Session One Hundred and Eighty-Nine Summary (Graveyard of Empires: After the Fall)
Session 189, July 17 2024
Introduction
We continue at 7:50AM on the 30th of Anurilden (00.000.08.00 on the Apocalypse Clock) with the party having rested spent another twelve hours resting so that Kauri could learn new spells and memorize them for the anticipated infiltration of the stronghold of Hdrasta. The group also took the opportunity to verify their packing, brew some more potions, and heal Lambertus's stone arm -- that last action earning them what seems to be another godstone! With all of that done, the party is just about ready to leave via Lolth's web portal after a quick detour to determine whether Jharlixus has returned. What awaits the group in Hdrasta? Will they need to fight their way through a horde of DVLs? Is there anything worthwhile in the locked vault? Find out next time; or not.
Larry's Summary
We finally wrap up our preparations then at Velkin's urging go to see if Jarlaxus is back. The plan is to see if he is back and to find out if the dragon emperor's party made it to the plane of time or not.
Velkin finds that the books of Jarlaxus are not to be found.
Glompus looks around for tracks. He says that definitely a spider of some sort, large, came through here. They are going off in the direction of the troglodytes.
There is a broken door at the guard house. Glompus digs around and sees beetle tracks, not sure how many. Chewed the door and knocked the hinges askew.
Velkin asks Vikram to use his ability to replace the door. We remove the remains of the old door and attach the new on to the hinges.
We go back to see Lolth. Velkin veers off to talk to Aquil and master Enrilden.
Aquil says, Ah, Velkin! and gives Velkin a big hug. Aquil sends a guard to find Enrilden.
Aquil and Enrilden ask if plans are in place to counter Jarlanna in Velkin's absence.
Velkin asks if any Herig priestesses are here. Aquil thinks one of the lesser priestesses was House Herig.
Interesting angle, Aquil says, someone who can get close to Jarlanna with loyalties to us.
Velkin says to respond in kind, but not to draw first blood.
Velkin brings them along. Aquil is delighted and Enrilden goes along with it.
The rest of us wait for Velkin to arrive.
Em is done up like a drow priestess and Caspar is holding the baby.
The Dark King and some of the driders are there also.
Jarlanna notices Velkin and takes a position in front of Lolth.
As Velkin genuflects, Jarlanna motions for Em and she comes up and announces Velkin in a phonetically learned drow.
Velkin introduces Aquil and Enrilden who will guide House Herig in my stead. Jarlanna's eyes narrow. So these are your factors when absent. Both are known to me. We believe this choice was made well.
Lolth turns to Aquil and Enrilden and says she accepts Velkin's choice, you may stay or go as you wish.
Velkin motions in cant sign to Aquil and they leave.
My dear wife, how good to see you. It pains my heart that we will be parted again. I wish as much luck as you are accustomed to.
Velkin asks about the coins of darkness. Jarlanns snaps her fingers and Em steps forward with a pouch. Three stones are what I was able to provide.
Lolth has sent away the watch of Mephistopheles.
Lolth then starts spiders to open a portal, and many others.
Velkin asks for a spider to accompany us and Lolth says, you have many sacks of spiders, but one more is acceptable, and one spider crawls up his leg.
It looks like there are 5 different portal frames and central is larger so could pass two by two, the others are must enough to create openings. Just a few moments before portal opens.
Go now, the longer the portal is open the easier it is to track back to here.
We find ourselves in a large nest, that we believe to be the gryphon nest.
Druul looks around and finds a large dugout area and finds 3 coppers.
It looks like large boots have tromped around.
Glompus peeks out and to the North is a lot of hills and mountains.
Thorfus looks to the East and hills and mountains and an incredibly steep drop. Jungle and mist in the distant lowlands.
Velkin looks to West. There is a good drop. But a plateau with a number of structures with what looks like an oversized well in the center. There is a contraption like an elevator of sort. There are beings wondering about.
5 low rectangular buildings of rough construction on the opposite side in a semi-circle. To either side are ballista, and below us are two watch towers.
Looking down on the watchtowers - some are giants, possibly hill giants and some sort of orc adjacent creatures. Less than a hundred creatures, closer to 50 than 100 unless a lot more inside the buildings.
The orcs are straining pulling something up on the lift.
Thorfus crawls beside Velkin and looks down with his Matriarch Bless spyglass.
The orc overseer is shouting commands, better not shake that platform they'll freeze the skin right off you boys.
The platform reaches the mouth of the pit. Three large insectoid like creatures with a rime of ice spreading from their feet. They carry barbed spears.
As the platform is even with the plateau, the orcs lock it in place and put across a gangplank and the DVLs cross over.
They are pointing downhill and one points almost directly where we are almost emphatically, and there is head shaking.
There is still much pointing, but finally the option of downhill wins out and they go down that way.
As we are trying to figure out what to do, some of the orcs go onto the platform and are lowered down, perhaps going off shift.
There are 5 hobgoblins in each of the two watch towers.
The South side might be a bit easier to navigate, but the plateau to the West is the only really navigable ground.
Velkin suggests using spiders to turn us invisible and Vikram lowers us. Thorfus asks what do we do then to make it to the shaft.
The bulk of the orcs are West of the shaft so opposite side of the shaft to us.
Druul times the elevator going down and it takes about 20 minutes.
Druug is the name of the orc prisoner we convinced to work with us.
We use 20 spiders to make all of us invisible, including Snuffles.
Druul, Lambertus, and Kauri cast Protection from Evil 10 foot radius. Kauri does not figure it out as it is the cleric version. Kauri tries it again and gets it. This last 12 turns or two hours.
Velkin asks for fly.
Velkin flies down with Peronelle and makes a circle for Vikram to deposit the rest.
Vikram can't touch those with protection from evil so velkin brings the three casters down.
Velkin goes down to scout and there are ogres and hobgoblins on the balcony.
Next level not as many creatures. There are nine hobgoblins in a cluster on NorthWestern side of pit.
Velkin's fly wears off as he starts to return to the rest of us.
Velkin shadow steps to the East side of the second level in front of middle ballista on passage going back into shaft.