Short Synopsis
Eli the spider went to peek
At the Q’ortine family keep
Luka the chef went to speak
As a cook hired for cheap.
Eli used a bag to sneak
Little ones like a treat.
Luka used his own technique
Asking help with the meat.
The crew began to wreak
Havoc as they felt the heat
And began to cry and squeak
Finally Bellik did entreat.
Long Synopsis
In preparation for their attempted kidnapping of the drow wizard Bellik Q’ortine, the crew cases the Q’ortine residence. They notice that the drow priestess Wyandra Q’ortine leaves the mansion every couple of days and brings guards with her. She usually takes several hours on these excursions. Randen uses a helm of telepathy to reveal that she is attempting to make a show of wealth and comfort that she wants, but does not have.
The party sets their plan into motion. Elisandra sneaks in as a spider and gives the rest of the party a detailed description of the mansion and its layout. In particular, there is a Tome of Distilled Tongue and a Book of Vile Darkness in the den. A dwarf and gnome prisoner are locked in a jail and guarded by a drider. Luka and Baltro pretend to be a chef and an assistant chef looking for work. After demonstrating his culinary skills, Luka persuades Lavan Q’ortine, Bellik’s brother, that Luka and Baltro are skilled and cheap chefs. Later on, Luka manages to introduce Naeric as Luka’s hunting associate. Elisandra stuffs Velric, Randen and Ermergard into a bag of holding, and then transforms herself into a spider. She sneaks the group into the priestess’ room where she has some trinkets. Elisandra takes a pair of interesting goggles while Ermegard takes a bracelet and fiddles with an orb.
Despite all the careful planning, things go awry very quickly. Luka opens up the priestess’ room which sets off an explosive acidic glyph ward – killing two goblins and alerting the remaining two goblin guards. As the party tries to chase down the goblins, Ermegard goes into the temple and triggers the summoning of a Bone Naga. As Luka cuts down the last goblin in front of Bellik’s door, the wizard runs away while a drider comes to intercept them.
A very bloody battle ensues. Luka falls beneath the brutal attacks of the drider, but Elisandra revives Luka. Luka takes shelter in Bellik’s den. Meanwhile, the Bone Naga knocks Elisandra unconscious. Randen revives her, but when she takes a potion, she is knocked unconscious again as a ghostly spirit delivers a vengeful message from Gin and Doth. The Bone Naga uses a *hold person* spell to paralyze Randen for much of the battle. Baltro goes down unconscious to the relentless drider’s attack. Naeric takes the time to free the dwarf and svirfneblin prisoner and leads them through the temple. Meanwhile, Velric has been tracking down the drow wizard. Unfortunately, Naeric and Velric line up perfectly for a *lightning bolt* attack by the Bone Naga. Naeric goes down. Bellik unleashes a *cloudkill* spell that causes Velric to collapse unconscious. Just when everything seems to be going wrong, the dwarf Grim Milestone bravely risks herself to save Velric and begins healing the party. The tide turns and Bellik finds himself hold up with the Bone Naga in the temple.
Bellik offers to parley with the drows Elisandra and Velric. Meanwhile, Randen rushes over to find the gnome prisoner. After extensive threats, bribes and negotiations, Bellik is willing to meet with the crew’s client to talk as long as he can walk out of the house on his own terms.
