The Tome Of Drow Lore.pdf - RoseRed

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were exhausted near prostration by the long flight from the
Sundering.
The inhabitants of the city were deep gnomes, a race the
na’Khotan had never heard of before. The two sides
approached one another with caution, fully aware of the
many dangers in the Underdeep, the drow more acutely than
ever before. Spying an opportunity for safety, the leaders of
House na’Khotan stepped forward and spoke at length with
the deep gnomes, explaining what had befallen the drow and
entreating the gnomes for help.
Just as the drow knew nothing of the gnomes, so the gnomes
in turn knew nothing of the drow. They did know of the
shangu however and felt obligated to help any creature they
could escape the grasp of those abominations of the deeps.
Additionally, they knew that if a force of shangu and their
enslaved minions did arrive, the gnomes would not be spared
battle no matter whether or not the drow were still there. In
an act of kindness the gnomes regret still, they offered the
drow sanctuary within their city. The drow gladly accepted,
for the time feeling only gratitude and relief.
The na’Khotan moved into the city and the gnomes were able
to find enough space to accommodate the dark elves, though
barely. At first, there was peace between the two groups,
but it did not last. From their hosts, the drow discovered the
city was not built by gnomes at all, but instead was standing
here abandoned when the gnomes happened upon it years
earlier. Further, the gnomes informed them the stone from
which every building was cut did not exist within 100 miles
of this cavern. Of who built the city or how, there was no
sign. There were no artefacts of any kind left behind to tell
the tale of who had lived
here, but it was evident
from the construction that
the builders had been taller
than the gnomes, taller even
than the drow. The gnomes
called the city Murellin, the
Empty Place.
Time passed, and still the
host of shangu and umber
hulks the drow believed
were following them did not
arrive. Tensions between
the drow and their hosts
began to grow, as the drow
demanded more room for
their people and the gnomes
began to murmur it was time
for the dark elves to depart.
Disagreements became
arguments and arguments gave way to violence, until the
city erupted into open battle between the two races. How
the conflict began is unknown, but according to the drow,
it was the gnomes who struck first. The violence was brief
but bloody, pitting the superior numbers of the gnomes
against the superior warriors and mages of the drow. At
the end, the drow were victorious, though it had cost them
heavily.
The drow of House na’Khotan enslaved the remaining
gnomes, teaching them obedience with whips and chains,
forcing them to continue working as they had in the city,
only now for new masters. Some few gnomes had escaped
in the aftermath of the battle however, eluding their drow
pursuers in the Underdeep and the drow were wise enough
to know they would return at the head of a vengeful army.
The numbers of House na’Khotan were too depleted by the
Sundering and the battle to seize Murellin to hold off an
assault on the city, leaving the drow no choice but to use
their newly enslaved gnomes as reinforcements. Knowing
the slaves would turn on them the moment a gnome army
approached the city however, the drow chose a grisly but
foolproof way of ensuring obedience. Heavy doses of
poison were fed to the slaves in their meagre daily rations,
slaying all but a few who were promptly dispatched by the
knife. As the gnome army continued marching towards
Murellin, the mages and priests of House na’Khotan set to
work animating the corpses, creating an army of undead to
meet the coming force.
When the gnomes entered the cavern of Murellin, they were
horrified to find a host of their kin consigned to undeath