In which the Sigil 6 agrees to do a bloody chore for a Drow Matron for use of the Old Githyanki Gate that her House currently controls.
They knew there was a gate up north due to Trundle’s scouting; also, it threw a blue light on the dark Shadowfell horizon. Keeping low so their flying steed’s wouldn’t show their silhouettes. Bugwump could tell that the gate had been created by Githyanki but had been abandoned (Githyanki frighten Bugwump!) and used by many different folk over time. Now it is owned by House Vandree, an innovative Drow house that owns a port city of the Underdark called Eämbar.
Failed Soldier made a roll to see if any previous Outlands Expedition Teams had left any signs carved into a tree. Perception roll was solid and so yes, someone had a symbol carved into a tree that let them know something was buried under the tree. They found a small chest with a scroll written nearly a century ago by Doro, a blue Dragonblood Outlands Expedition Teamster, “You probably want to get out of this dark shit-hole. There is a gate nearby; carve the keystone like so and it will take you to Sigil.”
They approached on foot, sending their friends back with the flying steeds and quickly ran into a Drow scouts led by a ranger on a giant spider. Language problems abounded, making things awkward until they got to the castle where the Captain Firin Falquan spoke common from her experience as a surface raider. She sent a message spell to the House Matron who was away.
Jusko played his noble background up and presented himself as a Prince of House Hajek. His family had claimed a young world that Hajek had written his family name on in a previous adventure. They are known as a cross-planar power. I rolled to see if the Matron knew of them and she did. Jusko gave Caita, a wizard courtier, a piece of wax with Strahd’s signet ring.
This was all kind of awkward and slow-going. The House Matron Melectix wanted to meet them beyond the gate in her citadel but the party wasn’t having it. Once Strahd’s signet was tossed out, the Matron met them. Failed Soldier (Passive Perception 28!) noticed that someone was near her who was invisible.
We went back and forth a bit. Jusko tried to ask for reparations if the Devil bounty hunter had come through the gate and tried to harm them. Veiled threats were made concerning the werewolves and Bugwump’s half-trained wizards. Eventually, the Matron offered a deal: Kill a rival Matron who is a guest in her city and she will allow them to use the gate, changing the keystone for a time. “She is evil and you are all renowned monster slayers. You’d be doing the worlds a favor.”When offers like this are made we have to step out of game and have interesting conversations. Are the players interested in this job? Does it sound fun? Are the characters interested in this job? We talked it over and folks were interested.
I made it clear that I hadn’t planned this and if they decided not to do it, my intricate Lego Drow City wouldn’t become useless after hundreds of hours of work. “There is no Lego Drow City,” I made clear. Talking it over, we decided to do it and that’ll be the next session. The Sigil 6 will kill one Drow Matron for another Drow Matron in order to get the villagers to safety faster.
Question of the Week
Most weeks I put up a question in the Thursday Night Gamer’s Facebook Group.
As we approach the northern gate that is lighting up the Shadowfell’s sky with unearthly blue light…
Dark Elves, the Starless Elves, the Drow.
What has your character heard about the elves of the Underdark who worship the Demon-Queen of Spiders, Lloth?
It need not be true.
Kuru’s Player
They lay spider eggs in the bodies of sacrifices to their Queen
Trundle’s Player
There are hybrids of elves and spiders that live in the deep. Since tunnels take effort, they are not centaur-large, but rather scorpion-sleek pit spiders.
Bugwump’s Player
The are the sad detritus of a once-fashionable demonic transformation craze.
Failed Soldier’s Player
Their Demon-Queen claims their souls, out of greed or for some useful purpose, who knows? This seems counter to the typical elven patterns. There are rumors of a faction that seeks to free the Drow from this fate.
Jusko’s Player
“Listen, I have had three mugs of Invisible Sasha’s Barking Vodka, it has made me devilishly handsome and a sage of all things, I will tell you vhat you need to know about Drow. First, they are all from space. No, I mean it, they live in the lands between the stars. The only difference between Sha..Che? Shoodoo Kai elfies.. yes yes Kuru.. the ones at the bridge, and ‘Drow’, is that Shoobie Dars Elves stayed in space. Space hermits. Worse than mountain hermits, if vou ask me. Air pressure thing.”
Another mug later..
“Leezen, ven Elfs get angry they become Drow. They get angry, they cook in hate’s oven, they go to space, they became Space Elves that ride giant fukking crows, and zen they come back here and are Drow. And then they fuck spiders. No it IZ true, Hellewyn. You come from the moon, how vould you even know?”
A few mugs and a sitar raga for bar fights later..
“Leeeezen, Trundle, this iz impotent. HA! I am drunk. This is IMPORTANT! Drow cheat at cards. They uze spiders to sneak a look at vhat you have and zen they cheat. My Uncle Vors Lost THREE boats in this way. I AM holding up three fingers, you can’t count in Common. Everybody know – dwarves only count in dwarfish. Vors! Smart uncle, mebbe second smartest uncle. He would only play cardz vit Drow on very sunny days because spiderz have terrible eyes in bright light, like the old or fascists. ASK ME HOW I KNOW, Kuru! I know thingz! I had a life before the Maze. Big important life.”
Closing time, his jacket missing for hours, a smear of lipstick on one cheek and drying barf on the other, and Wheatonesque levels of bed head already setting in. His breath is keeping him away from candles.
“You not body me after I die tonight Flo-dor. Am certain to die, yes. NO, no it is not drunk. Speaked of space elves before that misunderstanding with the Aboleth at the bar. She heard EVERYTHING, will tell all her friends. It -is- Anoleth. Barkeep called her Sheila – classic Aboleth name, and Aboleth and Drow? Forever friends. 4 evah. Word already spread, contract sign, assasins outside already likely. Pine box for us, at last. Any things that keen on many arms? They have club. Guarantee. Big door handles, need five hands torque meenimum. And secret knock! Have to knock more times than we can because many arms! Foolproof security. No way to mimic that. Genius. GRELL. Not Aboleth, Grell. Sheila classic Grell name, stupid Grell, need better cover story than ‘celebrate birthday alone and then cry’ NICE TRY SHEILA NO ONE HERE BUYING THAT SHIT. Not sad, bad lie! Grell can’t lie, everybody know that. Indecision loop – mostly brtain, bad design, basically floating neurosis with stupid beak. Fucking Sheila. Bad as cheating spidersexed space elves. Why is room spinning? DROWCURSED! My savings throw, it does nothing. OW The floor BIT ME. I will hold it, you go get city watch, this floor is under CITIZEN ARREST.”
Zzzzzzzzzzz.
Helewynn’s Player
Helewynn regards a drooling and snoring Jusko. She watches him for the span of 10 breaths, and then lets her gaze travel across the sleeping forms of the rest of the party.
She sighs heavily and whispers to the night sky, “Nonsense. All nonsense.”
Helewynn smiles, a secretive expression meant to be seen only by the stars burning silently overhead. “The dark cousins, they cannot turn to the left.”
Next Game: The Drow Job!
Githyanki Diaspora 
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