Gnome's OOTA Story Thread [CLOSED]

Khessa will leave the two duergar free to go... she will also strongly advice Peebles to stay with the party... he should be safer... but she will not stop him if he really prefers to go away. She really suspects him, but she has no evidence, no proof.

Peebles breaks for a different exit out of the city as soon as they are let go, with one last call out to help you all find some treasure sometime.

The deep gnomes run back off toward their compound despite the terror that awaits there. The two duergar run off after them, heading toward the svirfniblen building as well.

As you approach the duergar camp, several of them stand guard around the entrance to the 40ft high warehouse, and while not brandishing their weapons, still seem rather determined to keep anyone out at the moment.

"Greetings proud duergar, we humbly seek a most urgent audience with Grimgol and Khuldir to discuss matters about the gem they are seeking." The noble drow says in a polite tone and with a graceful bow.

Persuasion: 16 Another roll if help is provided: 12 + Guidance if that is provided: 3

"Really!" Khessa adds "Obviously this matter is of the utmost importance to you - and the fact that said matter is still open should probably make you welcome a possible help".

[[ OOC: Hoping to give help to Traydark... ]]

Katryl and Horkas (with Lunaria hopefully following) had made their way back to Khessa and Traydark and follow the pair to the duergar camp. 

The guards give you all a suspicious look for a long moment. "What do you know about it? Yantha knows where it is she just won't tell us." Another guard elbows the first, "Maybe you can get through to her though." And with that they open the doors to the duergar compound. Upon entering you can see at least 30 duergar standing and sitting around and a dozen steeders tied up at the moment. Off to the northeast there is a smaller building within the huge warehouse where you are led, to see a female deep gnome, unarmed, dressed in a robe covered with various gems, being dangled by a rope held by Ghuldur over a very hungry looking xorn. Ghuldur and Flagonfist stop shouting at Yantha for a moment as they see you arrive. "What are you doing here!? We told you not to let anyone in!" The guard responds saying you all had information about the gem. "Oh? Well she says some drow charmed her into taking the gem."

"Yes, well let us talk to her and maybe we can sort this out and get your precious gem back before more lives and trade are unnecessarily lost." The noble drow says calmly and politely. "Just bring her down for a while and if she doesn't cooperate I suppose you will simply have to string her back up again." He assures the Duergar.

Persuasion: 14 Another roll if help is provided: 13

"After all," adds Khessa, in the most convincing and reasonable tone possible "who better than a drow could sneak among the drow to recover what is yours and close this matter once and for all? Let Yantha provide us with all the information that she can and we will resolve everything quickly and well".

"It wouldn't be the first time for us..." the blonde arcane warrior remembers "We've already helped your kind, in Gracklstugh, a few months ago, when they had problems with Droki and the Demogorgon Cultists and the corrupt captain of the guard and the missing dragon egg... You'll see that we will be able to help you too now".

[[ OOC: Trying to give Help to Traydark ]]

The two duergar leaders simply huff, "Ask all you want, she is convinced someone from the drow camp befuddled her mind." The gnome on a rope yelps and screams, thrashing about trying to avoid being eaten by the xorn. "Yes! Yes! Bad drow made charm against Yantha! None of this is Yantha's fault! You should be asking THEM about the stupid gem!"

"I would be more inclined to believe you if you told us a coherent story." The noble drow says with little patience in his tone. "Now start from the beginning and don't leave out details." He says in a firm voice.

Insight: 12 

"Come on, Yanta" Khessa tries to encourage the poor svirfneblin. "The sooner we settle this, the better for everyone, right? Go ahead and tell us everything".

Horkas listens to the conversation between Yanta and the others. "Tell us who this Drow was. Perhaps we can find him." 

Katryl watches, not understanding what's being said, waiting to see where they'll go next. 

Yantha scowls and then rolls her eyes. "I was charmed! It's not like I was able to do much! They all look the same anyway! They charmed me and took the gem! They probably have it!"

“Okay, Yantha, but even if all drow look alike to you,” Khessa struggles to patiently explain to the svirfneblin “this particular drow who influenced you with magic must have had some distinguishing characteristic… He had distinguishing marks on his face? Or on his clothes? How tall was he? Like Traydark? More? Less? What color did he have eyes? What color did he have hair? What hairstyle did he have? What clothes did he wear? Were they clothes or was it a armor? Did you see him make strange gestures or hear him utter magic formulas to cast the spell? Or did you feel the effect suddenly, without warning? Were there witnesses? Where were you? And what were you doing there? How did he know you had this gem? Was he alone? Or had he other drow with him?"

"Take your time," the blonde arcane warrior concedes to the other "but try to give us as much information as possible. You understand for sure that we can't just think of searching all the drow in Mantol-Derith... we need to narrow it down. Come on, Yantha, help us help you".

While the human seems intent on still saving unhelpful and quite ungrateful Svirfneblin, Traydark simply shakes his head. Unbelievable. This Yantha is about to die at the hands of the Duergar and she still scowls at those who try to help her and not sharing any details about what happened. It seemed hopeless to reason with anyone these days but maybe they were all simply corrupted already. "Well, apparently she has no interest in saving her own life." He comments dryly to the Duergar, taking a step back, standing impatiently with his arms crossed for the human to give up on trying to save those who didn't want to be saved.

"How should I know! They probably zapped me when I wasn't looking at them! Why aren't you asking THEM where the stupid gem is!?"

(Anyone who wishes to do so, make an Insight check on Yantha, also a History check if you wish)

Traydark
Insight: 19
History: 4

Khessa's History (Assuming Dawn's Help): 17

Traydark: This doesn't quite seem like normal behavior for a deep gnome. They might be a little weird and crazy sometimes but this is something else, almost like she was mad...

Khessa: After a few moments of reflection the name (perhaps with Dawn's help) you remember is tied to the Stoneheart Enclave from Blingdenstone and that the de facto leader there wasn't in charge...perhaps that's because the leader is here.

Khessa telepathically thanks Dawn ('Very good my friend! You are invaluable!') and shares with Traydark what came to her mind (Yantha might be the leader of the Stoneheart Enclave from Blingdenstone).

If Traydark in turn also shares his impressions with her (i.e. that Yantha is suffering from madness), the blonde arcane warrior suggests to the party: "Apparently, Yantha can't help us more than that. I suspect that this 'gem' that haunts both the two Duergar leaders and this Svirfneblin might be an artifact with which a Demon Lord is sowing chaos and madness. So, letting this 'gem' pass from hand to hand within Mantol-Derith is probably the most sure recipe for disaster... I suggest we get help from Traydark's contact in finding a way to search for the 'gem' within the drow neighborhood - and in any case warn the Zhentarim of the threat".

However, the tall adventurer communicates to the Duergar leaders: "We will look for your gem within the drow neighborhood. Obviously, the urban warfare you have unleashed will not help our task in the slightest, therefore, in your own interest (and to get the gem back as soon as possible), you should stop fighting the svirfneblin. If you want to keep Yantha prisoner, go ahead..." ('If she is suffering from madness, it is better for her to be a prisoner, rather than the leader of one of the city's factions!' she thinks secretly) "...but, please, stop the massacre you have unleashed. Not only does it make no sense or use - it is actually counterproductive, because it will make the drow even more wary than they usually already are".