Tauster's Journal Entry #1597

Finally back able to scry on the party (Note to self: change formulation of "Taut" transformation to include a heartier constitution! Otherwise I doubt I will survive the maid's next visit!) The party is quite literally "holed up" inside of a rope trick. Fortunately I started to scry again before they entered it, else I'm not sure how well my scrying would have worked.

Apparently while I was "busy" the party were being heroes, having fought more Derro to rescue some female slaves! I quickly scanned their faces as best I could, but none of them were my poor lost Jelenneth. Those monstrous creatures not only enslaved these women, but used some kind of charm magic to make them believe they deserved to be slaves! And either not trusting to the effectiveness, or just in perverse cruelty, they also lamed each one!

After resting, Sten attempted sending a magical Message to both myself and Carmenreren saying they had defeated the Derro and asking for advice. Apparently Carmenreren replied "Both of them?". So as not to let on in any way that I knew what was going on, I sent back a message telling the party to continue to do what they thought best.

The party was not so happy with my message, but were a bit puzzled by Carmenreren's. So they cautiously explored the area and ran across another group of Derro. While they killed the Derro's outriders, the party instead decided to negotiate with this group. They were taken before the chief of the tribe. While there, there was an altercation and it looked like the group might have had to fight the entire tribe, but the Gnome instead offered a personal challenge to the chieftain. It was accepted and an amazing fight ensued, with the Gnome shifting to and from visibility, and the chieftain Blinking from our plane to the Ethereal. But, as I have said, one must keep that Gnome in front of them, advice the Derro chieftain should have heeded.

After the Ex-Chieftain was killed, the Derro which took over leadership apparently was very pleased with his new found position and provided a map to the group, then bade them to depart, and never return. Wisely, the party followed the advice to leave. As to whether they will ever return, we shall see.

The party then decided to return home to ensure the safety of their charges, and, with my help, found a passage which is a more direct route back, which should cut weeks from their trip back.