Chapter Thirty-Two
A Brewing Storm
1485 DR / Day 37
Ghohlbrorn's Lair, Gracklstugh
Even after a much-needed respite, the adventurers felt no more rested upon waking than before they fell asleep. A dark cloud hung over their heads, for they held knowledge no sane individual would want to possess. The City of Blades was in more far trouble than the companions could have ever guessed when they began gathering intel for Captain Errde Blackskull under threat of exposure to their drow pursuit. Now they held all the cards. Once they reported their findings, Blackskull, and all the rest of Gracklstugh, would indisputably stand in their debt.
Fraeya and Sarith were the first to rise but kept to their lodgings for a while. Not much conversation was exchanged between the pair during that time, but they did take time to clean the dirt and grime from their armor and sharpen their weapons. Eventually, the two dark elves ventured to the common room and ordered breakfast for the entire party. They then quietly sipped on cups of boiled matsutake and kelp broth with a splash of firewhiskey added while waiting for their companions to join them.
The others slowly trickled in, all looking as haggard and drained as Fraeya and Sarith felt. Balasar was the only one who showed any sort of cheer. The rest the dragonborn had taken the previous night was the most fulfilling since his capture, and he was presently ignorant of Gracklstugh's doom. Last to wake, unsurprisingly, were Zelyra and Kazimir. They had stayed up far later than anyone else, after all. But once the group was assembled, and those who had not been at the Forge the previous night got over the shock of finding their lost bronze dragonborn companion among them again, it was time to fill Balasar in on everything that had occurred in his absence.
Stool and Rumpadump released plumes of rapport spores that enveloped the gathered party in a thick yellow haze. Of course, a telepathic link was far better than risking a stranger eavesdropping on their private conversation. But it was liable to appear strange to the patrons of the Lair, especially those who had never met a myconid.
Sure enough, the haze garnered at least one adverse reaction.
"Take your smoking outside! I won't have you polluting my common room!" Lizva shouted irritably from behind the bar. Despite the glare that the barkeep was shooting them, the companions instantly burst into laughter.
"It's not smoke!" Kazimir choked out. "It's the way myconids communicate!"
Stool sent a smaller spray of rapport spores Lizva's way, and a short conversation was had between the pair. Whatever the sprout said was enough to persuade her. But, then again, it was hard to say no to Stool. So the barkeep reluctantly let them continue.
Despite the security of their telepathic link, the companions huddled close together as they began the tale with their encounter with the corrupt guard and the events that led to half the party's arrest. Then, they launched into the fine details of the quests given to them by Captain Blackskull, Themberchaud and the Keepers of the Flame, the Empty Scabbard Killers, and the Stonespeakers. The exploration of the Whorlstone Tunnels came next, and the companions subtly showed the dragonborn bits of evidence they had uncovered along the way. It took a long time to tell the story in full, nearly an hour, as Balasar did ask questions now and again.
Naturally, when the tale was complete, the dragonborn sat back in his chair, dropped his gaze to the table, and shook his head in a daze. "I was missing for no more than six rest cycles. What sort of mess have you gotten yourselves into?" he mind-spoke.
"It isn't yer burden to bear," Eldeth said quickly. "We're the ones who made the agreements with Blackskull and Gartokkar. They don't know ye're with us. Ye could walk away now if ye wanted to."
At the mention of leaving, Balasar's head shot up. His crimson eyes locked with Eldeth's, and blue electricity sparked in his maw as he said, "As if I could! Gracklstugh has been my home for years. I may hold no love for the duergar, but I can't sit by and let the city be handed over to a demon lord! It would be destroyed, an important trade center would be lost, and there are far too many innocents…."
"And that's the dilemma we all share," Fraeya muttered aloud in Drow as she chewed half-heartedly on a buttered brancher. Her favorite treat did not taste so good in the wake of such a depressing conversation.
Sarith raised a curious brow at her morose behavior.
"How much time do you think we have?" Balasar then asked the group.
"It's hard to say. We unknowingly interrupted the repair of the obelisk, and Pliinki is dead. So, unless another savant can take over her research, we're safe on that front. But we don't know what other tricks they might have up their sleeves to summon Demogorgon," Kazimir replied.
"Once we tell Blackskull about the stolen ore, I'm sure she'll work with Clan Thrazgad to organize its retrieval. But the moment her guards enter derro territory, the jigs up. It will incite skirmishes, maybe even an all-out war between the duergar and derro if you consider the savant's plans. I doubt Blackskull will take the news lightly," Zelyra added. "My guess is she will want to wipe them out in one fell swoop."
"And then there is the matter of the hit list," Nine said.
"And then there's the hit list…." Fraeya echoed bitterly.
The jarring sound of Fargas's chair scrapping across the stone floor broke the silence as the halfling stood and threw on his black and tan cloak. "Well, there's no use in putting this off. The sooner we see the good ol' captain, the better," he said aloud. "Besides, Lizva's giving us the stink eye."
The halfling's companions turned, and sure enough, the duergar was wiping out used tankards behind the bar and glaring at their group. And so, the party took that as a sign that it was time to go. They could continue to droll and drag their feet and ponder the thousand terrible outcomes that could come of their conversation with Blackskull, but none of it would help. It was time to face the inevitable.
As the group followed Fargas out of the Lair and into Gracklstugh proper, Kazimir suddenly remembered that he had not studied the cipher on the document all thirty-six savants had signed! But the wizard doubted that the group would agree to wait another day to present their evidence, and he could recognize the wisdom in that. His only hope was that Blackskull would not cut off access to their findings.
It was a near-silent trek through the streets of the Blade Bazaar for the companions as each was lost in their own worries. Before long, the market stalls and booths gave way to a familiar, massive structure that climbed more than four stories toward the city's stalactite-filled canopy. As before, Overlake Hold's unforgiving stone walls were bathed in a reddish-orange hue while open-aired windows flickered with the light of many torches. The group approached the main gate, and as they did, four Stoneguard popped out of their invisibility cover and pointed crossbows at the companions.
"We're here to see the captain," Eldeth told the guards in Dwarvish as she presented one of the group's Stoneguard badges. "She's expecting us."
One of the guards stepped forward and carefully inspected the emblem in Eldeth's outstretched hand before giving a firm nod. "She's in her office. We will take you to her," they said sternly.
The four guards closed ranks around the group. Again, they bypassed the main gate entirely. Instead, the Stoneguard led the adventurers up that same series of zigzagging stairwells carved into the side of Overlake Hold all the way to the top. They entered the fortress through a seemingly unmanned door that opened on its own and then walked down a darkened hallway.
Before long, a familiar door loomed before them. The guard in front knocked rather forcefully, and not a moment later, it swung open. The point guard held a brief conversation with the individual inside before the group was ushered in. The remaining three Stoneguard filed in behind and stayed near the door.
Captain Errde Blackskull's intimidating form stood behind her round stone desk. She wore a spartan cloth uniform embellished only by her dark blue sash instead of full plate. Her stark white hair was pulled back into a single french braid that stretched down her back, and her dark eyes surveyed the group before her with the same fierce intensity they did upon their first meeting. But this time, Errde did not let the silence fester. Instead, a wicked smile forced its way to her lips as she looked at Kazimir and said, "This morning, a citizen reported that a tiefling matching your description used unlawful magic to steal his property."
Kazimir swallowed nervously as Balasar shifted uncomfortably at the back of the group. This was the dragonborn's first time meeting the captain firsthand. But he'd heard of her and knew Captain Blackskull as an unforgiving official.
The rest of the party held their breath as the captain stared at Kazimir, waiting for him to break eye contact with her. But despite his nervousness, the wizard did not back down. "I did no such thing," he claimed.
Errde's smile widened. "I know. I was in the audience," the captain revealed as she strode from behind her stone table to offer the new champion of the Forge a handshake of congratulations. "I bet against you and lost quite a bit of gold, but the show was worth it. So, I say, well played…for a mage."
Kazimir's jaw dropped, and he began to sputter nonsense.
To the party's bewilderment, Errde continued, "I told Bunrick to shove it. He's an ass. Even if you did theoretically steal his 'property,' he publicly agreed to the terms at the start of the match. So, said 'property' was won fair and square by my eye. The charges were immediately dropped."
Kazimir and Balasar exchanged baffled but animated grins. The tiefling tapped the side of his nose impishly, and the dragonborn's toothy smile widened. [1]
Zelyra stepped forward and cleared her throat. "Yes…well, I'm afraid we haven't come to revel in Kazimir's victory, no matter how exciting it was. We have the physical evidence of corruption that you asked for. And I must say, it's worse than you could ever imagine," the half-elf said gravely.
Kazimir's mischievous grin fell. "Zelyra's right…."
The wizard reached into his pack and unceremoniously tossed Narrack's notes, Pliinki's journal, and the Empty Scabbard Killer's hit list on the captain's desk. Fraeya followed with Droki's satchel while Fargas turned over the letters exchanged between Uskvil, Aliinka, and Zubriska detailing the takeover of the Grey Ghosts.
"Do you have a place for us to sit while you sift through all that, or shall we stand?" Fargas asked cheekily.
This time, the captain's jaw dropped as she beheld the mountain of evidence. She did not offer a response to the halfling's snarky comment. Instead, Blackskull emptied out the contents of Droki's satchel. The strange array of items added to her cluttered desk.
"Toe-nail clippings?" she asked as she examined the vials.
"From the stone giants," Nine confirmed.
"And the ore?" the captain continued as she inspected the chunk of black metal.
Fargas replied, "Stolen from Clan Thrazgad."
"For what purpose?" Blackskull asked in complete bewilderment.
"Read the journal," Kazimir said grimly. "It's written in Abyssal. If you need a language comprehension spell, I can—"
Blackskull cut the wizard off, "I'm fine." The duergar pressed a finger to her temple, and when she opened the fungal journal, the scribbled mess within read clear. She skimmed a few pages before moving on to the letters and notes. Her ashen face grew paler and paler with every line read until she found the hit list. As the duergar read the damning words, her hands began to shake.
"I think you'll recognize a few names on that," Zelyra said.
Errde's eyes closed, and she sagged against the table. "Aye, that I do," she said. But those dark eyes shot back open not a moment later to glare at the four guardsmen at the back of the chamber. "LEAVE US!" she barked.
The guards scattered, and the door to her chambers closed with a resounding bang as the last one exited. Still, Errde Blackskull was paranoid—for good reason. She drew a hand through the air, making the same motion one might do when pulling aside a curtain, but saw nothing. There was not even the slightest blip of magic in the air aside from what radiated off those before her. It was safe to speak freely.
"Captain Errde Blackskull—I've smelt treason on her since she was but a lass. She's always had an eye on my throne, but she'll never get it. Put a knife through her eye. She'll get what's coming to her. Yes, that's what she'll get!" Errde read aloud. She took a shaky breath and said, "This is the Deepking's handwriting and seal."
"We thought as much," Fraeya replied. "We can confirm that at least one of the hits on that list has been attempted as written. We managed to interrupt the attack on Werz Saltbaron during the same skirmish that led to our arrest. But, unfortunately, the assassins managed to get him through other means."
The drow shuddered as she remembered the horrid state she and Fargas had found Werz in—torso flayed open, the entrails rearranged in an artful pattern, head nearly severed from the shoulders. Buppido had brutalized him. Perhaps it would have been better if they had not tempted fate and the first assassination attempt had played out as intended… Surely drowning was a better way to go than what Buppido had done.
"Tell me everything," Captain Blackskull pleaded with the party.
And so, the companions launched into the same spiel they had given Balasar at breakfast, from their first encounter with the corrupt guard to the defeat of Narrack the previous day. Errde Blackskull listened in silence, not once interrupting, and barely drew breath or blinked throughout the tale. When they were finished, the room fell quiet as the group awaited the captain's response.
"You have fulfilled your end of the bargain and then some—which is more than I thought individuals such as yourselves would be capable of doing," Errde admitted.
Before the adventurers could take offense, she continued, "Conditions within the city have worsened since we last spoke. The killings have become more frequent and bolder. There has been unrest between guards and civilians in the streets. And the Deepking has ordered nearly all Stoneguard to vacate the palace! He will rely only on his personal guard. You did not have to bring me this evidence for me to suspect that a civil war is brewing in my city…but to be attacked on all fronts? The people, my king, and the derro? How could I have been so blind?!"
Errde slammed her fist into the stone table that held the damning evidence. Her knuckles cracked, and blood began to flow. But the captain ignored the pain. Instead, she demanded, "Tell me, how many of the savants did you encounter in the tunnels?"
The group, minus Balasar, exchanged uneasy glances. Nine eventually answered, "Four. You'll find a document that all thirty-six savants signed in that pile, so you have their names. Narrack, Pliinki, and Uskvil are dead. A fourth was killed in Narrack's study, though we don't know who she was."
Blackskull made a tsk sound and paced back and forth behind her desk, clutching the hit list in bleeding hand while a risky plan formulated in her head. The adventurers stood by with bated breath. The conversation was going even more poorly than they had imagined.
"The terms I offered you upon hire still stand. If you wish to leave the city now, I will provide you with an escort. You may have access to our armory and stores before you depart. And I assure you that your drow pursuit has been kept in check as promised. Rumors of your presence within the city have been suppressed, and Xalith Masq'il'yr remains a prisoner of Overlake Hold. She has delusions that Ilvara will come to save her, but…." Captain Blackskull turned a snide eye to Fraeya and Sarith, who wore opposing expressions of curiosity and dread, and said, "But I think we both know that will never happen. What is one lowly scout to a High Priestess of Lolth? Xalith will rot in her cell till the end of her days if I have anything to say about it."
Sarith's hands were clenched in tight fists, and he breathed heavily, but a look of relief flashed upon his face.
"Who is Xalith Masq'il'yr?" Fraeya dared to ask via sending stone.
The rogue received no response.
Errde Blackskull was not finished in her appeal, and the adventurers realized this. All that had been promised at the start of their quest was being offered to them freely. And yet, they sensed a 'but' in the captain's tone…
"But before you abandon my doomed city in the eleventh hour, I wish to present a counteroffer," Errde told the adventurers as desperation seeped into her voice. "You have proven yourself against four savants. That is more than my Stoneguard can say. So, I wish to hire you for extermination."
"Of the remaining thirty-two?!" Fraeya cried.
"No," the captain said sternly. "To take down our King."
One could have heard a pin drop in Blackskull's office following those traitorous words.
"You…want to…assassinate…your King?" Zelyra sputtered.
The frazzled duergar roused and said, "Want is not the proper word. But the Deepking's rule is failing, and his people are suffering. When was the last time we heard from Hogar Steelshadow V? Saw him? The answer is months! And that is because he spends all his time locked away in the palace and allows his advisor to be his voice! HE DID THIS! He—and his damned great-grandfather—allowed the derro to spread unchecked. So, what other choice do we have? I must think of the people. A monarchy can clearly no longer be trusted to act in Gracklstugh's best interests. The Council of Lairds can take up leadership in his stead."
It shocked the companions to see the stern captain lose all sense of self. Sparking a revolution seemed too rash, like something merely suggested in the heat of anger but not genuinely felt in the heart. They understood Blackskull's fears, and yet…
Zelyra stepped up to the stone desk and silently took Errde's injured hand. Tiny spectral vines wound around the busted knuckles to reduce the swelling and clear away the blood. The duergar calmed as the healing magic flowed through her, and the frenzied look in her dark eyes faded.
Satisfied she was now speaking to a sane individual, the druid stepped back and said, "I can't deny that something is very wrong with your king, but I don't think death is the answer. Kazimir had a strange vision in the Whorlstone Tunnels that showed a female duergar speaking into the ear of your king. I think it might have relevance! I once read a chapbook—"
"Oh, here we go again," Fraeya groaned.
At the same time, Kazimir said, "Oh! I'd almost forgotten about that."
"—about an honorable horse lord who was corrupted by a dark wizard's magic. The lord accepted every word from his advisor to be true, but that advisor was in the wizard's pocket. And so, the lord unknowingly passed many edicts that advanced the wizard's evil agenda while bringing harm and sorrow to his people. No one in the court suspected the wizard was to blame for the lord's madness. Instead, it took an outsider's keen eye to put the pieces together and recognize the true source of corruption." [2]
The others expected Blackskull to laugh at the druid's council and shove it to the wayside, but the captain did no such thing. Instead, the tale of the horse lord seemed to resonate with her. "Tell me exactly what you saw," she said to Kazimir.
The tiefling wracked his brain to recall the details of the strange vision. "I was in a throne room. A male duergar sat upon a seat of black obsidian. He had a long, braided white beard that fell to his knees and wore a blood-red cape accented by heavy black furs. A jagged three-pronged circlet of iron sat upon his brow. Hunched next to him was a well-endowed female duergar who whispered artfully in his left ear. She had salt-and-pepper hair that was tightly braided back and wore a shining mithril dress inlaid with many other precious stones—"
"Shal," Errde interrupted as a look of revelation overtook her features. She began to pace back and forth, muttering more to herself than the adventurers, but they could hear every word. "I know it. That gaudy dress was his gift to Shal… Blackskull, you fool! The Deepking takes a royal consort, promotes her to an advisory position, and suddenly all contact with the palace stops… Shal! An outsider, not even part of the clans!"
"Wait a minute, let me get this straight—some outsider became the king's consort, was suddenly promoted to advisor-of-the-king, and no one has heard directly from him since?" Fargas listed off suspiciously on his fingers. "And no one thought to question that?! Zelyra's horse lord theory is sounding more and more credible!"
"There has been much upheaval in the city as of late. The Deepking's silence was the least of my worries…until now," the captain said, sounding rather meek in the face of such a glaring explanation.
"All I'm saying is that before you resort to something as grievous as assassination, we approach the situation from all angles," Zelyra advised.
"I am sure the sight of your name on the hit list rattled you, but do not let that distract you from the other evidence we have brought you. Such as the corrupted dragon egg that the Keepers of the Flame and Themberchaud seek for rival reasons and the thirty-two servants of Demogorgon that slink within the West Cleff," Derendil added.
Blackskull rubbed her temples and nodded absently. "Yes…yes…but when you are attacked from multiple angles, which one to focus on! The people, the Deepking, or the derro?" she muttered, more to herself than the present company. "And the Keepers?! Oh, Gartokkar, you rotten bastard!"
Eldeth stepped forward and bravely met Captain Errde Blackskull nose to nose. "All of them. This is only a matter of politics amongst clans, after all. Unite those who ye know will support ye against the derro and any who have grievances against the Deepking. I can think of a few worth reaching out to…" the shield dwarf counseled. Eldeth then looked to her companions and said, "Remember? That old man in the smith's shop told us that his clan had fallen on hard times because the Deepking's family was monopolizing all the smithing orders. And Clan Thrazgad would have just cause to go to war against the derro. The savants stole their ore and left them without means to produce their armor orders."
Errde smiled shrewdly. "Perhaps our surface kin have more credence than what we grey dwarves give you. Clan Ironhead and Clan Thrazgad would be worthy allies, and their vote for war would bring many other clans into the fold," she said.
Eldeth crossed her arms and smugly grinned back at the duergar.
"Now, the Keepers of the Flame answer directly to the Deepking. They asked you to find the dragon egg…were very insistent about it, yes?" Blackskull asked.
"Very," Nine confirmed.
"Strange how this all seems so very connected," the duergar muttered. Blackskull began to pace again as a more calculating plan began to take shape in her cunning mind. "If you accept my counteroffer to stay and aid us, this is what I propose: we attack on two fronts. Your group will seek an audience with the Deepking. Bring the dragon egg, tell him of its corruption, and offer to destroy it. If he refuses, knowing full well that it is a gift for Demogorgon, then we know that he has been corrupted. If you can stay his madness, do so. But if not, you make the call. Myself, and those loyal to me, will be stationed on the outside and will attack the palace at your word.
"Meanwhile, we send a secondary force, this one much larger and likely comprised of whatever clans we ally with, to attack the savants and draw them out of their Hall of Sacred Spells. While you were doing your research, my spies were doing theirs. They discovered the hidden temple's location just before the previous rest cycle."
"This goes way beyond gathering intelligence or taking out random cult members while we look for evidence. You are naming a target and asking us to fight a war! Give us a good reason to do your dirty work," Fraeya demanded. "If we agree to this, there better be a fair amount of gold exchanged in advance."
"That and more. I will give you anything you seek—within reason," Errde said.
"Spell scrolls," Kazimir immediately requested. "And continued access to the evidence we collected."
"Anything shiny that might interest my employer," Fargas proposed.
"An official contract, signed by Bunrick Burakrinwurn, that I will never be indebted to him again and that he surrenders all 'property' to me," Balasar growled.
"I second that," Dawnbringer mind-spoke into Captain Blackskull's conscious. The duergar looked at the dragonborn and his strange glowing sword with a mixed expression of alarm and respect. But the others were not finished.
"An audience with one of your prisoners," Sarith said quietly.
"Letters sent to the surface. To Neverwinter, specifically," Zelyra said.
Nine, Fraeya, Derendil, and Eldeth remained silent.
"All of those can be done…except for the letters," Errde replied, seemingly genuinely apologetic. She turned to Zelyra, "I can send any letters you wish to transport on our next caravan to Mantol-Derith, but I cannot guarantee they will make it to this 'Neverwinter'you speak of. Communications between the Underdark and the surface are typically done through word of mouth or private messenger."
The druid sighed. She'd been afraid of that. "A new set of armor then," Zelyra said as she gestured reluctantly to the leathers that had been compromised during Derendil's unexpected attack on her. As the request left her lips, the prince shrunk back in shame.
Captain Blackskull nodded. "I will put in a word with Clan Thrazgad, and as a gesture of good faith, we can still try to pass on any letters you wish to send. Between my word and the gratitude that the clan already owes you for finding their stolen ore, I suspect they will be able to make a fine suit of custom armor."
"It would need to be leather or some other natural material," the druid said nervously. "No metal. Can they do that?"
Blackskull shrugged. "I don't see why not." She then turned to Sarith, "You mentioned wanting to speak to a prisoner of mine?"
Sarith's confident stance faltered, and it took his companions by surprise because it was the first time any of them had seen that happen outside of a fit of madness. The warrior took a deep breath and said, "Xalith Masq'il'yr."
"For what reason?" the captain demanded suspiciously.
Sarith stubbornly did not answer.
"If you cannot provide me with a sufficient answer, I will be forced to deny the request," Blackskull said.
"I'll go with him," Fraeya volunteered.
Both Sarith and Captain Blackskull looked at Fraeya in surprise. "No," the warrior said via sending stone. Simultaneously, the captain asked, "And how is that supposed to give me any assurance?"
"If we want to continue to evade Ilvara, it would be prudent to know who else might be working for her," the rogue lied. Her actual reasoning for wanting to accompany Sarith was sparked by pure curiosity. Who was Xalith? And why did the stoic warrior get so worked up at the bare mention of her name?
"You won't get anything out of her. We've tried," the duergar claimed.
Fraeya cocked her head. "That's because you're not drow," she said bluntly.
Blackskull straightened. "So, here is my final offer: a promise to fulfill all beforementioned requests, a 350GP allowance to spend in the Stoneguard's armory and stores, and a potion of invisibility and 500GP, paid upfront, to all individuals who volunteer to go to the palace. Plus, a scroll of minor illusion to disguise the egg for transport."
The companions exchanged resigned glances. None could argue with how good of a deal Blackskull was giving them. And if they could save Gracklstugh from ruin, or at the very least, keep it from falling into Demogorgon's hands? Well, it was the right thing to do. There were far too many innocents in the city.
Errde surveyed the group, recognized the look of acquiescence on their faces, and asked, "So, do we have an agreement?"
"Aye, I think we do," Eldeth said.
The captain grinned. Her silver tongue had once again not failed her.
"I will deliver your individual stakes of gold, promised spell scrolls, potions, and trinkets—" that last bit, she aimed at Fargas, "—to your rooms in Ghohlbrorn's Lair. Now, I will ask my guards to take you down to the armory and stores. As we agreed, you may take 350GP worth of anything you wish. I suggest you look through our collection of potions…though the rarer ones are worth 200GP or more.
"I will contact you again when I have a more concrete plan. In the meantime, I encourage you to renew your relations with Clan Thrazgad and Clan Ironhead as I work to arrange a formal meeting. And if you have the means, assure that the stone giants won't work against us… They are sworn to the Deepkingdom, yet they have shown you more regard than any duergar in their length of service. Aside from the Deepking, no one has been invited to their sacred halls, much less allowed to stay the night…."
The companions all looked to Kazimir, but he was no wiser than the rest of them as to why that might be.
The captain's last bit of advice was to lie low while traveling through the city. The companions did not want to draw Gartokkar or Themberchaud's attention to them. Likewise, it was agreed that the egg would not be moved from its hiding place in the Whorlstone Tunnels until it was time to take it to the palace.
With their deal settled, Errde strode to the door, opened it, and instructed the guards waiting outside to escort the party to the Stoneguard's armory and stores. "They have a 350GP allowance. Bill whatever they take to me," she said. As soon as the party exited her chambers, the captain slammed the door shut and began to plan.
The adventurers followed the four guards as they led them to the lower levels of Overlook Hold, below even the streets of Gracklstugh. Most of the group entered the armory, which was filled to the brim with all manner of weaponry and armor, but Kazimir and Zelyra alternatively chose to peruse the stockrooms for potions and scrolls. They found a very poor selection of scrolls, but the potions proved to be more interesting. Eventually, Balasar and Eldeth joined the wizard and druid. Eldeth claimed that the craftsmanship of the duergar paled in comparison to her own clan's smithing, while Balasar felt he had all he needed between Dawnbringer and the suit of plate Bunrick had unwittingly paid for.
Fraeya and Nine selected suits of studded leather from the armory, and each took a bundle of arrows. The rogue also took a shortsword and two shiny daggers from the array of weapons that lined the walls. Meanwhile, Fargas loaded up on daggers, took a bundle of arrows for his shortbow, and swiped up any weapons that looked like they might be interesting enough for resale in a different market. Sarith only took a bundle of crossbow bolts and a pair of handaxes, while Derendil selected a single shortsword and a new cloak. The garment looked more like a tiny skirt when wrapped around his tall, muscular frame. But it had not been scavenged off a dead man and provided him with enough modesty to shed his shredded robes.
Kazimir ultimately chose a potion of water breathing and a regular health potion from the stores. Balasar found a rare potion of hill giant strength. Nine took fire and acid resistance potions, while Fraeya claimed a potion of lightning resistance. And with those six vials divvied out, the companions wiped out the Stoneguard's store of potions—at least, those that were out for display. The captain might have instructed them to show the adventurers the stores, but the guards weren't stupid. Some things were hidden for a reason.
In the end, only Zelyra and Eldeth walked away without taking anything. The druid wanted the others to have first dibs—she was having custom armor commissioned, after all—while the shield dwarf simply saw nothing that caught her interest. Derendil and Sarith also took very little, but their reasoning was unclear. When the party's business was concluded, the guards escorted them back to the surface level. They exited the fortress by the main gate and found themselves right back where they had started hours earlier. And this time, their time was their own.
After a short debate, the adventurers elected to return to the stone giants. Broot had promised to give Hgraam a detailed report of their encounter with Narrack. But, considering the enlightening conversation they had just shared with Captain Blackskull, the party now thought it wise to speak to the Stonespeakers themselves. Perhaps Hgraam could provide them with insight into the Deepking's mysterious consort-turned-advisor, Shal.
And so, the group wound their way through the Darklake District, presented their badges to the guards at Laduguer's Furrow, passed the homes of Clan Thrazgad, and soon found themselves standing before the long tunnel that led back into the Southfurrow District. Here, Balasar lit a torch because the space beyond was dark as pitch to him. The dragonborn did not possess the heightened darkvision that his companions did, nor did he own a special pair of goggles to overcome that handicap like Fargas. And though he would have rather drawn Dawnbringer, Balasar did not want to risk blinding half the party. So a torch would have to do.
When the companions reached the tunnel's end, they saw an unfamiliar stone giant standing guard near the cavern's entrance, not Rihuud. The giant's expression darkened upon seeing foreign individuals wielding flame in their sacred space. They raised their wooden club and snarled at the group in warning.
"Uhhh—I don't think that one's friendly!" Fargas squeaked as he reached for his dagger, but his hand was swiftly stayed by Fraeya's.
"We can't threaten them," she warned. "We want them as allies."
"Who are you, and why have you come?" the giant thundered in Undercommon as they stomped towards the group.
The party stopped short and suddenly felt mortified for assuming they had free reign to casually drop in on the Stonespeakers whenever they pleased. What had Blackskull just told them? Aside from the Deepking, no one has been invited to their sacred halls.
Kazimir touched a hand to his temple and relished the rush of knowledge that flooded through his consciousness as he placed a greater comprehension spell upon himself. The wizard then raised his hands in a peaceful gesture and said, "My name is Kazimir. My companions and I were invited to your halls yesterday by Stonespeaker Hgraam. He sent us, along with Broot the Warforged, to investigate the curse placed on Stonespeaker Apprentice Dohrun. We wish to personally present our findings."
The stone giant considered the tiefling's words for a moment. It then scratched its head and asked, "What is a yesterday?"
Of all responses, that was the last Kazimir expected. His mouth opened and closed several times as he sought a suitable explanation for a creature who lived in a land that knew not a sun and, therefore, could not track time in terms of 'days.'
"Ah…it's the…surface equivalent of…the time you spent awake before your last rest cycle?" the wizard fumbled. The statement came out more as a question.
Before the puzzled stone giant could respond, the hall shook as another of its kind entered the space, and the adventurers all breathed a sigh of relief to see that it was Rihuud. The apprentice seemed surprised to see them but treated them to a far more friendly greeting than his club-wielding kin.
"Tunag! Lower your weapon," Rihuud said while shielding his eyes from the light of Balasar's torch. "These are guests of our halls and of Stonespeaker Hgraam."
The stone giant, presumably named Tunag, bowed their head and conceded to Rihuud's firm order. Meanwhile, the party released a secondarycommunal sigh of relief. Perhaps their unannounced visit was not so much of a slight as they initially feared.
"Ye should snuff yer torch," Eldeth whispered to Balasar as she noticed Rihuud's adverse reaction to the light. Perhaps that had been what set Tunag off as well.
"But then how will I see?" the dragonborn whined.
The shield dwarf placed her hand against his arm. "Don't worry. I'll guide ye, ye blind bat. Just like old times," she sniggered.
Balasar rolled his eyes but snuffed the torch as she suggested. Both Rihuud and Tunag visibly relaxed in the absence of it. [3]
"Rihuud, we need to speak with you and Stonespeaker Hgraam if he's available," Kazimir urgently told the apprentice. "There is more that we have learned since parting ways with Broot. Speaking of—if Broot is willing, he should also join us."
"Broot is recovering," Rihuud said apologetically. When the adventurers expressed concern for the warforged, the apprentice clarified, "Not from his injuries, but from his own mind. As Broot has told you, his primary function is to root out evil—all evil. When he falls into a frenzied state, such as he did when fighting alongside all of you, that drive to serve that primary function can be a hard thing to snap out of. But his task is complete, for now, and so he must force himself to rest."
"That sounds horrible," Zelyra shuddered.
"Can't blame a guy for committing to his cause," Fraeya replied with a blasé shrug.
Inwardly, Kazimir could not agree with Fraeya's thinking. If Broot was not able to snap out of a rage and distinguish an innocent touched by evil from true malevolence, it could have very well spelled bad news for her fellow drow in the Whorlstone Tunnels.
"If you all would come with me, I will arrange an audience with the Stonespeaker," Rihuud bade.
The party followed the giant through the large, echoing, cathedral-like hall to the side chamber where they first met Hgraam. But this time, Rihuud invited the adventurers to take places around the large stone table at the center of the room—standing, of course, as there were no chairs. The apprentice then left for a short time before returning with Stonespeaker Hgraam.
As the aged giant entered the space and saw the individuals that had performed an unprecedented service for his clan, he dipped his head in deep respect. Then, after exchanging brief pleasantries, the Stonespeaker cut straight to the chase. "Broot gave me a detailed report of your findings in the Whorlstone Tunnels. It seems that the one responsible for cursing Dohrun is dead—thanks to you," Hgraam said as he looked at Zelyra.
The druid squirmed as she was not sure she should be proud of that fact, given the horrid way Narrack had died. Cultist or not, it was hard to rid those final screams from her mind.
The giant continued, "And we know that they used our likeness to complete their rituals. We have plans to keep a closer eye on our stone garden in the future, but how the savants could have possibly stolen our statues remains a mystery. Now Rihuud tells me that there is more?"
"I'm afraid so," Fraeya said, taking the lead on the conversation. "Last time we met, we told you that the Council of Savants corrupted the Keeper of the Flame's dragon egg and has infiltrated the Grey Ghosts. But we've since discovered that their influence might reach even further than that. We just came from speaking with Captain Blackskull of the Stoneguard, and she confirmed a disturbing theory…."
The drow went on to tell Hgraam and Rihuud about the party's encounter with Eldgrim and the Empty Scabbard Killers. Her companions added their own input when they saw fit. Though they no longer had the physical evidence on them—Blackskull now had it in her possession—they all remembered the damning words upon the Deepking's hit list nearly word for word. Fraeya, with help from Kazimir, quoted it in full. The wizard even went so far as to use simple magic to create a wispy illusory image of the seal that had been stamped upon the dried fish skin.
"Blackskull confirmed that this is the official seal of the city," Kazimir said as he pointed to the illusion. "So, we know that either the Deepking or someone close to him was involved in making this."
"Do those sound like the words of a sane man?" Fraeya pressed.
Hgraam did not answer. His eyes were closed, and his mighty hands were pressed flat against the table. Rihuud, likewise, was silent. But he cast an eye over the individuals at the table, studying each in turn before looking back to the elder for direction.
Fraeya boldly continued, "We believe that the Deepking's madness, the experiments on the dragon egg, and Dohrun's curse are all connected. The Council of Savants wishes to unseat your city so they can offer it as a gift to Demogorgon and take over leadership. And unless you can tell us differently, it is our impression that the Deepking has taken the role of an absent monarch in this brewing conflict." When Hgraam did not contest the accusation, the drow spearheaded her point. "With all the evidence we have collected and knowing that a demon lord may soon be knocking on your doorstep, Captain Blackskull nor we can idly sit by and let the city be taken."
Hgraam let out a long, heavy sigh. By the drow's tone alone, he could tell what was being left unspoken. "Did the captain send you to ask for our support?" he asked.
"Not exactly," Fraeya replied. "We merely wish to return the same respect shown to us. The powers of Gracklstugh should be informed of what may come if the city does not act swiftly."
The Stonespeaker nodded. After careful consideration, he said, "Our loyalty must remain unwaveringly to the Cairngorm Crown. If you ask us to go against the oath we have sworn, I am afraid we can be no help to you."
Kazimir opened his mouth to argue the sense in hailing a mad king, but Hgraam held up a mollifying hand.
"Please know that I hold each of you in high regard. The respect you have shown our clan and your service will not be soon forgotten. Your story will be carved into the walls of our halls for many more generations of Stonespeakers to see! And so, I can promise you that the information you shared will not leave this room. Though we are sworn to the Deepking, we will not work for you…or against you. We will remain neutral. You have my word," the aged giant told the adventurers, though his gaze once more lingered on Kazimir.
When Rihuud gave a firm nod of agreement, the group felt their nerves settle just the slightest bit. It wasn't the support they had hoped for, but neither was it a failed meeting. Instead, they were seemingly saved once again by their wizard companion's strange connection to Stonespeaker Hgraam.
A short, awkward silence followed before Zelyra asked, "What can you tell us about the Deepking's advisor? According to Blackskull, she is not from Gracklstugh and was just recently appointed."
"Shal?" Hgraam asked, surprised by the sudden change of subject.
The druid nodded.
"I will admit her advancement from consort to advisor-of-the-king was odd," the Stonespeaker pondered. "And since her change in rank, we have seen less and less of Hogar."
Hgraam told the adventurers that he and the Deepking used to meet regularly to discuss policy, fortifications for the city, etc. They had a surprisingly friendly rapport. In fact, the same table that the adventurers presently stood around had been built specifically for those meetings. But as of late, all communication from the palace passed through Shal, usually in the form of letters. Neither the Deepking nor Shal had made a visit to Cairngorm Cavern in tendays.
"And you don't think that's odd?" Fargas asked.
"You think Shal is secretly working for the savants," the giant surmised.
The adventurers side-eyed one another and let that silent action be their answer.
Hgraam let out another long, heavy sigh. "Whatever it is you are going to do, be sure to do it quickly. The Deepking's wrath will be swift. Do not underestimate him. He has been our ruler for longer than most of you have been alive and has suppressed many coups in his lifetime. If he truly is mad as you claim, your names might be drug through the mud in the crossfire."
"We understand," Kazimir said.
"Now, if you don't mind, I would like to return to my studies. Your news troubles me, but it does not surprise me upon reflection. I will leave you with this last piece of advice… There is a darkness in the stones that bleeds. Something stirs in the unforgiving dark," Hgraam said as his expression turned grim. He then spoke in a voice that seemed to violently carve into the very rock around them. "The rock itself cries with pain and horror, and a madness creeps from the blackest depths. Pay heed to the signs around you. A cave with two faces. Rock devoured, and the land overgrown. The pebble believes itself flesh. The earth rejects its wards, and the tunnels shake with fury. By these portents, you shall know of evil's presence and of evil's face. This is what the stones tell me." [4]
The aged Stonespeaker then took his leave, and the adventurers watched him exit with open-mouthed expressions. The chamber fell silent as each tried to process the apocalyptic words Hgraam had just given them. They could not, for the life of them, make sense of it. It sounded a mess of gibberish, yet it somehow shook them to the core.
When the stunned adventurers made no move to leave, Rihuud awkwardly offered, "I can escort you back to Gracklstugh proper unless there is some other service we might offer you?"
Most of the group silently shook their heads, but Kazimir brightened as an errant idea came to him. Something about Hgraam's warning spurred the inquisitiveness in him. The fact that this seed of curiosity was accompanied by a burning sensation on his left palm told the tiefling he was onto something—unfortunately.
"You wouldn't happen to have a library, would you?" he asked.
Rihuud's expression twisted in bewilderment. "We have a room of scrolls that dates back to the clan's founding if that's what you mean," the giant answered.
Kazimir grinned. "Would we be allowed to visit it?"
[1] I imagine it's the same way Pippin and Merry would look at each other after pulling off a prank or some other mischief.
[2] Once again, the 'chapbook' referenced here is The Lord of the Rings (let's pretend the Forgotten Realms has some equivalent). The correlation is not even something we made up for the sake of our love of LOTR. The Deepking's madness is 100% true to module… However, the adventurers have not yet keyed into the identities of Shal and the 'evil wizard.' :D
[3] I honestly can't remember if I touched upon this in earlier chapters… We rarely used a light source outside dancing lights in our gameplay, especially when traveling through the wilds. Balasar was the only one who couldn't really see in the dark, so Eldeth essentially played the part of a Seeing Eye dog for him. The player used that opportunity to flirt with her incessantly, but I've decided to portray Balasar and Eldeth's relationship as more competitive/friendly banter than a goofy romance.
[4] I typically try to loosely follow any dialogue provided in the module and then rework but damn! I don't think I could give Hgraam's monologue justice. The italicized portion is a direct quote.
Captain Blackskull doesn't have a stat block in either the module or the revised version we used. I haven't made one in DDB, either. But if you're curious about how she can cast spells, I imagine her as a College of Eloquence bard—hence her 'silver tongue' and minor spellcasting.
Welp, a 7.5k chapter of 95% dialogue. Not my favorite thing to write by any means, but it had to be done. I read over the conversation with Blackskull probably 30 times... If there is anything that is confusing or needs to be reworked, please let me know. I know it was a massive info dump, but several questlines are now converging. The following two chapters will be less dungeon delving/combat and more…politics…as the party attempts to gather allies for the siege of Gracklstugh. But I'll try to add a few fun bits here and there to keep things interesting. I prefer a healthy mix, after all!