I must admit that the waterdeep mission has become a little bit boring. What had started as a great opportunity nine months ago, has become a routine job.
At the beginning, all was new: The city of waterdeep, the yawning portal, the discussions in Gareth's council about financing this mission. Not to forget the rapid growth of House Vandree that was the reason for me and Riordan to come here in the first place.
But not much happened during the last months. OK, I have to admit: some Gith appeared and brought their eternal fight against the mind flayers to neverwinter. This opened an opportunity, which Fini'they Vandree immediately took. She invited Gith characters into House Vandree. But the number of Gith in the ranks of the house remains small. Not much impact.
House Vandree made some progess, too. It could build important supporting structures and is about to upgrade their barracks soon, but it clearly lost its dynamic.
Finally, after my last presentation at the court of Gareth, the funds of this mission were cut to 0. Consequently, we had to transform our cover up workshop into a real enterprise. That was quite a success. Follwing the example of Omin Dran and Acquisitions Inc., we really make money by producing highest quality healing potions and selling them to the merchants.
So this operation has become self sustaining. We can continue to monitor House Vandree, as long as the Barony of Bloodstone has nothing more important for us to do. Nice, but I did not escape the daily routine in the Bloodstone army and move to the promising west coast, just to run an alchemists' shop and watch the slow progress of a minor drow house in neverwinter.
I should really look for another exiting opportinity...
"Cousin Celedon! Have you heard about the Vallenhas estate?" Riordan suddenly asked.
Maybe Riordan had found something interesting for us. "No, tell me about it!" I replied, trying to hide my hope that this might become a hook for a new adventure.
11/24/2019
The Witch-King's castle
All went well, until we found that huge pool of lava in the
Witch-King's castle. It casted flickering tongues of fire and
illuminated a vast cavern in a hellish light. Long stalactites extended
down from the ceiling, and their counterpoints - stalagmites - reached
greedily up form the broken floor.
A silvery pool of smooth liquid glowed at the far end of the chamber. The center of the cavern was split cleanly by the huge and flaring pool of lava, although a frail-looking suspension bridge ran across the pool.
A number of grotesque creatures were moving slowly about the silvery pools in a ritual dance. All of them gaunt and skeletal, and several had huge, batlike wings.
It turned out, that the pool of mercury was a magical gate that allowed passage to another plane. Without giving a second thought, we pursued the Witch-King into the Abyss.
The gleaming surface of the mercury pool rippled like water as we stepped into it. We slowly sank into the liquid metal and felt the implacable evil surrounding us.
A silvery pool of smooth liquid glowed at the far end of the chamber. The center of the cavern was split cleanly by the huge and flaring pool of lava, although a frail-looking suspension bridge ran across the pool.
A number of grotesque creatures were moving slowly about the silvery pools in a ritual dance. All of them gaunt and skeletal, and several had huge, batlike wings.
It turned out, that the pool of mercury was a magical gate that allowed passage to another plane. Without giving a second thought, we pursued the Witch-King into the Abyss.
The gleaming surface of the mercury pool rippled like water as we stepped into it. We slowly sank into the liquid metal and felt the implacable evil surrounding us.
The End of the Bloodstone Wars
During the Bloodstone Wars, we have conquered the southern duchies of Arcata and Camarthan, and the baronies of Ostel, Morov, and Polten. We reunied southern Damara under the leadership of the Barony of Bloodstone. The main army of Bloodstone had encamped on the southern edge of the Ford of Goliad, facing the main army of Vaasa in a stalemate - whichever army crosses the ford first was likely to lose the battle. We had to come up with a smart plan how to break the stalemate and defeat Vaasa once and for all.
The strategic problems were simple: attacking Vaasa head-on was suicidal. But since the source of Vaasa's power was, as far as we knew, daemonic with the Witch-King as focus of that power, our enemy had a specific weakness: if the Witch-King was neutralized, then the power of the Vaasan army would fade, and our military victory would be close.
So we came up with the following plan: A small group of adventurers, would enter the Witch-King's castle, finde the source of power, destroy it, keep Orcus from ever bothering the Realms again, and escape in one piece.
The strategic problems were simple: attacking Vaasa head-on was suicidal. But since the source of Vaasa's power was, as far as we knew, daemonic with the Witch-King as focus of that power, our enemy had a specific weakness: if the Witch-King was neutralized, then the power of the Vaasan army would fade, and our military victory would be close.
So we came up with the following plan: A small group of adventurers, would enter the Witch-King's castle, finde the source of power, destroy it, keep Orcus from ever bothering the Realms again, and escape in one piece.
9/02/2019
Fini'they invites Gith into House Vandree
IMPORTANT! FOR IMMEDIATE ATTENTION!
We got the information, that Fini'they Vandree, High Priestess of Lolth, has invited GITH into House Vandree.
There is a short proclamation to the loyal followers of the house to look for gith that want to join. House Vandree even issued guidance, how gith characters can be created how the guild will assist newly created gith characters to be ready for missions at the so called Stardock.
8/06/2019
The Spider mage
Being the head of Spysong is not always fun. From time to time, you have to do paperwork. I had to sign the following report from Riordan about our most important source before Baron Dragonsbane gets it:
Jalynfein, who calls himself "The Spider Mage", has the jet-black skin, snow-white hair and red eyes of a typical drow male. He is lithe, slim, and graceful in build, features, and movements, much as surface elves. There is nothing remarkable about his appearance but he has a white facial tattoo around his right eye.
Like most drow, Jalynfein wears a magical, shielding cloak, called a “piwafwi.” Under its collar, he wears the typical drow neck-purse. In it, he carries the insignia of House Vandree. Jalynfein's noble status does not stem from Fini'theys decree. Like the other noble houses of Menzoberranzan, House Vandree is led by a matron mother: Anthiela. Her rule is absolute, enforced by the High Priestess Fini'they beneath her (who is her elder sister).
Social station is the most important thing in the world of the drow. Ascension to greater power is the ultimate goal in drow society. Given the fact that House Vandree is strongly matriarchal, with females holding all positions of power Jalynfein's options were to become an effective fighter, priest or wizard. Below the daughters come the male officers of the House: the weapons master (leader of the fighters), (chief) House wizard, and the patron (current consort of the matron mother).
Jalynfein worships Lolth, the cruel, capricious Spider Queen. He refers to the goddess as “Lloth” which is common practice among the drow, dwelling in the cities of Menzoberranzan and Uluitur.
At about the time he reached 6th level of wizardry, he was abducted by Fini'they. Conducting
a test of loyalties is the paramount duty of the priestesses of Lolth.
The details of the test are not known. But as far as we can say, testing always involves a thorough magical mind-reaming, so that no deception is possible. In rare cases, the individual is even magically transported to Abyssal layers controlled by Lolth, for her personal attention. Some die during The Test, or must be destroyed, but it is the intent of Lolth not to waste the energies of the “unfaithful.” Drow who fail the test are transformed by the will of Lolth into driders.
"Nice essay, Cousin. You put much effort into this. But ... What is the bottom line?" I asked.
"Jalynfein is the most powerful male drow in House Vandree." Riordan replied.
"and why don't you write this important message right at the beginning? You know, that the Baron has a short attention span and does not like to read lengthy dossiers."
Jalynfein, who calls himself "The Spider Mage", has the jet-black skin, snow-white hair and red eyes of a typical drow male. He is lithe, slim, and graceful in build, features, and movements, much as surface elves. There is nothing remarkable about his appearance but he has a white facial tattoo around his right eye.
 |
| Jalynfein and his pet. |
Like most drow, Jalynfein wears a magical, shielding cloak, called a “piwafwi.” Under its collar, he wears the typical drow neck-purse. In it, he carries the insignia of House Vandree. Jalynfein's noble status does not stem from Fini'theys decree. Like the other noble houses of Menzoberranzan, House Vandree is led by a matron mother: Anthiela. Her rule is absolute, enforced by the High Priestess Fini'they beneath her (who is her elder sister).
Social station is the most important thing in the world of the drow. Ascension to greater power is the ultimate goal in drow society. Given the fact that House Vandree is strongly matriarchal, with females holding all positions of power Jalynfein's options were to become an effective fighter, priest or wizard. Below the daughters come the male officers of the House: the weapons master (leader of the fighters), (chief) House wizard, and the patron (current consort of the matron mother).
Jalynfein worships Lolth, the cruel, capricious Spider Queen. He refers to the goddess as “Lloth” which is common practice among the drow, dwelling in the cities of Menzoberranzan and Uluitur.
At about the time he reached 6th level of wizardry, he was abducted by Fini'they. Conducting
a test of loyalties is the paramount duty of the priestesses of Lolth.
The details of the test are not known. But as far as we can say, testing always involves a thorough magical mind-reaming, so that no deception is possible. In rare cases, the individual is even magically transported to Abyssal layers controlled by Lolth, for her personal attention. Some die during The Test, or must be destroyed, but it is the intent of Lolth not to waste the energies of the “unfaithful.” Drow who fail the test are transformed by the will of Lolth into driders.
"Nice essay, Cousin. You put much effort into this. But ... What is the bottom line?" I asked.
"Jalynfein is the most powerful male drow in House Vandree." Riordan replied.
"and why don't you write this important message right at the beginning? You know, that the Baron has a short attention span and does not like to read lengthy dossiers."
8/03/2019
Rural Endowment
Have I already mentioned that Cousin Riordan is a bard? Probably. When he came to Waterdeep, I introduced him as cornerstone of the Spysong scouting network. His specialty is to weave secret messages into songs. These messages travel with the bards performing the songs. Hence the name of our organisation Spysong.
The most important thing is, to create a catchy song. One that digs itself like a earwig through your ears into the brain so you can't forget it.
Well, that's what happend to me! I can't get the tune out of my head.
| Ancient Text | Translation |
|---|---|
| Beatus ille, qui procul negotiis, ut prisca gens mortaliium, exercet paterna rura suis bobus, solutus omni foenore: nec miles excitatur truci classico, nec horret iratum mare; vitatque forum et superba limina potentiorum civium. |
Happy he, who far from business, like the ancient race of mortals, cultivates his paternal fields with his own oxen, being free from every kind of usury: neither as a soldier is he roused by the harsh trumpet-blast, nor does he dread the angry sea; he also avoids the forum, and the proud thresholds of the more powerful citizens. |
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