Session 1
General Summary
With the death of the mind flayer, the keep was well and truly in the control of Nex Pervenio. It
was renamed �Castle Dash�. Big plans were made to rebuild it, claim control of the local area
and restore links to neighbouring settlements. Many of the prisoners rescued from the kuo-toa,
including the hapless Rutu, bought into this vision and agreed to work towards the keep�s
restoration. Messengers were despatched into Semang to bring news to Dash�s tribe. They would
contribute people to help with the labour and security. Mika set to work taming the swamp. The
area beneath the keep, specifically the narrow pinch point between the cellars and the catacombs,
was reinforced defensively to prevent a repeat Underdark invasion.
In due course, it was intended to lay claim to the entire area surrounding the keep. Future
developments might include a druidic grove, Scorpion dojo, temple of Asmodeus and more. A
good inn was considered vital to growth. Hence the owner of the traveller�s inn located 2 days
south was approached with the prospect of opening a new branch.
Meanwhile, Shinobi spread subtle messages among the local people that the Rodinians were to
blame for the poor condition of the area and subsequent kuo-toa infestation.
After a couple of weeks, with the work to rebuild Castle Dash and surroundings well underway, it
was time to consider a venture into the Underdark. Nex Pervenio held a team meeting and a bold
plan was constructed. They would enter Erelhei-Cinlu as proud gladiator champions seeking out
gladiatorial opportunities, which would provide cover for their presence in the city. They could
then make contact with the Cult of Elemental Evil and were prepared to do whatever it took, no
matter how vile, to ascend to the highest tiers of the cult leadership. They would then subtly steer
the cult away from the extreme goal of releasing Tharizdun, instead deploying cult resources for
their own nefarious goals � such as revenge on the Temple of Erathis, destruction of certain drow
factions and destabilising Rodinia to facilitate invasion by Honshu and Semangi independence!
These were far reaching, ambitious, long term goals which would reshape the world to Nex
Pervenio�s liking.
On 25th November, the gladiators set out into the Underdark. Aunrae, a drow of House Vae,
would be their guide in recompense for having been rescued from the mind flayer. She reminded
that the journey would weave seamlessly between the Underdark and the Shadowdark, with it
rarely being clear which domain they were in at any given moment with no discernible boundary.
Despite the dangers of the Shadowdark, the route would likely be quieter than usual, as most
Underdark dwellers instinctively avoided the border zone.
After a couple of days of quiet travel, the site of a deadly combat was reached. At a junction of
several large tunnels, many kuo-toa corpses lay scattered dead on the floor, green blood
everywhere, seemingly killed by sword and magic. Red blood stains intermingled and it seemed
the victors had taken their dead away with them. Trapped in a rocky crevice was a long strip of
cloth, like a kind of bandage marked with sigils and runes. It looked like part of an
incunabulum�s bindings. Aunrae explained how the incunabulum bequeath bindings from their
dead to their young � perhaps they would be grateful to have this fragment returned. The
incunabulum have a city named Glimmer deep in the Shadowdark, but some of their number can
be found in Erelhei-Cinlu.
After another couple of days, it grew extremely cold, a tell-tale sign of being in the Shadowdark. It
was so cold that breath froze in mid-air, forming tinkling ice crystals. The icy exhalations drifted
about on imperceptible drafts. Faces swiftly became rimed with ice and glinting frost collected
around head and shoulders. This was the coldest the gladiators had ever experienced but being
rugged adventurers they pressed on regardless and were glad as the temperature steadily returned
to normal.
The next day a huge chasm was reached. This was one of the few locations where the border
between Underdark and Shadowdark was well defined. One side was a natural cliff face, with a
narrow ledge winding its way upwards to another tunnel, all in the Underdark. The far side of the
chasm, the Shadowdark side, resembled the side of a vast building constructed of huge stone
blocks, with countless rows of dark holes for windows. Aunrae cautioned not to be alarmed as
creatures appeared at the windows across the chasm � a vast horde of ravenous ghouls had sensed
their presence. The crazed undead began hurling themselves out of the windows, desperately
trying to cross the gulf to reach precious food. However the chasm proved too wide, some ghouls
smashing into the cliff face below and many simply plummeting into infinite depths. Aunrae
laughed, finding it highly amusing. She�d visited this area several times and it seemed the ghouls
were inexhaustible in number.
It was now only a couple more days to Erelhei-Cinlu, no longer in the Shadowdark and all
considered drow territory. The route ahead became lit with a purple glow and the gladiators
gasped as they emerged into a truly gigantic cavern, far bigger than imagined possible � the Vault
of the Drow. Fully six miles in diameter with the city of Erelhei-Cinlu near the centre, it also
contained vast estates belonging to drow noble houses and the Fane of Lolth, a massive temple
and the centre of her worship. The whole place was aglow in a purple bioluminescent haze.
Although the city itself welcomed strangers, Aunrae cautioned against trespass on the noble
estates or approaching the Fane.
With the city growing nearer, it was seen that a huge wall encircled it. Strange magics must have
been used for the construction as it was a single seamless edifice of polished basalt. Guard towers,
festooned with all manner of war machines, loomed over the wall at regular intervals. Interspersed
between fortifications were sculpted images of Lolth herself, radiating a palpable evil.
The Great Gate formed the only way in and out of the city for all but a handful of drow nobles.
Atop the entryway was an imposing statue of Lolth carved from jet. Heavy black iron gates and a
succession of portcullises stood open. Entire militias of drow warriors, representing a number of
noble houses, kept watch impassively. Aunrae waited just inside the gate while Nex Pervenio
queued to gain admittance to the city. When asked their business, they declared they were
gladiator champions and came to seek out such opportunities. This highly amused the clerk, who
declared them far inferior to drow gladiators but perhaps they could ply their trade in the fighting
pits of the Ghetto of Performers, finding more suitable foes like bugbears or such. Entry to the city
was granted, after donning green cloaks to identify themselves as visitors. Warnings were given,
to respect the laws and traditions of the city and to avoid offending any high-status drow.
The city was a riot of architectural styles. There were many basalt structures, especially towers,
but others composed of petrified toadstool, fused bone and hardened spiderwebs. There were also
several limestone spires, notably more ancient. Many towers had web-bridges high above the
streets but these were reserved for drow nobility only. The population were no less varied, a
cosmopolitan mix. There were many drow of course but also humans, dwarfs, gnomes, tieflings,
goblinoids, troglodytes, trolls and quaggoths. There were even more exotic sights such as the
occasional devil, demon, incunabulum and so on.
Aunrae guided the new arrivals to the Hook Inn in the Ghetto of Foreigners. She described it as
clean and affordable. She then had to depart, to report to her superiors in House Vae. She
explained how she might be contacted, via offices in the Ghetto of Chattel.
Much gossip and chatter filled the bar room. House Godeep have put up their spider prices.
Ghouls are escaping from the Ghetto of the Dead. House Vae are giving sanctuary to Mistress
Verdaeth former matron of disgraced House Tormtor. House Shi�quos have suffered robberies of
rare tomes with incunabulum suspected. Sister Valerius recently returned to the Fane of Lolth.
Recent Cult of Elemental Evil activity on the surface world. A whole district of Maelbrathyr
collapsed down a crevasse. An alliance with Fomorians is being negotiated. Temple of Vecna was
raided, several drow were found worshipping a god other than Lolth so taken to the Fane to be
executed by sacrifice.
The gladiators soaked in all the news, settled in to their new accommodation and began to
formulate plans. It was 2nd December.
Report Date
10 Apr 2024
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