Imogen, the human slave to the great drow noble House Melarn finally regained consciousness. She found herself once again surrounded by her familiar drow companions; Xune the mercenary warlock, Syndrina, the hexblade of House Xorlariin, and Aliandriia, the priestess who served as her Melarn overseer on this particular mission. She was confused about the memories of falling to the wrath of the deep gnomes in the company of strangers, and was unable to recall the victory her companions spoke of, over a group of hobgoblins led by the renegade priestess, who lay bound and gagged against the rough-hewn stone walls of the temple she found herself in.

there was no point in concerning herself at the moment; the arcane forces that lent her her power over others’ perceptions and emotions was mysterious, and not to be questioned. She was in the temple she sought, before the altar the party was charged to find; the altar her masters insisted she anoint with the vial of unholy water in order to ensure the ritual to be performed channeled the magickal energies properly. Syndrina was already unpacking the scroll containing the incantation. She had to act quickly…

Summoning her power, she pushed firmly yet subtly against the minds of her companions from rival houses, rousing their basest desires, focusing them on her own not unattractive form; using her inherent sensuality to distract them while at the same time summoning a spectral mage hand carry the vial of unholy water toward the altar. Xune was momentarily distracted by her lustful advances, though regained control soon enough; slapping Imogen in rebuke. Her strike broke the mage’s concentration on the cantrip, but not before the the spectral hand was above the altar; as it dissipated, the vial fell, breaking on the altar’s worn stone stone surface. It was enough; her task had been completed: the altar was anointed.

The ritual performed, the party returned to the great subterranean city of Menzoberranzan, where they were greeted once again by representatives of the leaders of the allied Houses. The party is given another mission; to investigate the kidnapping of a prominent drow noble, Hoshtar, by a rival house, known for heretical activities. The party was to investigate the abduction, and rescue the victim if possible, but under no circumstances were they to be captured, less they be disavowed.

The great priestess Ash’ala of House Melarn then pulled Imogen and Aliandriia aside after the briefing. She confides that she suspects that Hoshtar was a traitor himself and met with the heretics willingly. She charges her subordinates with the task of learning the truth, and reporting it back to her.

After a short rest and resupply, the party stealthily enters the heretic’s lair, a seemingly abandoned manor in an ancient quarter of the city. In the manor’s foyer, the party encounters a pair of nervous guards. Xune convinces them that the party is expected, though they insist on checking with their superior, a wizard garbed in the mask of House Xorlariin. the wizard is incredulous. Imogen attempts to entrance the mage’s mind, but he proves to powerful; he orders the guards, as well as a retinue of drow wizards, to attack the intruders.

Xune immediately envelops the chamber in a cloud of magickal darkness, obscuring the combatants’ vision. Imogen casts out against the will of her attackers, dazing several of them, giving her companions advantage.

While Xune stealthily maneuvers the battlefield, striking invisibly from darkness against several arcane adversaries, Syndrina and Aliandriia launch a frontal assault on the armed guards. The enemy wizards, however, continue to press their advantage with bolts of poison and arcane lightning, striking, and eventually felling Syndrina and critically wounding Aliandriia, and knocking Imogen prone with an errant bolt of electricity.

While Aliandriia calls on the power of Llolth to heal herself and Syndrina, Imogen remains prone, striking with her unerringly accurate magic missle at several attackers, while Xune continues to strike from shadow, defeating numerous adversaries.

Though weakened, the attacking party of wizards continues to launch arcane bolts of lightning against the party, knocking Syndrina out of the fight again, and felling Aliandriia with the power of magical poison. Xune, summoning the strength of the Deep Ones, launches a furious assault with her magically summoned flail, killing all but one seriously wounded magician.

Imogen stands, her health renewed, and dispatches the vulnerable adversary with a disdainful look and a powerful bolt of force.

After treating the wounds of their fallen companions, the party advances, descending an ornate spiral staircase, to find themselves in a stately library, facing a particularly noble looking drow, who gives them an appraising look, and quips:

“My, my…haven’t you started a delightful little war!”