The Invisible Man comes to Dingradur. He speaks to Yspadadden about his work in Thangoria setting the orc captains that would succeed Gamesh at each other’s throats. He had got wind that two of the bigger factions, the Daughters of the Night and the Blood Brothers were in peace talks and had invited a Priestess of Lolth named Borcana to adjudicate their peace and take their oaths. This ran counter to the Invisible Man’s plans and he wanted Yspadadden’s help to disrupt this peace.
A few days later the Invisible Man led Yspadadden, Wilf and Trevillion into the depths of mountain. They were heading for the Deep Gate, a stronghold at the very threshold where Middle-Earth ended and the Under-Dark began. By his arts the three were disguised as orcs so that they passed unchallenged through several checkpoints.
The likewise gained entry to the Deep Gates through subterfuge and slew all the orcs they found in there, which were many. A number of them took refuge in a chamber protected by an iron yett. However, Yspadadden found a brazier and cast a spell that produced a thick choking green smoke that he directed, using gusts of wind conjured from his palms, through the bars of the yett and into the chamber beyond, choking all its occupants to death.
They searched the gatehouse and secured it. In particular they had a care to master the ability to raise and lower the two portcullises. No doubt many orcs were required for the task but all three were exceptionally strong and both Yspadadden and Trevillion understood mechanisms. They set their ambush and then sat down to wait for the envoys from the Daughters and the Brothers and Borbana to arrive.
The ambush was a qualified success. The orcs were slain but the Priestess of Lolth, a Dark Elf manage to scuttle under the portcullis as it fell. The Invisible Man managed to deal with the riding spider she arrived on but she made off on foot into the Under-Dark. Yspadadden ran up to the parapet and cast a fly spell. He swooped down upon the retreating Priestess and engaged her in combat.
He found himself fighting for his life with no comrades in support. She was wielding a large curved blade that she used in two hands. Yspadadden contrived to deal her number of telling blows with his axe, but she was quick and a sorceror. She leapt back and conjured a wall of whirling blades all around her.
Yspadadden threw himself at the barrier to try to break through. Three times he tried to break through and twice he was repulsed with severe injuries. After the second attempt he took a potion to heal his wounds and tried again. This time he broke through. Borcana abandoned her scimitar and threw herself upon him with a dagger. She was skilled in this mode of combat, but Yspadadden was stronger and better armoured. Eventually he gave her a death blow with his own dagger. As she fell limp in his arms a bright light appeared in the middle of her forehead and streaked away into the sky towards the dark horizon away from the Gate. Borcana’s body was dead but Yspadadden was sure that some portion of her had survived the struggle.
He looted the body. Aside from the scimitar she was carrying many interesting and valuable artefacts. He trudged back to the Gate which was opened by the efforts of his friends. They also had the tribute that the orcs had brought for the Priestess.
Rather than return the way they had come, the dwarf teleported first Trevillion and then Wilfred back to Dingradur. The Invisible Man made his own way.
G-37
OE Date: Summer 696
Characters: Yspadadden, Wilf, Trevillion NPCs: The Invisible Man
Real World: Summer 2015; Where: Bristol