In earlier years, I spent time with a traveling troupe, where I grew close
to our spiritual leader, Garnet. He became my mentor. He was both charming
and aloof; no one knew who he worshipped, exactly, or what his faith was,
but he was admired by all and never failed to be where he was needed. I
spent many hours with Garent, and after a while he started giving me small
assignments. Many of these seemed pointless: bury this dagger in a nearby
hill; hide this empty piece of paper in the belongings of a stranger who
had merely spent a night with the troupe; but I did what he asked because I
trusted him.

Then, one day, Garnet came to me with a proposal - he was going on a short
mission, and wondered if I would accompany him. He said that the mission
was a simple one, and that we should both be back within a couple of days.
I had always wondered about the missions that Garnet seemed to take often,
and readily accepted.

The mission turned out to be a visit with a mysterious figure that Garnet
later explained was his superior in the church. Later on, Garnet shared
with me some information about his faith. His god, he claimed, was known as
"the elder elemental eye". I have never heard of such a diety, and when I
pressed him about this, he was reluctant to disclose the diety's real name.
Apparently, his cult was secretive in its ways, and did not desire to grow
in an uncontrolled manner, unlike those worshipping the main dieties of the
realms. This notion appealed to me.

Garnet started taking me on his various missions more regularly. I met the
mysterious figure a few more times, and learned that his name was Master
Thaque, and that he was a cleric of the elder elemental eye as well.

About six months ago, Garnet spoke to me while on our way to a reporting
mission. He suggested that I may have gained the respect of Master Thaque.
He said that the cult wanted to send me over to their headquarters, to join
up. I considered this for a while, and then decided that if for nothing
more, it would be an interesting experience.

The arrangements took four months, but eventually a guide came to the
troupe, and met with us. Her name was Choranth, an attractive human cleric
of about my age, and she was going to accompany me on my way to a place she
called the Crater Ridge Mines, where I would meet with one of the cult's
leaders. Knowing the lay of the land, I realized that the mines were
apparently inside the mount stalagos, a dead volcano located in Tethyr. The
trip was uneventful, if long - it took nearly a month, with frequent and
seemingly random stops along the way dictated by Choranth. I tried
unsuccessfully to query about the reason for the stops, but during our
conversations I found out some more about the organization of the elder
elemental eye. Apparently, there are four temples within the organization,
each representing an elemental symbol. Choranth belonged to the Temple of
Air. She explained how the temples were in a constant state of
semi-confrontation, vying for power within the larger organization. All
temples were centered in the Crater Ridge Mines.

I also learned that the air temple's highest cleric was Fachish, and that
like the other three temple leaders, they all ultimately reported to
someone named Hedrack. Choranth's orders were to bring me to speak to
Hedrack's assistant, one who goes by the name of Varachan. Choranth also
made vague mention of "The Triad", whom she seemed afraid of, as well as
confused as to how exactly they related to the organization. No more useful
information could be obtained, and I developed a strong impression that
Choranth could not, even if she wanted to, actually name her god.

Eventually we arrived at the mines, and I was blindfolded and led inside.
After what seemed like eternity, I was placed in a small room somewhere
inside, guarded by a big brute who would not let me leave. My senses told
me that I was deep into the mountain, and that we had crossed a bridge over
a large body of water to get there. Time passed, with a servant bringing in
food on a regular basis, as well as reading material on the cult. In there
I found some references to the "dark god", and a suspicion started brewing
in my mind.

After a few days, I was blindfolded again and taken to a different room,
where I finally met Varachan. The next couple of weeks passed with him
instructing me in the ways of the cult. It was then that my suspicion was
confirmed. The "dark god" was none other than the darkest of gods,
Tharizdun. I had known about Tharizdun; the immensly powerful diety that
challenged both Iuz and Lloth millenia ago, and has almost managed to
destroy the world. All dieties, good and bad, then banded together and,
with his power so immense, could not kill him, so they imprisoned him
instead. These were scary childhood nighttime stories that I heard growing
up. The name Tharizdun was never uttered loudly, as it was believed that
the he would stir in his prison upon such utterance, bringing misfortune on
the soul of the utterer. But everyone agreed that his followers no longer
existed; that his faith, based on madness and chaos, no longer prevailed.
Apparently, they were wrong.

Varachan became an enigma. While never wavering in his teaching, I got the
sense that his heart was not fully in it. As chief-cleric Hedrack's
second-in-command, I had expected him to be passionate and zealous; but to
me , it looked as if his thoughts were always somewhere else. However, I
didn't spend too much time thinking about him. Instead, I started planning
my  escape.

The opportunity came when, after the training was finished, I was sent to
Fachish for indoctrination into the air temple. Again blindfolded, I was
led to a different location, and was left in a small room to await my new
master. This time, no guards were posted. I quickly gathered my belongings
and slipped out, sight unseen. This was a week before I met you. During
that week, I survived on what meager rations I still had from my trip to
the mines, and whatever I could collect wondering through the mines. I
slowly made my way, avoiding the numerous creatures and forces populating
the mines, until I stumbled upon Vranthis.

Vranthis, a green dragon, seemed to have made his lair in the mines. I
spotted him sleeping as I was making my way looking for an exit. I tried to
sneak by, but he woke up and called upon me to stop. In the short exchange
that followed, I learned his name, and that he had just eaten a few
"worthless but tasty human scum". Luckily, he didnt think much of me, and
agreed to let me by if I handed over all my "shiny stuff". Quickly
considering the alternatives, I did as I was told and continued on, with
Vranthis' vicious laughter ringing in my ears. My mother's ring, the only
thing I had left from my parents, was now in Vranthis' hoard.

Shortly thereafter I came upon an exit. Unfortunately, I found that it was
well guarded. Sneaking and overhearing a few conversation, I learned that
the Western Entrance Complex was populated by a large number of Hobgoblins,
Gnolls, and other unsavory beings, and was led by Mereclar, a vicious
half-elf who controlled his soldiers with an iron hand. I also heard of
Terrenygit, a Troglodyte cleric of the elder elemental eye, who was
Mereclar's superior.

Trapped between a dragon and a hard place, I spent a few days trying
unsuccessfullly to figure out a way to get out past the guards. Then, one
day, I heard a large commotion coming from the entrance complex, with
multiple explosions and horrid screams and howls. While considering what to
make of it, a similiar commotion happened again a day later, to be replaced
shortly thereafter by an eery silence.

Shortly thereafter, I had met you.