We return to our group having taken out a drow mage and priestess, but allowing another mage to slip out while invisible. They ready themselves on the second floor, with Findale quickly dropping some readied holly on the doorway leading in. They back up, with commotion quickly approaching from below, and ready themselves. The door creaks open a crack, and magical darkness fills the entrance, and a looming form enters. Fin decided not to waste any time, activating the small natural bombs he had placed. The creature turned out to be an umber hulk, but it was ripped apart by the powerful cluster of explosives. More drow rushed in the room, and a melee ensued.

They managed to take out all of the warriors, but while Smoth was investigating the bottom level (after he used dimension door to head down quickly), he heard some footsteps heading down to the basement. Assuming this was the escaped mage, they gave chase, after barring the door to the outside.

Downstairs, after several flights of stairs down, they found a decently large chamber, with stone walls, which gradually became flecked with metal, until finally turning completely metal. After this point, there was a giant metal door, which could roll into place like a vault door. The giant door easily rolled in and out of place, far easier than it would look. The giant door had a small keyhole on the keep side, and a knocker on the underdark side. While chasing after the drow, Fin heard a faint sound of casting, which dropped too low to hear before the end of the spell.

They decided it was not prudent to follow into the underdark at this time, so they turned back, instead looting all of the dead drow and their belongings in the tower, and teleporting to the mainland to sell the items, and to re-equip themselves. They would return in a bit, more prepared to hunt down any drow they found in a search for the key, so they could seal off the entrance again. In the meantime, they prepared, with Smoth poring over the spellbook taken off the dead drow mage, and adding several spells to his book, as well as putting in a special order for a special mithril suit of armor – very expensive, but light enough to allow him to cast spells in, and use all of his dexterity. Shun allowed Harcourt to take the suit of full plate the drow priestess was wearing, and repurpose it for him to wear – but would not allow him to wear the symbol of Cuthbert, as he requested. He felt that he was not yet ready to wear the symbol.

Once they were all prepared (a week later, waiting for Smoth to acquire his armor and scribe spells), they once again used feathers to approach the tower, but this time the drow were more prepared for them. There was a lone sentry on the top of the tower, who upon spotting some birds flying by, immediately launched a fireball at them, and then dropped down through the trap door.

Experience

Killed more Drow – CR 10

10	3000
11	2200
12	1800

Total / person

10	750
11	550
12	450