drow dirges for the priestess night and day for the last two tenday. The Sing Alongs plead for the party to help them return to Waterdeep safely, to which the companions agree. Before continuing on their way, Hawk once again uses his invisibility to explore the hallway behind the priestess' throne, eventually discovering her personal bed chamber and pilfering the treasure found within before returning to his companions and retracing their steps to ascend back to the first level of the Undermountain.

Session Overview

Party:

• Hawk
• Thaust
• Fenris the Furious

Time Passed:
Flamerule 7, 1493
NPCs:

• Muiral the Misshapen
• Sornnozz
• Xarran, Shadowblade of House Fenth
• Drinrith
• Tazirahc
• High Priestess Vlonwelv of House Auvryndar

Loot:

• 500cp, 350sp, 60gp
• Healer's Kit
• Four Torches
• 5 Silver Arrows
• Potion of Healing
• Crystal Vial with Spider-Shaped Stopper
• Shadowblade Hilt
• Cloak of Elven-kind
• Potion of Health
• 3 Obsidian Scarabs of House Auvryndar
• Obsidian Scarab of House Fenth
• Platinum Inlaid Helmet of Black Metal Molded in the Likeness of a Spider with Carnelians for Eyes
• 2 Webbed Platinum Bracers