"So those lords things are infecting this place as well?" Kastix questions as he lazily leans on his staff, lazying waving Yantha's drection, "Just got to find the gem and we're not getting much out of her as is unless you guys got better ideas to coax answer out. Maybe we should look for more crazed," Kastix turns to Krimgol  " Tell me what's so special about this gem? Why would someone want it? How would restore your honor? Because it's worth a lot or is there something special about it?"

Rhayna was too busy trying to figure out whether the xorn in the room is the same as the one she spoke with at the Whorlstone tunnels in Gracklstugh. So, the cleric wasn't really paying much attention at what the others were doing. Then Sekkar snaps her out of her thoughts, and she thinks that perhaps she might be able to help here. She walks to where Yantha is dangling from the ceiling, and retrieves a bead (the largest one, it seems) from her Necklace of Prayer Beads. She asks if Ghuldur can lower the gnome a bit so she can touch her. Then she casts Greater Restoration on the mad svirfneblin.

(OOC: Question. How many days has passes since the party left Blingdestone? Trying to figure out how many charges does the Wand of Ghaundaur has.)

(The group left Bligdenstone six days ago.)

Krimgol replies to Kastix that the gem is special indeed, and must be valuable, being so large! (about the size of his fist) and beautiful to look at, like looking into a deep hole that goes down and down for eternity, and yet at the utter limit of sight you can see something, or feel something, a presence, looking back at you, reaching out to you, eager to give you the world and everything in it...

With Yantha still in arm's reach and the xorn now out of the way, Rhayna steps forward and channels the divine magic in the bead through to Yantha. A white light appears in the gnome's eyes as she cries out as if in pain, but Rhayna senses that it is the exquisite and unique discomfort of something evil leaving her mind. The experience lasts only a moment, but elicits a concerned whimper from Mipry and grumbles from two very startled and suspicious duergar. But after a few moments of heavy breathing, Yantha lifts her head and speaks:

Ah! Yes, it has left me. That gem! It has a power, a dark presence within. Those eyes! Such strong will... She takes a few more deep breaths, made difficult by the fact she is still suspended upside-down, then continues: I was not myself... I'm sorry. I gave the gem to Flink, that he might hide it somewhere. I don't know where he took it, or where he... wait, perhaps I can... Yantha closes her eyes and mumbles the words of a spell, then remains silent for a few moments before resuming: He is trapped... in the drow enclave somewhere. Please you must find him, he is in great danger. The gem! It is perilous! It must not be touched!

Pax glances to Ghuldur, "This gem. If it is full of evil and able to take over minds......though I just promised we would return it to the rightful owner, who seems to be Krimgol here...it might be better if it were destroyed. Think on it. I'd hate to hand it back to you, and have you go all ..um...evil...and...basically just make war."  She ends lamely, but hopes that even this Duergar might see sense in self-preservation. "Either way, alright, sounds like we are going to visit the drow."

She glances at Ghuldur, looking to Yantha she says, "Yantha was clearly possessed by the stone, and driven mad. Our healing has made her better, please release her now." 

Pax: Make another Persuasion roll, eh? 

(Since Rhayna is close to Pax, she offers a little bit of Guidance. She tries not to make it too obvious.)

Pax Persuasion Roll : 21

Ghuldur looks thoughtfully at Pax, then glances at Krimgol and then at Yantha. Kaylyn, still reading his thoughts, sees that he is torn between the Pax's logic and his duty to his friend Krimgol, and searching for a solution that will satisfy both. Also, letting Yantha go in the company of a bunch of surfacers without recovery of the gem could be devastating to his authority. Finally he looks straight at Pax with his pupil-less eyes, gives a slight nod and a faint wink, and then starts to yell: Out of the question! Now be off and don't let me see ye again without that gem! Guards! Ghuldur approaches Pax close-up, reaches up and grabs the top of her chain mail, pulling her face down towards his...

Kaylyn will know from Ghuldur's thoughts that this is a ploy to save face. Sekkar and Rhayna both have sufficiently high passive Insight to pick up on this too. Only Pax and Kastix might not twig to the fact... Pax/Kastix?

"That is quite enough since blood hasn't dropped yet, let's leave at that," Kastix states as he stomps the ground with the staff, "We're offer our services to deal with this mess. let us deal with the problem so we can move on and out of your hair,"

"Leave it, sister. We'll come back with the bloody thing and get the gnome." Sekkar was not sure Pax will listen but had to "save face" too.

"Drow... Now that is the place I would prefer to get in without knocking and with the sword ready... Might do just that." Sekkar was actually serious - if there was a place where one should either never enter of enter to kill - it's the drow's hideout. There are no talking with that lot. Mostly. Exceptions prove the rule and all that. If others are going, he is quite ready to storm in.

Pax growls at his fake of appearing to agree, and then shouting out the opposite. As he grabs for her though, she doesn't react. She grins a wicked grin. Let's see him do his worse, he'll find the bite of her shadows a chilling response to his aggression!  The shadows around her swirl with frigid intensity as she allows herself to be pulled near.....though her hand grabs the handle of her drow rod, ready to respond in kind.....

"Let it be Pax." Is all Kaylyn says in a determined and authoritative tone as she lets the spell drop.

Rhayna is surprised that her divine aid actually worked, but she is actually more fascinated by what just happened. She quickly takes out her Journal, and starts to document what she just did. (She also add another entry into her curriculum vitae. Exorcism.)

As Ghuldur pulls Pax in close, he whispers rapidly: If'n ye can cure Krimgol like ye did the gnome, I'll see ye rewarded. Destroy the damned gem if ye must. He then pushes her away and repeats in a yell: Be off, I said! but not before giving another knowing nod.

The group departs, with Yantha giving a grim but understanding and encouraging smile to Mipry. Walking back out through the warehouse, Rhayna bumps into a stack of ale kegs as she has her head in her journal, but otherwise the group make it out through the front doors unmolested. Passing once more through the fungal garden, the noble quaggoth Prince Derendil bids the group good luck in their ventures, exhorting them to return once their quest is complete that he might shower them with royal gifts.

Seeing the group emerge from the duergar compound, Pebbles trots over from the marketplace area and eagerly asks: All sorted? So, where to now?

Pax walks out quietly, thoughtful, once again a creature of the dark surprising her. Perhaps the world was entirely grey. Perhaps the light and the dark were just a point of view. The visualization of a holy knight surrounded in a nimbus of light, and a Duergar crouched in the shadows, each unable to see each other for the glare of their light and dark. Symbolic somehow in her mind as abstract thoughts danced along, their meaning just out of reach. Her thoughts are interrupted as Pebbles appears before them.

"One moment Beholder servant."  She looked at Pebbles, wishing desperately to see darkness, but only seeing a gnome. 

She turns to the group, and one by one messages them what Ghuldur told her back in the cave. Once done she turns to Pebbles, "Yes, we go to the Drow now."

She breathes in some confidence, and strides forward, but then stops abruptly ... "Uh...Pebbles, which way is it?"  She follows the gnome.

Crazy gem after all... Too bad, Sekkar was curious to see Derendil's transformation. On the other hand, he too now could be cured. The rest of the traveling distance the lizadman was contemplating Derendil's healing - would the guy even remember the group after his head would be cleared?

Kaylyn sighs in resignation.  "Yes, I suppose to the drow it must be. But we must be on our guard.  Though these are likely not the same that hunted us I have no desire to become a slave again."

"is there any laws that prevent the Drow or anyone else trying to take us against our will as slave?" Kastix question, "Our interactions with Drow are limited and extremely hostile so far,"

"Of course, there is!" Sekkar activated and deactivated again the sword. "They try anything - they will end up as those, whose skin Rhayna carries in her backpack. We are no helpless slaves anymore." The lizardman did not care about the real law part (not that he knew it anyway). If dwarves can freely fight gnomes here because of some theft - fighting for personal freedom had to be fully permitted.

Pebbles smiles broadly, eager to continue his search, and glad to have the mighty group as his escort to the drow enclave he leads the way. Mipry also comes along, desperate to do what she can to help her mentor, Yantha, as well as to find her fellow apprentice, Flink. The procession crosses one of the two large bridges that span the central trench. The marketplace on the other side is quiet, with only the sound of the stream running through and the splash of nearby waterfalls. The tents, stalls and pens stand empty. As the group approach the drow enclave in the north-west corner, the first figure they see is a male drow sitting on a bench under a large mushroom at the centre of a fungal grove, writing in a large book. He looks up as the group draw closer, and speaks cordially in Undercommon:

If you have come here to trade, I am afraid you will have to wait. The chief negotiator is currently attending to some urgent matters. You are welcome to wait here if you desire, unless I might be of some service?

Beyond the fungal grove, a set of large stone doors is guarded by two female drow warriors, who watch the approach of the group cautiously. Higher up on the various ledges within the cavern walls above the doors, the group can spot six gargoyles, which remain as motionless as statues but seem to be looking in the group's direction.