Game-Summaries:10/6/2017 Recollections

Recollections by Jorg

I had decided to sign up for a mission to cleanse a desecrated temple of Corellon. This mission had come from The White (Headmaster Leda), a house I had not worked with before. I’m interested in each house’s outlook on our situations, how they assess us, and their domain’s priorities. As if designed for interpretation and critique, our mission was “Cleanse the temple of Corellon and deal with the bandits as you see fit”. I barely had a chance to learn my new compatriots names before Cassio had us at the stables. I like his assertive nature, overzealous as he is. I got to work with Zanna and Kaylorr again, and we all acquainted ourselves with Ember. Along the way to the village where the shrine was desecrated, we listened to Cassio wax poetic about himself while I explained that Corellon is THE god of elves. While kind and powerful, Corellon only disdains Gruumsh and half-orcs.

Oh, joy.

We arrive at the hamlet, and it shows signs of desertion. The clearly half-elf settlement (traditional human dwellings with very elvish embellishments) was bereft of life, supplies, and signs of struggle. Why people gather along racial lines for safety is beyond my comprehension. Your own people can’t keep you more safe if everyone is as craven and incapable as you. Fresh footprints lead us to a broken statue of Corellon overlooking large doors as an entrance to the temple. We entered the lightless cave-temple and noticed all magical torches were out. Hearing a dialect of elvish, we respond with indication to our mission for the Magistery. Realizing that the dialect is definitely not from Eomas, we approach with trepidation. They respond by trying to shoot Zanna with poison darts. We respond in kind, taking the fight to the dark elves.

After many dark elves were put to the sword or ran away in fear, a lanky, quick, and wiley blackened elf approached with malice. He had no issue striking Cassio and I, and used his own magical skills to literally put us in the dark. Thankfully, everyone learns the Light spell, and my crowbar became the most useful tool in everyone’s bag. We find the rogue enemy and dispatched him. We puzzled over his death curse of “USTEG EL O NOS” or some such.

After a desperately needed rest, we discovered a broken wall that revealed a tunnel to the dark elf hideout. A giant Black Ice Gang symbol glowed on the floor before a recess containing 4 large chests. After several close calls with trial and error between Zanna and I, we get all 4 chests across the Glyph of Warding. The silver coins were minted with a set of scales weighed town only on the left side. Kaylorr reminded us about the Black Ice Gang’s attempts to gather components for a Chaos Curse. The counterfeit coin could be a destabilizing force, or a replacement currency. We are still unable to see the forest for the trees.

After loading up the horses, a tentacle mouthed mind-speaker watched us prepare to leave. He “said” in our minds not to follow him as he turned to leave. He seemed mostly unconcerned with us, but summoned a one-eyed, floating aberration to eliminate us. Zanna and I would have been decayed if not for Ember, Kaylorr, and Cassio. Limping home, we are sent to The White’s chamber with only dooming wishes from Melvin.

So as to not interrupt her channeling of a spell, we wait for Headmaster Leda to address us. We inform her of our mission, including our mending and reconsecration of Corellon’s temple at the hamlet. When we probed for answers as to the origins and future concerning these dark elves, The White was most forthcoming.

Headmaster Leda informed us that the black elves are a race of elves unique to a plane called the Underdark. These Drow are not common because only about 200 years ago did our planes first converge to share space. The Drow’s poison is also unique to their plane, along with the mind-controlling fungus and their spider goddess, Lolth. Headmaster Leda told us the Magistery’s objective to wipe out the Drow threat. When asked whether the Drow deserve to be respected as a sentient race, as goblins and orcs. They may need to find a balance. Normally lofty and slightly unfocused, The White focused a curt response indicating “no warmongering race will be tolerated.”

To Melvin’s surprise, we were alive to ask him what the dying Drow’s phrase meant. Without a perfectly accurate recollection, “USTEG EL O NOS” most likely means something along the lines of “I will kill you for daring my faith” or “I will kill you as the faithless”.

Melvin is finally helpful.