The Underdark

Traveling

the party travels two more days to the edge of Mantol-Derith
Cynlant sends a message to the elven Prince Derendil who he found through legend lore
- Cynlant inquires if the elven Prince is the same as the quaggoth they adventured with
- after waiting awhile, he realizes they will never respond
with his flesh spectacles, Cynlant attempts to learn he lore of Darva Jassur, the partyrew’s Zhent contact
- there is no information to gleam
nothing else of note occurs during travel

half an hour outside the outpost the expeditionary forces gather together
the plan is to bring the main party, plus the Zhent leader
the party discuss their plans amongst themselves
- Cynlant considers conquering the outpost
- Yvelia mentions forging an alliance with Blingdenstone
- Oneshoe plans to go shopping
- CARL places their paws in mittens to prevent themselves from stealing
the party agree to keep their true mission hidden
- they will focus mostly on acquiring resources and information

the Zhent leader guides the party to a dead end of a cavern
- after a brief moment, a hidden door opens
- Cynlant smells the slightest hint of evocation magic
neither Oneshoe nor CARL are able to detect how the door was opened
the party passes through
- Oneshoe asks how the Zhent managed to do that
- “Nice try”
the party passes through another door
- they travel down a path, a stream flows beneath them
- the path seems worn from wagon carts and pack animals
after passing through the final archway, the party finds themselves in a trench within a larger cavern
- the trench is 50ft deep
- two mechanical lifts are deeper in the trench
- Cynlant manages to hear sounds of a fight from the larger cavern up above
the Zhent guide says “this isn’t normal…”
Oneshoe flies above to the edge of the trench
- she spots svirfneblin running from an enlarged duegar
- they’re being attacked!!!
with a mechanical clicking the lift begins to elevate the party
- Oneshoe hums battle music
- the party end up in the center of the market

numerous stalls and tents are upturned
- trade goods litter the ground
- a dead riding lizard and spider are lie dead
Oneshoe speaks with startled gnome
- he is worried about his master Yantha Coxrock
  - Yantha is a member of the Stoneheart Enclave
- they were attacked in the morning, after a trade disagreement
the rest of the party catches up to Oneshoe
- Cynlant asks Oneshoe who’s side they are on
- Oneshoe claims they are riding with gnomeies (gnome + homies)
- Yvelia mutters out “well of course a gnome would say that…”, as she plays the devil’s advocate
Oneshoe conjures a hypnotic pattern to stop four duegar from attacking a gnome
- two of them manage to remain focused and the run off
the party ties up the stupefied enlarged duegar
- after a while they return to normal size upon which they are retied
the party considers splitting to get the map and look for Yantha in the duegar warehouse
the duegar come to
- they are lead by Goldar Flaggonfist
- they claim Yantha stole a gem, and refuses to return it
- after the duegar took Yantha, the gnomes made a failed attack against the dwarves
the party decides to split
- Team Chaos: Oneshoe, CARL, and Ally will go with the Zhen contact to collect the map
- Team Order: Cynlant, Yvelia, Ront, and Droopy will handle the Gnome Dwarf conflict
Team Order is worried about how Team Chaos will fare, given their track record

team order passes by many overturned stalls with gemstones
- Yvelia uses mage hand to pick up some as they pass
  - 7 50gp gemstones
Cynlant smells illusion magic near the gate of the duegar warehouse
- Yvelia uses a booming voice to announce their presence
the team gets ambushes by invisible duegar
Droopy squeaks out “We come in peace”
- the Duegar do not lower their guard
Droopy moves towards a glimmering invisible mass
- droopy lessens a flurry of blows on the duegar, causing him to lose his concentration and become visible
- the Duegar is extremely strong and manages to stay on his feet
Cynlant maneuvers in and non-lethally strikes at a duegar
Yvelia conjures faerie fire on two of the duegar
- they both get covered by it
the enemies flank Cynlant and attack Yvelia
- Cynlant raises a magical shield to block some of the damage
- Yvelia’s cloak of displacement fails to hide her form, as she gets bludgeoned
Cynlant attempts to make peace with the duegar by offering healing potions
the fighting ends

the duegar question the Team about their business
- they respond that they request an audience with Goldar to discuss the current state of thing
the team hands over healing potions to the dwarves
- they are forced to wait outside the fence as the duegar deliberate amongst themselves
the team is ushered in to the grey dwarf warehouse
30 duegar merchants are many pack animals stare at the team while they enter the warehouse
in there is a 20ft tall statue upon which a deep gnome is suspended
- the deep gnome is wearing a sachet of gemstones
- a Xorn sits underneath, nipping at the gnome
Yvelia asks Goldar if things can be returned to normal
- he mentions how the gemstone was stolen after being appraised for a low price
Yvelia schemes, using telepathy to let the gnome know they will help her as long as she lets them get the gemstone
Cynlant looks puzzled, Yvelia telepathically tells him that she’s scheming
Yvelia lies to Goldar, saying that she can appraise the gem at a fair value
they lower the gnome down, so Cynlant can cast zone of truth
with great pain Yantha answers Yvelia’s questions
- the assistant of Yantha stole the gemstone
- he is likely at their warehouse
Goldar orders his guards to release Yantha from her cage, but to keep her secured
the duegar will go with Team Order to hunt for the black gemstone

Team Chaos continues their way towards the Zhentarim base of operations
- there are signs that the Zhent encampment was formerly a fungal grove
Ghazrim DuLoc is the local Zhent leader
tables of food and stalls are scattered about the encampment
Oneshoe tries to make small talk with Nero, but is rebuffed
she then proceeds to wander the stalls with CARL
they see some interesting items
Oneshoe offers one merchant a trade of an “invisibility cloak” for a spell scroll of Holy Star of Mystra
Oneshoe listens in on the conversation
- the Zhents and the Drow discuss forming a coalition to take control of the entire city