The Aldelle Group – Session 30 – Entering the Vault

This is session happened Wednesday, June 1, 2011.
This campaign used the Dyson’s Delve dungeon pages on A Character for Every Game as a starting point, but has now moved on to new material from the DM-in-training.  I heartily recommend Dyson's Delve as a beginning adventure.

Adventuring Group:
Harkaitz of the Red Soul (male human cleric of Ra)
Wednesday (female elf rogue)
Tre-ba Bel a sheer (female elf alchemist)
Frankie Hu, Master of the Distracting Fist (male dwarf monk)

NPCs:
Aziz of the Light (male human paladin, cohort of Harkaitz)
Sarisvati the Suntouched (female Ifrit oracle, cohort of Aziz)
Midnight (female half-elf witch, cohort of Frankie Hu)
Ferahal (male elf arcane archer plus ?)
Short John Copper (male halfling expert)
The Red Shirts (elven warriors attached to the Group)
Brand and Zephyr (a mated pair of pseudo-dragons)

Evening, May 8, Year of the Earth Rabbit
Praise Ra, whose light blinds our enemies.

This morning we released Nionel with her gear and a story that a patrol from Ttaeladra had ambushed hers and she was the lone survivor of both sides.  This seemed the best cover for her return and least likely to raise suspicion.  We then moved on, taking a circuitous route towards the location we were to meet up again.

Around mid-day we took cover as a green dragon flew overhead.  I asked Brand and Zephyr about the dragon and they told me the dragon's name is Dalinda,  She rules a small corner of the Forest of Angry Elves and is occasionally the mate of the other green dragon in the forest.

At the end of the day we located a secure place to camp, one that is covered from the sky in case a dragon decides to fly over.  Short John is cooking over some coals and it smells very tasty.  I hope he finishes cooking before Aziz and I take first watch.


Morning, May 9, Year of the Earth Rabbit
Praise Ra, his light shows us the wonders of the world.

Last night, during third watch, some form of small, two-legged lizards [a group of compsognathi] entered the camp, looking for food.  Frankie scattered them by knocking one out with a slap.  He tied a rope around its neck as a leash with the intent of making a pet of it.  It makes a great deal of noise and we have convinced Frankie to release it as we will not be able to sneak into the drow city with it making all that noise.  Plus, he has no skill at training animals.


Evening, May 9, Year of the Earth Rabbit
Praise Ra, a burning light of truth.

I make this journal entry while we await the arrival of Nionel and her allies, three days hence.

We have arrived at the agreed upon location to meet up with Nionel and her allies.  We had to sneak across a drow patrol route to get here.  We have set up a covert camp near the meeting area.  Wednesday has set out some tripwires and a trap to protect the camp and we have placed a camouflaged observation post up in the trees to keep an eye on the area.

We are not expecting any trouble until the meeting happens and we learn whether or not Nionel is a worthy ally or has betrayed us.


Morning, May 12, Year of the Earth Rabbit
Praise Ra, whose light shines upon the mysteries of the world.

Last night, something came through the camp, ate some food that was out, and cleaned everything.  Tre-ba thinks it was a brownie.  I'm glad it wasn't the drow or we might not have woken up again.  Ever.  Had a talk with the Red Shirts about that.


Some time at night, May 13, Year of the Earth Rabbit
Praise Ra, who provides light, even in the deepest darkness.

Nionel arrived shortly after sundown with four other drow.  I greeted them while the others stayed hidden, in case this was the beginning of an ambush.  As it turned out, it wasn't.  The others were introduced (Tathmiel and Iallwen, a pair of female drow spellcasters and Thanwe and Sadron, their bodyguards – I think) and the process of disguising us began.  Thanwe and Sadron cast spells to turn us into drow, an odd experience – among other things, I never knew that darkvision was black and white.  I went first, as I could not ask the others to take an action I was not willing to do first.

Nionel informed us that the magics would only last eight hours and we needed to get started.  She led us to the barrow and, after a short exchange with the guards now on duty at the entrance (a new development), we passed without incident.  Two hours later, at the bottom of the long spiral down into the ground, Nionel showed us a secret passage that we missed.  It circumvented the Gatehouse, allowing us access to the drow city beyond without needing to provide any identification.  This convinced me that Nionel was committed to our cause.  Well, at least stopping the Matriarch from conspiring to destroy the world anyways.

The "front" half of the immense cavern that contains the drow city is home to their underclasses.  The streets are narrow and winding and it took us a great deal of time to make our way.  This resulted in us taking rooms in an inn that Nionel promised was secure – as long as we stayed in our rooms.

The city uses no lights as the drow all have darkvision.  Well, the lower city uses no lights.  There seems to be some usage in the upper city, but I only know that from asking the drow traveling with us.  This means that when the transformation spell wears off, most of our group will be blind.  To avoid any…unpleasantness, the three members of our group with darkvision naturally have been split so one is in each room with the rest of us.  The change should happen


Some time later, May 14(?), Year of the Earth Rabbit
Praise Ra, whose light strengthens our resolve.

Nionel returned for us and we were again transformed into drow.  Today we made our way into the upper city and started scouting to find the location of the gate.  I used several castings of locate object to get a bearing and it appears to be deep inside the Citadel, the most heavily defended location in the city.

We made our way to Nionel's home and have made plans.  In order to cause confusion and chaos in the city we will kill the Matriarch in her tower and spark a civil war in the city.  Nionel's patron has been alerted and is secretly preparing to move on the Matriarch's allies.

At present, our plan is as follows:
1. Cast hold person on the two guards usually outside the Matriarch's throne room.
2. Kill those guards quietly.
3. Open the doors to the throne room.
4. Cast greater command on any bodyguards in the throne room, ordering them to flee.
5. Attack the Matriarch until she dies.  I am to cast prayer, then slay living, then flame strike on the Matriarch.
6. Once the Matriarch is killed, Ferahal is to shoot a fireball arrow over the tower to signal Nionel's patron to move.

*End of Session*

[The plan was good.  Would have been better if I followed my part and didn't skip an important part.  More on that later.]