Session 20-A: D & D

Key Plot Developments
Trix and Misu, both disguised, enter Gracklstugh via the Darklake docks in pursuit of Glyn. They encounter Werz Saltbaron on the docks and persuade them that they are a mage in search of spell components at Gracklstugh's famous Blade Bazaar (Misu) and a duergar named Dur (Trix) from a small settlement. They are directed towards the Blade Bazaar; Shuushar, invisible, follows.

They enter the Darklake District. A wave of heat slams against them as an acrid smog rises to choke the air out of their lungs. The Darklake spreads out beyond a jumble of buildings and streets, reflecting the lights of countless fires burning across the city within hollowed-out columns and stalagmites.

Though the streets are crowded, they move easily within the surging throng of buyers, merchants, and slaves. They aren't the only outsiders here, as they spy drow, svirfneblin, derro, orcs, and other races in the crowds. The shouting of people blends with the sound of distant hammering to create a constant, distracting din.

This marketplace is named after the most abundant goods the duergar offer, but the shops here sell almost everything available in the city, along with stalls set up by visiting merchants. The din of people arguing, mostly in Dwarvish, nearly drowns out the hammering coming from the city's forges.

They're directed towards The Ghohlbrorn's Lair. This inn is the only establishment in Gracklstugh that accepts non-duergar guests. The inn is built inside a small cavern complex beneath the Blade Bazaar at the northern end of the Darklake District. Its halls are cold and damp. A central chamber serves as a dining room, branching out into different small, twisting halls along which the rooms are excavated. It's dark, cramped, and uncomfortable, but safe and defensible.

Trix and Misu get a room under their fake names. They enter and dismiss Shuushar's invisibility; he's been sweating up a storm in the city's heat. They check on Lemon, who references an entity in the Bag of Holding named "Extra-Dimensional Spacey." Before the group questions it, Lemon asks for a new name: duergar, in honor of the dwarves. He now wishes to be called Almond-Glyn-Lemon-Glyn-Bogtooth-Duergar (or Lemon for short).

Trix tries to locate Glyn in the city, but can't. He tries to use his staff of divination to learn more about Glyn's whereabouts, but learns that Glyn's body is already doomed and that only divine intervention can save his soul. Shocked, he insists that they search the city for Glyn immediately. Misu wants to investigate any demonic goings-on in Gracklstugh she can, so she agrees to help Trix as part of her larger goal.

They rest at the inn. Misu dreams of her father, Fior-Ghian the Pure, an elf who fell in love with her mother (a greater devil) and sold his soul for her happiness. Fior-Ghian expresses his love for Misu; Misu, angry that she can't see her mother more easily, lashes out at her dream-father.

The next day, the group pokes around the Blade Bazaar for rumors of Glyn. They learn that a goblin apparently got into a fight with the Stone Guard, but was killed or taken by Themberchaud, the Wyrmsmith of Gracklstugh. Trix learns that the city's forges are maintained by the efforts of Themberchaud, a fire dragon, who is placated and tended to by the Keepers of the Flame. In an attempt to gain more information, Trix buys a derro as a slave from a merchant. He intends to free the derro. When he returns to his room, Shuushar sees the slave and is uncharacteristically upset. He blames Misu for her bad influence on Trix.

Misu, checking around the other parts of the Darklake District, ignores a suspicious-looking drow and glimpses a derro with a unique hat (two tentacles are attached to it) leaping between buildlings. Then, the rhythmic hammering of the city's forges is drowned for a second by a thundering roar and the sound of crumbling rock. Duergar and visitors alike turn to look as a two-headed, gray-skinned giant bursts through a gate, howling madly and lashing out left and right, littering the plaza with rock and stone debris. As he bellows, one of his swings connects with a duergar soldier, whose broken body flies through the air and crashes near her with a sickening crunch.

Misu gets Trix's attention as she fires bolts from her Hellfire crossbow at the giant. The Stone Guard intervene to kill it, but it is a difficult creature to subdue. Finally, after it wreaks considerable damage on civilians, Misu kills it. Her crossbow's special ability activates and its soul is sent to the Nine Hells.

Erdde Blackskull, the captain of the Stone Guard, is impressed with both Trix and Misu. She meets with them in Overlake Hold. There, she informs them of several tasks:


 * First, Errde explains that her guards have been tracking the movements of a derro named Droki. Despite his presence in the Darklake District, the derro has managed to avoid capture, as if he somehow knows in advance where the duergar patrols will be—invisible or otherwise. All the Stone Guards know is that Droki lives in the West Cleft District, a place the duergar enter only in force and where their presence would likely provoke a chaotic uprising. Errde wants them to follow Droki, see what he does and where he goes, and report back. Or if they see an opportunity, seize him and either bring him in for questioning, or kill him and bring back evidence of his activities. Errde's tone turns dark as she voices her suspicions that Droki is linked to a conspiracy involving the Council of Savants, and maybe even elements among the clan lairds. She describes in detail how discovering the conspiracy and purging the corrupt will earn her great favor with the Deepking.
 * Second, Errde's suspicions of conspiracy have her looking for signs of corruption creeping among the people of Gracklstugh.

After they agree to help, she gives them insignias allowing them to move as far south as Laduguer's Furrow without being accosted by guards. The pair need only to show the insignias discreetly when confronted, and should keep them hidden otherwise. They are then released without fanfare.

Misu suggests using their new Stone Guard insignias to seek a meeting with the Keepers of the Flame, since Glyn's disappearance seems connected to their dragon. A member of the Keepers of the Flame seeks them out after word of their giant-slaying gets around town.

The member takes them to their leader. At the far southeast corner of Gracklstugh's cavern, the entrance to Themberchaud's lair is guarded by the Keepers of the Flame. For some time now, the Keepers have been actively seeking capable mercenaries in Gracklstugh and taking any opportunity to press them into service. Their leader, Gartokkar Xundorn, greets them. He confirms that Glyn is alive and in Themberchaud's possession. He subtly threatens them, acknowledging that many different groups in Gracklstugh with many competing agendas may try to influence the party, but the group connected to both the Deepking and a dragon (with psionic powers, no less) should be on top of their pecking order.

The pair enters Themberchaud's cavern. "Gartokkar," the voice calls as a reptilian behemoth comes into view, it scales the color of lava, its bright yellow eyes glowing in the shadows of the cave before coming into the light. "You didn't say I was having surfacers for dinner today."

Themberchaud is vain and proud. He's pampered, but also restless. The adult red dragon has been aware for several years that his handlers are withholding things from him, but rather than demand disclosure, he has waited and observed. He wants agents of his own, and sees the interest of the Keepers in the adventurers as an opportunity.

The dragon demands to speak with Misu and Trix in private, with his nervous duergar handlers having no choice but to acquiesce. When they escort the characters into the dragon's lair, Themberchaud is resting on a mountain of gold. He tells the keepers to leave him alone with the adventurers, hissing that any invisible lurkers will be turned to ash. Once alone, he interrogates the heroes. They see Glyn--alive, but barely clothed and kept like a toy. Themberchaud refers to him as his "little bird." Misu and Trix embarrass themselves for the dragon's amusement; Themberchaud demands that Misu shoot Trix with her crossbow, which she does.

Themberchaud makes the pair an offer: become his agents in Gracklstugh, and gain his protection. Their first mission is to do whatever the Keepers of the Flame ask them to - but to report to Themberchaud before reporting to them. Misu and Trix agree and ask if they can "borrow" Glyn. Themberchaud allows it on the condition that they check in with him every day.

They exit the lair. Gartokkar takes them to the guard house where the Keepers of the Flame keep watch. He darkly asks what business the dragon had with them; they are honest, since they fear he'll read their minds anyway.

The power of the Keepers of the Flame derives in equal measure from their psionic abilities, the leadership of the Deepking, and their influence over Themberchaud. They lost face when the derro of the West Clef district stole a valuable red dragon egg that would hatch Themberchaud's replacement. But with the egg still lost and their control over Themberchaud waning, the Keepers are exploring all options. He demands that the group infiltrate the Derro's West Clef district and return the egg to him.

Glyn and Trix are finally reunited. Trix is convinced that Glyn is cursed or maddened, since he speaks favorably about his time as the dragon's captive. When he tries to cast Remove Curse on a willing Glyn, he is overwhelmed by a vision of white, sugary confections and gains a madness condition: “I never let anyone know the truth about my actions or intentions, even if doing so would be beneficial to me."

Glyn is happy to be free, but still wants to convince the Deepking to save Miss Anna's grove. Trix is newly maddened and stunned by his friend's odd behavior. Misu feels overwhelmed by the scope of the task before her. Can Gracklstugh survive? More importantly, can she?

New NPCs

 * 1) Extra-Dimensional Spacey, Lemon's "imaginary" friend
 * 2) Fior-Ghlan the Pure, Misu's damned father
 * 3) Gartokkar Xundorn, leader of the Keepers of the Flame
 * 4) Themberchaud, the Wyrmsmith of Gracklstugh