The babbling head

Another quest soon had Kalan and the crew embarking on another dangerous task. The crew were set on a mission to retrieve a valuable artefact the House Mother had discovered.  The exact nature of what they were looking for was only given to Captain Bâleed. Again the crew were set upon by nasty traps and wandering monsters. Their increased skill and caution allowed them to pass most of these with ease. Even a head to head with a wraith was avoided by Kalan’s skilful picking of a lock and the brightness the lantern keeping it at bay. Their confidence was destroyed though when crossing a particularly wide cavern floor the group were attacked by a huge Hydra. They knew they were out of their depth with this monster and ran towards the doors at the other side. Firing volleys of poisoned darts at the creature as they sped across the floor. As it charged the final distance they were amazed to see the last dart strike it dead, just a few yards from the door they were rushing to get through. What was just as amazing was the dart, fired by the cowardly ex-gunner who spends most of these missions hiding on the ship, had stood firm and took the shot hitting the Hydra deep in its eye socket. As the others moved on Gul and Kalan took out their knives and removed some of the Hydra’s teeth – just in case they were of some value. 

They soon discovered their prize at the end of a long corridor in a strangely shaped room - in the centre of the room a large stone table took pride of place and on it rested a glowing head.  The decapitated head soon started talking and the Drow slowly filed into the room watching it. The head did not seem to make any sense - just part sentences and lots of mumbling. Just then the Drow heard a click at the wall in the back of the room and then the doorway they entered - and the only way in or out was blocked by a slab of rock. The table with the weird head disappeared into the floor and was replaced by another slab of rock. As the startled Drow gaped at each other they heard more rumblings of heavy gears, and the ceiling started to descend on them.

Gul and Kalan near to the back of the room noticed a horizontal slit and they could just make out a person or a thing behind it.  They frantically tried to reason with the creature to stop the trap. The strange metallic voice just said sadly “I’m only following orders, let them in. Pull the lever squish them dead. Reset the lever, clean the room. Only the Master is allowed in this room”. The Drow tried to reason with it, the Master must have been dead for over 200 years. To which the voice replied “I’m only following orders”. Just then Gul picked up from the conversation that the creature had never left the room so suggested that if the trap was reset it could come with them and see wonderful sights. As the creature thought on this the ceiling continued on its crushing path now just 5 feet from the ground. At last the creature asked “can the head come with me?” “YES of course!!” cried Gul the ceiling now 3 feet from the floor. “Okay then” they heard a click and within moments the room was returned to normal and the doorway opened. Several of the Drow took their chance and bolted for the corridor and safety. The captain, Gul and Kalan waited to see who was in the wall.  To their surprise a construct appeared from an alcove in the wall. He walked to the head and carefully covered him in a black velvet cloth saying “I am DEFECT, this will keep him quiet and he hates the sun. Are we going out now?”  The stunned Drow smiled relief at each other and agreed they would take the head and its strange keeper.

The construct Defect and the babbling head were kept in the library of House Kobra. It was not immediately obvious what power it possessed but it was thought to be an oracle of some sorts. The Drow were encouraged to seek it out between quests and see what secrets it would reveal. The crew were often far too busy to visit the babbling head but Birz did show a secret interest of which Kalan only find out to his surprise much later.