Location: Mantol-Derith
Party crosses the trench to investigate the commotion
- Aerlian seems confused at the emptiness of the markets
- not only is it empty, but the market on this side is a mess of overturned stalls and destroyed merchandise
a single deep gnome is hiding in plain sight, and Party questions them
- the gnome claims that the duergar just started attacking the svirfneblin out of nowhere and they have no idea why
further into the market, Party sees dead riding lizards and steeders as well, which were killed with weapons
suddenly, the commotion rises again as 3 deep gnomes run by, pursued by 2 enlarged duergar
- Aerlian insists they ignore it and continue with their mission, but Party shushes him
- Thora tells him that she isn't going to let a group of gnomes be slaughtered for no good reason
- Thora tells him that she isn't going to let a group of gnomes be slaughtered for no good reason
- Party manages to halt and restrain the attackers while the deep gnomes flee; no one gets hurt
- Dibrael attempts Lesser Restoration to remove their madness but detects nothing with his magic
Party questions the duergar, learning that one of the deep gnomes stole something from one of the duergar
- the duergar were ordered by their boss to attack the deep gnomes in return
Party heads to the duergar enclave to speak with the boss, running into 4 invisible guards
- after killing 3 of the guards, the 4th surrenders; Dibrael spares him
- Aerlian disapproves
- Ulgreat apologizes for the deaths of the guard's friends
inside the warehouse, around 30 duergar merchants are waiting
- when Party announces they've come to speak with the boss, the duergar speak over each other as they explain the situation
- a deep gnome stole a gemstone from one of the duergar merchants named Krimgol, who happens to be a good friend of their Chief Negotiator
- Chief Negotiator Ghuldur Flagonfist sent duergar to bring the deep gnome here for interrogation
- her people attacked in retaliation, breaking the peace in Mantol-Derith, so now the duergar are planning to wipe out the other faction
- a deep gnome stole a gemstone from one of the duergar merchants named Krimgol, who happens to be a good friend of their Chief Negotiator
begin quest: Wild Gem Hunt
Party is directed to the storage building, where both Ghuldur and Krimgol are currently located
- the storage building is stuffed with armor, weapons, raw ore, and gemstones - the duergar specialties
- in the far corner, 2 duergar have suspended a deep gnome, dressed in a gem-covered gown, over a xorn