In Sha'hale's Words
The gravity of the situation washed over the circular chamber in the Hibernal's underground den. Elgin asked the group to walk him through everything, chronologically, trying to work through the motivations of the mind flayers.
So far as they could tell, around ten years ago, an illithid colony started sending thralls to found a settlement on the surface, under the guise of being retired adventurers who struck it rich at the ruin of Myth Sveldin. They then set up a business to attract adventurers to Myth Sveldin, which was really just a trap to make more thralls and grow Lakeville. For years, they plundered Myth Sveldin, sold its riches through Lakeville, and slowly accumulated wealth and thralls. Then suddenly at some point they set their eye on Old Weir and decide it was time to attack...for what? To make the isolated town another thrall stronghold?
Safad told Elgin about the Lady of the Glen, who appeared to them three times, with aid. The first time she offered them to choose one of three objects to help them with something. With what, Elgin asked. Safad and Rya did not know. Safad said they picked a key and learned from a goblin shaman, Neervala, that there were keys in the mountains a researcher named Coulain had been looking investigating while researching a project on weapons of an ancient empire. Elgin concluded there must be some weapon that would help them. Again, he asked, help them with what? Was there no indication what these things the Lady of the Glen offered them were for? Safad and Rya said they had no idea.
Rya explained that later on they helped an orog escape his tribe in the High Moor, only to later trade him to the Lady of the Glen for another of the objects that would supposedly help them. This time they received a stone giant speaking stone that led to the Graniskold stone giants following them to Old Weir. Elgin arched a questioning eyebrow at such an exchange.
Tallin was shocked that they had met the Lady of the Glen. He explained that she was one of the Undying, a creature that had unlocked dark arts of eternal life. He knew this because he was a warlock, his patron a celestial being named Althaz the True, who had told him of this Undying that lived near him. He surmised that it could be that the Lady was stealing Golun-dal to take him as her own, a major affront to whomever his patron was. Safad and Rya seemed to think it was a fiend...Nancy recalled him muttering what she thought was gibberish in her sleep but turned out Tallin recognized the words, Fraz’Urb’luu, as a powerful fiend and Golun-dal's likely--now former--patron.
So now they had the stone giants and a key but they had no idea what they were meant to help with. Hm.
Safad and Rya then explained everything they thought they knew about how the mind flayers controlled their thralls. There seemed to be a telepathic connection, and they seemed to be able to create a psionic mind blast effect that could turn others quite quickly to the mind flayers. Except, Safad recalled, both he and Dunny--sfos addicts, both of them--seemed immune to this effect. Interestingly, Rya used to consume a great deal of sfos when she was a thrall, but now did not feel the faintest attraction to the stuff.
Just then, Kyra Jinnu, a gnome wizard returned from the Hibernal library where Seljin had sent her to research mind flayers. She explained what they described was a bit odd. She claimed the histories did not tell of many thralls from the brighter, more civilized races, it was the more dimwitted they talk of, and they describe quite an involved process.
D'Luk returned as well with his contact in the thieves guild and explained what they could learn about the delegation from Innesbyer and the Lord's Alliance. Tufus Bell from Waterdeep in the Lord's Alliance along with Olin Parr of Innesbyr, and their attendants, advisors, and guards, had arrived earlier that evening. They were staying at the Wandering Wolf Inn in the best appointed rooms, and learned that a local bard had put on a show for their arrival. Tomorrow they would tour the town where they had planned stops at GPS, and then likely Old Weir's cabin and tree, the mural under the whitestone bridge, etc. They knew the Ashwood tavern was preparing them a special luncheon. There must be some entertainment in the evening. Then they learned from Lucille Runer that she would be baking for the visitors during a planned visit to Roger's orchards the following day. So they were at least staying two more days, perhaps more.
Rya and Safad decided to head to the Rezba abode to see what they could find there. Elgin warned that there had been some folk who tossed the house and it may be enchanted with certain protections. Rya understood.
D'luk, Rya, and Safad left the underground den, and made through the misty midnight streets toward Bridge street where Rya grew up. When she saw her home she was overwhelmed, but kept it together enough to mutter an incantation under her breath. Suddenly, a dull blue glow emanated from the doorjambs and the windows. It appeared all the entrances were trapped or set with some kind of alarm or scrying spell. Rya decided there was nothing suspicious about a Rezna returning home. She took out the key to her home, placed it in the lock, and opened the door to her past.
D'Luk and Safad followed her into the home. It was in much disarray, and they helped to put things back in order while Rya went up the stairs to check on the bedrooms. Upstairs was the same ransacked mess as downstairs, but Rya knew a spot that may have even evaded a thorough search. She made for her mother's bed and grabbed a pillow, feigning sobbing into it, while she slid her hand inside the pillowcase and felt for the secret fold her mother had sewed in: a fold to a bag of holding. She did not want to be seen by any magical onlookers, so she took the pillow and a few effects with her and they left the house back to the den.
Once back underground, she took out the contents. Inside, she found her mother's magical robe that she had found many moons ago on an early adventure. She didn't know much about it, except that it shimmered in the light and was made of the finest cloth.
She also found her mother's journal. She opened it and read aloud from Sha'hale's own words to the assembled group, tears trickling down her cheeks, and D'luk by her side.
So far as they could tell, around ten years ago, an illithid colony started sending thralls to found a settlement on the surface, under the guise of being retired adventurers who struck it rich at the ruin of Myth Sveldin. They then set up a business to attract adventurers to Myth Sveldin, which was really just a trap to make more thralls and grow Lakeville. For years, they plundered Myth Sveldin, sold its riches through Lakeville, and slowly accumulated wealth and thralls. Then suddenly at some point they set their eye on Old Weir and decide it was time to attack...for what? To make the isolated town another thrall stronghold?
Safad told Elgin about the Lady of the Glen, who appeared to them three times, with aid. The first time she offered them to choose one of three objects to help them with something. With what, Elgin asked. Safad and Rya did not know. Safad said they picked a key and learned from a goblin shaman, Neervala, that there were keys in the mountains a researcher named Coulain had been looking investigating while researching a project on weapons of an ancient empire. Elgin concluded there must be some weapon that would help them. Again, he asked, help them with what? Was there no indication what these things the Lady of the Glen offered them were for? Safad and Rya said they had no idea.
Rya explained that later on they helped an orog escape his tribe in the High Moor, only to later trade him to the Lady of the Glen for another of the objects that would supposedly help them. This time they received a stone giant speaking stone that led to the Graniskold stone giants following them to Old Weir. Elgin arched a questioning eyebrow at such an exchange.
Tallin was shocked that they had met the Lady of the Glen. He explained that she was one of the Undying, a creature that had unlocked dark arts of eternal life. He knew this because he was a warlock, his patron a celestial being named Althaz the True, who had told him of this Undying that lived near him. He surmised that it could be that the Lady was stealing Golun-dal to take him as her own, a major affront to whomever his patron was. Safad and Rya seemed to think it was a fiend...Nancy recalled him muttering what she thought was gibberish in her sleep but turned out Tallin recognized the words, Fraz’Urb’luu, as a powerful fiend and Golun-dal's likely--now former--patron.
So now they had the stone giants and a key but they had no idea what they were meant to help with. Hm.
Safad and Rya then explained everything they thought they knew about how the mind flayers controlled their thralls. There seemed to be a telepathic connection, and they seemed to be able to create a psionic mind blast effect that could turn others quite quickly to the mind flayers. Except, Safad recalled, both he and Dunny--sfos addicts, both of them--seemed immune to this effect. Interestingly, Rya used to consume a great deal of sfos when she was a thrall, but now did not feel the faintest attraction to the stuff.
Just then, Kyra Jinnu, a gnome wizard returned from the Hibernal library where Seljin had sent her to research mind flayers. She explained what they described was a bit odd. She claimed the histories did not tell of many thralls from the brighter, more civilized races, it was the more dimwitted they talk of, and they describe quite an involved process.
D'Luk returned as well with his contact in the thieves guild and explained what they could learn about the delegation from Innesbyer and the Lord's Alliance. Tufus Bell from Waterdeep in the Lord's Alliance along with Olin Parr of Innesbyr, and their attendants, advisors, and guards, had arrived earlier that evening. They were staying at the Wandering Wolf Inn in the best appointed rooms, and learned that a local bard had put on a show for their arrival. Tomorrow they would tour the town where they had planned stops at GPS, and then likely Old Weir's cabin and tree, the mural under the whitestone bridge, etc. They knew the Ashwood tavern was preparing them a special luncheon. There must be some entertainment in the evening. Then they learned from Lucille Runer that she would be baking for the visitors during a planned visit to Roger's orchards the following day. So they were at least staying two more days, perhaps more.
Rya and Safad decided to head to the Rezba abode to see what they could find there. Elgin warned that there had been some folk who tossed the house and it may be enchanted with certain protections. Rya understood.
D'luk, Rya, and Safad left the underground den, and made through the misty midnight streets toward Bridge street where Rya grew up. When she saw her home she was overwhelmed, but kept it together enough to mutter an incantation under her breath. Suddenly, a dull blue glow emanated from the doorjambs and the windows. It appeared all the entrances were trapped or set with some kind of alarm or scrying spell. Rya decided there was nothing suspicious about a Rezna returning home. She took out the key to her home, placed it in the lock, and opened the door to her past.
D'Luk and Safad followed her into the home. It was in much disarray, and they helped to put things back in order while Rya went up the stairs to check on the bedrooms. Upstairs was the same ransacked mess as downstairs, but Rya knew a spot that may have even evaded a thorough search. She made for her mother's bed and grabbed a pillow, feigning sobbing into it, while she slid her hand inside the pillowcase and felt for the secret fold her mother had sewed in: a fold to a bag of holding. She did not want to be seen by any magical onlookers, so she took the pillow and a few effects with her and they left the house back to the den.
Once back underground, she took out the contents. Inside, she found her mother's magical robe that she had found many moons ago on an early adventure. She didn't know much about it, except that it shimmered in the light and was made of the finest cloth.
She also found her mother's journal. She opened it and read aloud from Sha'hale's own words to the assembled group, tears trickling down her cheeks, and D'luk by her side.
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