Jinx OOtA 12: Menzoberranzan

During our rest at Virizin's tower, Eldredge made all sorts of plans. Then he would change them completely. He had created the simulacrum, Sphinx, ostensibly so we would have another person to help us should we need to fight. Then he summoned steeds and calculated how much time it would take us to arrive, and he tried to debate Virizin's apprentice, Grin Ousstyl.   Huldir and Thorand were both very excited about sneaking into Menzoberranzan. They seemed to know a lot about the history of the city and the Drow. I never admitted to them I had never heard of the place. I had heard of the Drow of course because the Drow don't like overlander elves like me. That part scared me a little bit.   We were to go into the city openly in the guise of the Apprentice's slaves. Kromdar didn't say much. I think that like me, he was nervous. Thorand had worked industriously to plan out making a Hero's Feast. There was a lot of talk about it. By then we had accumulated a good amount of treasure and had everything required for the Hero's Feast. I wasn't sure when it would be cast but I liked the sound of it.   The journey to Menzoberranzan took us through a long cave like tunnel. When it came time to enter the city, I tried to look like a fierce bodyguard/slave to Grin. I think we all played our roles pretty well except for Grin Ousstyl himself. I even began to suspect he was going to betray Virizin at one point.   I didn't really know what to expect in Menzoberranzan. I had only heard vague rumors of a dark elf society that treated elves like me as their enemy. As we entered the huge cavern city, I kept my face forward as much as I could so as not to draw attention to myself. To be honest, I had expected guards or someone to grab us immediately and haul us off before Lolth where we would be tortured and devoured. The truth was that most folk seemed not to pay us any attention though I'm sure there were some who did but just didn't show it.   Menzoberranzan society and culture is pure politics. I came to learn that there were Drow of great respect and great houses in that city who wouldn't of course admit it, but were hoping that we would succeed in sending the Demon Lords back where they came from.   This Gromph Baerne, it turns out, was not just the archmage, but was also brother to the Matron Mother Quenthel Baerne. In Menzoberranzan, females are the leaders. She was the current leader and as it turns out, she wasn't exactly happy about her brother summoning the Demon Lords from hell. It was delicate for her. She couldn't, of course, openly declare she hoped someone would be along to steal her brother's Grimoire and send the Demons back where they belong, especially someone who was made up of Wood Elf, dwarves, etc.  In fact, I believe she thought that her brother's office had been cleared of everything.   As we wound our way through the large city, we kept getting the feeling someone was following us or watching us. It turned out we were right. But the spy turned out to be part of a sort of gang of mercenaries that was run by Jaraxle. Jaraxle was related to the Matron Mother, and it was hinted he was Quenthel and Gromph's family, close family. Whatever his motives were, his group of mercenaries led us to their safe holdings and assured us we would not be intruded upon there. Grin Ousstyl was known to Jaraxle's group and we were led right to their safe holdings. I was a little suspicious at first. As Grin and Jaraxle talked, I didn't understand the underlying political situation but I listened and soon figured out that Grin and Jaraxle wanted the same thing; for the Demons to be sent back with the ritual heart thing Virizin had made but neither of them wanted it to take place in Menzoberranzan. But that is just what Virizin had ordered be done.   I could see why they didn't want a huge war with the Lords of the Demons in the middle of thier city. I just wasn't sure if the ritual would only work there or if it cold be done elsewhere. Jaraxle would give us the password to the Sorcere, the mage tower. Once we were admitted, we would have one hour to retrieve the Grimoire without getting caught. Then the password would be reset and we would be discovered. But first we would have to get past the guards. Two gigantic jade spider statues guarded the Sorcere. Only Drow mages were allowed in. We would have to sneak in. I was pretty we could stealth our way in. We had been stealthing through the Underdark for what seemed like months or even years. Without any windows or lights coming in, it felt like it was always night there.   Grin had given us the information we would need to find Gromph's offices. We were well versed in the art of hiding in shadows and we made it to Gromph's sanctum. That's where things got real. It really took all of us to retrieve the grimoire. One of us spotted the secret door. I used thieves' tools to unlock it successfully and we had to disarm the trap. Once we made it into the inner sanctum, we were surprised to see what looked like a Drow warrior there, trapped in a magic circle. We figured out that he wasn't what he said he was. He was lying and we knew it. He told us he would help us if we let him out but he would have done anything to prevent our success.   The only exit was an arched doorway and all that lay beyond it was a dark void. After doing my bit as a thief, I have to confess that I was watching the time. We were going to have to escape this place before the password changed. There was a lot that had to be figured out. Not a single one of us could have done it alone. We had to work together. And we did it. There was no way to leave with the grimoire without entering that void and the only way to leave the void was something that had to be figured out. Between Thorand and Eldredge, it was done. When we left the Sorcere, Eldredge had the grimoire in his possession. Huldir and Eldredge dumped two whole shelves of books into my bag of holding. And we left.   Grin urged us to set the dark heart talisman somewhere outside of Menzoberranzan in spite of Virizin's original instructions. Menzoberranzan had suffered when the Demon Lords arrived and we felt that we could safely gather the Demon Lords in one place and that the one place didn't have to be in Menzoberranzan. Even though Grin is a lower mage in power and knowledge, his words resonated with us. We would plant the talisman elsewhere. We wouldn't even tell Virizin. We would just do it. We had the grimoire, the means Gromph had used to summon the Demons. The plan was to bring the remaining Demon Lords together where their natural instincts would lead them into a free for all in a grab for power. Once there was only one left, we would battle that one.   We gave the grimoire to Virizin as promised but we planted the dark heart talisman in a place where we could watch the battle and know who we would have to face.