12-??-00
An excerpt from the tale of Vargas Blackthorne; former soldier Mathian army 3rd garrison, now adventurer / mercenary in the service of Her Majesty, Queen Sarah Nathanial. (as told to Titus Silverbow loyal scribe to Captain Metrius of the Mathian army 3rd garrison)

Fortunately our losses were minimal. Only Keridian's dog lay dead. It is a shame to lose such a fine animal, but better he then us. Now the choice before was whether or not to push forward in our exporation of this cavern or to turn back. After some discussion it was decided that exploration of the cavern could wait until tommorow when we'd had a chance to mend our wounds. I disagreed with this choice since time is of the essense in our mission, however, I am not fool enough to push on through alone and risk a meanlingless death when victory might only be a sunrise away.

We arrived back at the cabin. I set about fortifying the cavern entrance against a possible reprisal in the night. My comrades laughed at me for this, but I say better to expend a little sweat then to wake up with a slit throat. Still the work was done quickly and by then there was time to notice that it had started snowing outside. Odd. The snow should still be many weeks away. This does not bode well either for our journey or the long winter ahead.

Suddenly Nadja, our half-drow companion, called us to attention. She had been using the lens of identification we found upon Pranx (the little imp creature which has taken a liking to the druid). It would seem that Pranx has in his posession a ring, worn under his hat, which allows him great stealth. Knowing her to be a thief, I question whether or not her motives towards this "discovery" are purely academic in nature.

Despite the cold, I sleep well that night. Lightly, but well.

Following a quick breakfast of cold rations we begin the next day by having Nadja use the lens on one of the swords we recovered from the spiders' lair. Hah! It protects the user against poison! If only we had known then what we know now perhaps those eight-legged devils would not have plagued us so. However, I leave idle speculation to the wise-men. It was time to return to the caverns.

Our exploration led us further into the bowels of this wicked place. Low and behold what we had mistaken as a natural cave now was making way to carved stone walls and floors. Evidence of intelligent hands, and malicious ones at that if I were a betting man.

We came to a place where our own illuminations were no longer necessary for indeed the place was lined with lit torches. It was here that we discovered stairs leading down. Nadja melted away into the shadows to go and further investigate. Garreth, lacking Nadja's stealth, but possessing formidable powers nevertheless, assumed the shape of a common bat to follow her down to where the steps ended in a door.

After relating back to us that there were voices, filthy drow voices, coming from the other side of the door, Garreth transformed into a mouse to have a closer look as I barely restrained myself with thoughts of hacking through their black entrails.

Garreth reported back. There were 6 of the dark filth beyond the door, as well as 2 prisoners. I cared not for the drow prisoner, but even I knew I must restrain my blood lust to rescue the other prisoner, a halfling and possibly the one we had been sent to retrieve.

As I argued with my companions over a strategy with which to take our quarry (the fools continue to dare to question the wisdom of my military training!), it was discovered that the far wall was but an illusion, beyond which lay an upward sloping passage. Yet another Drow trick no doubt. The treacherous scum do not even trust their own kind!

At this, we fell back as the door opened. Two of the Drow left to follow this new passage. I mourned the fact that there were now two less drow to make drown in their own blood, but still I knew that before the day was done my sword would be painted with Drow remains. We readied for battle.

Keridian blessed the party (although I question the value of a blessing from one who serves death itself) and set off to ambush the Drow from the opposite end of the room, where in our reconnaissance, we had discovered a pit filled with the dead bodies of those slain in Saranya (we shall mourn for them later. Now is the time for action).

Keridian set a fire to drive our prey towards us, and thus the attack began.

I kicked open the door to allow Garreth to loose his mighty magicks upon our foes. He proceeded to produce a spore-laden puffball (A PUFFBALL!!) at our enemies. Somewhat unimpressed by this show of "power", I proceeded to hack apart the nearest Drow with my sword.

It was here that we made a grave, and near fatal, tactical error. We allowed ourselves to be distracted by the Drow commander. Low and behold, she was a priestess who was nearly identical to our own Nadja as if she were a sister. As we were taken aback by this the priestess pressed her advantage. She managed to imobilize Garreth and Nadja with a spell.

Fortunately Garreth was able to blind two of the other attackers with his mastery of light before this happened. I used the confusion of his actions wisely and advanced upon the priestess to cut her down where she stood.

I laughed at her corpse and lept back into the fray. We proceeded to cut down the remaining attackers when suddenly we noticed that there were only three of us on the attack.

We found Nadja knelt over her likeness' corpse. Was she mourning? No! Just like the thief she was, she was ransacking the body before we, her companions, could finish the battle. As she stood, it was noticed that the priestess had a tattoo of a spider on the back of her head, much like Nadja's. Odd, very odd. Perhaps Nadja's looting wasn't related to pure greed after all.

Her's might not have, but my other companions were as they proceeded to gleefully strip search of our fallen enemies. The battle done and the Drow dead, I proceeded instead to the prisoners. I left the Drow bitch tied, she could be dealt with later, and went to the halfling instead. I was happy to find out he was Noir, the very halfling we had been sent to retrieve.

Thus having retrieved Noir (and the treasure of Saranya), I hoisted the Drow harlot over my shoulder and we made our way out of the cavern, helped by Garreth who (although once again no doubt motivated by greed no matter how pious he may claim to be) assumed the form of a beast of burden to carry out our plunder.

Once back in the cabin we settled down for the night to rest following our encounters.

The next day found us binding our wounds and counting our booty. Among our haul it was discovered two more swords of a magical nature, as well as a surprising take: a ring identified by the lens as being of Half-Drow origin. It greatly enhances a Half-Drow to powers near equal with their filthy full blooded cousins. A vile magical item if ever there was one.

Oddly enough, rather then absconding with the ring and the other items we found on the Half-Drow (we had learned) priestess, Nadja instead locked all of the items away in a pouch as if in fear of them. Once again very odd. For a thief she is a most complex individual. I shall have to continue keeping an eye on her and her actions.

All through this day our Drow prisoner has kept her tongue. Perhaps this is for the best... for her.

We awoke the next morning to find Nadja apparently overcoming some of her previous fear for she now donned the vile ring I had previously mentioned. This cannot be a good omen.

Following this a startling discovery was made. Garreth, through his powers, was able to divine that our Drow prisoner was of good nature. "How could this be?", I wondered. Nevertheless as a defender of the law and of good I was grudgingly forced to comply with their wishes to unbind her. Once done our formerly mute prisoner introduced herself as Everelle.

We began to interrogate her but she insisted upon only speaking to Nadja in the vile tongue of the Drow. Why Nadja agreed to this I do not know, but nevertheless I find my trust in her in doubt ever more so.

Having finished their talk it was brought to our attention that Everelle and her people, a "good" off-shoot of the Drow race (which is possible... although unlikely), were under siege from their evil breathren. As we debated whether or not to help them I noticed movement out of the corner of my eye. It was Noir and he was armed!

Fortunately my training allowed me to sidestep his clumsy attack and quickly disarm him. I subdued and tied him. However, before I could question him of his deceit Garreth surmised that Noir must have been charmed. Wonderful! As if things could not get worse. Still I should have anticipated as much of the Drow. Damn, this civilian life! Already it is making me soft!

Given this further evidence of Drow treachery, it was decided to help Everelle and her people. Thus she led us back to the caverns, past the site of our previous battle, and back up to the forest (which amazingly enough was free of the snow which has plagued us in our cabin). From there it was West until we came upon a field littered with the dead bodies of Drow.

We raced past these bodies (though not without stopping to spit on more then a few) and entered the temple of Everall's people. There we found 30 of her people quickly packing their things to flee before the Drow reinforcements could arrive.

We were brought before their leader, an ancient Drow high priestess named Revana. Nadja was granted a private audience with which to converse with the crone. I do not trust this. Are we all not allies? Do Garreth, Keridian, and I engage in such deceitful stealth!? Well we may, but at least we don't mockingly do it
in full view of the rest.

Finally Nadja returned. All she would reveal of her conversation was that she must rid herself of a broach in her possession due to it's evil nature. Of the rest she would say no more. At this point one would be blind to not suspect that she has her own agenda. Very well, but if that agenda should endanger me or my fellows then my the gods grant mercy on her... for I shall not.

It was finally that we learned where our further adventures would take us. We were to journey to the Underdark, the very home of the Drow scum, to put an end to their threat. An insane and no-doubt suicidal mission. I looked forward to it eagarly.

Revana and her people outfitted us with magicks to protect us from the evil influences of the underdark and from there we were lead to stairs that led under the ruins towards consecrated ground (which Garreth could sense).

As we descended further into the ruins we came upon a fountain surrounded by four statues. The statues showed four stages in the life of a woman, from young girl leading to old crone. A legend upon the fountain (read to me by my companions) told that all who would rest within the gaze of these guardians would receive visions to aid them on their quest.

We decided to test this prophesy and thus set up camp. Before we could properly prepare ourselves with a watch we must have been bewitched because soon we all slept.

We awoke to odd settings. Nadja had somehow acquired an egg during her slumber, Garreth a locket. I did not see any new possession about Keridian, but perhaps Pranx did for he could not seem to stop staring at the death worshipper.

All then related their tales of visions and of something called "The riddle of the Four". I told them they must be mistaken for I did not have any visions during my sleep.

*I know I did not. All I had was a bad dream. It must have been. If it was not then everything I think I know about myself has been a lie. It was just a dream. It could not be anything else.*

It was here that we first noticed that the bottom of the fountain had opened up revealing a passage down. I do not know what lies down that hole, but it is our destiny to find out. We entered that darkness to be swallowed by whatever fate awaited us.

It was only a dream. It had to be...