I almost felt home recently since the first time I left the Underdark so many years ago. Following a quick trip through the sewers, this interesting band I’ve attached myself to decided to push on further and investigate the depths and caverns underneath Sierrona. It wasn’t an easy task getting down as we had just defeated a gelatinous cube and were being chased by black slimes – remember when we used to hunt their spawn as children to play with?
The vile things burned our rope as we were going down the cavern and a few of us went into a free fall – the ancient one I told you about turned himself into a spider (Does he defer to Lolth?) and Lotty (who for some reason thinks she’s saved my skin more than hers – we both know the truth) has an uncanny ability to climb down walls (again, am I surrounded by worshipers of the spider queen in league with my enemies at home?).
After several attempts by the idiot, the little demon and myself to stop our falls, I was able to cast a spell at the bottom to land with only a little damage. Experiment used his rod to hold himself in the air and caught Dolosius, while the ancient one made a spider web (again, unnerving) to get them to the safety of the walls of the cliff. When the group had settled at the bottom of the ravine, we rested.
I didn’t mention earlier that before we left the corpse of the cube, Cade and I pulled out items of value. We didn’t know what they were until Lotty identified them as we rested in the cave. Cade was able to acquire a ring of truthtelling (reminder to self to be very cautious about what I say when he is near). But my prize was beyond what I could have hoped for – a beautiful crossbow that cures my sensitivity to the sun! (You know I hate exclamation points).
Massinissa, you must know this is a treasure beyond compare – though I fear, what else may have come with it.
After our rest, we began to explore. The place reminded me of home, the home I long to return to when I can dispatch my rivals. It was, however, filled with a most noxious green gas that produced a cough after a time. It was then that we heard sounds of an enemy all around, but were able to determine is was but one big enemy – a venom troll.
It was a fight that tested our metal. The thing surprised us at first, coming closer to me than I’d like. Before I could move, Cade called in his panthers, and without realizing almost killed me, because it turned out that any damage done to the troll burst into nasty splatters on those around it. The idiot proved his worth no doubt. He twisted and turned, deftly slamming the thing with his glaive, this way and that. He has my respect in that vein. Cade also too proved value, keeping us all healed and fresh.
The fight went on for some time. We couldn’t put the thing down, until Lotty with all valiance and bravery had had enough and charged it to a fierce melee. Soon she went down and the thing went for the little demon. Cade was able to bring her up, and I soon split its spine in two and downed the beast, but as I was searching it, its resilience shined through, and it came back life to pursue the fight.
That little demon, seemingly weakest of the bunch carried the day. Fire sprang from his hands and he smote the thing to oblivion.
This day, each member proved their worth (and raised my suspicions once again). With the fight done, we found some gold for our work, but couldn’t locate the damn thing’s horde. We may need to investigate that once more before we leave.
For now, though, we needed to get out of that gas, it was having worsening effects on us all. Unless we can find a way to mitigate that, we may miss out on the troll’s treasures.
We made our way down to tier of caves below where we were. The gas was gone, but the rocks all around had that same eerie green color.
For now, I’m keeping a sharp eye out for my Drow brethren in this dark place. I’ve got to see them, before they spy me. My other eye is on this group, friend or foe, I don’t know, but thus far, these past months, they’ve not let me down.
Yours in Duty as in Deed
Elric