THE STORY
Chapter One
1
Beldar stood next to his old friends, eleven of them were
before Bruener. Catti-Brie stood next to Bruener and Drizzt next
to her. Amaliane and Kadeira stood behind Beldar. Kragar, Aram,
and Eldavein stood to Beldar's right. Jormungander, Krydon, Argus,
Kneling, and Kenoris stood to his left.
"Welcome friends, clan Battlehammer invites you
to join us for a dinner feast to celebrate the wedding of my daughter,
Catti-Brie and, my friend Drizzt Do' Urden." Bruener stands and leads the
eleven adventurers into a large dining room.
The halfling, Regis, stood from his seat at the table.
"Time fer dinner?" The halfling eagerly asked the
king. Bruener nodded. The elven travellers sit followed by
Bruener, Catti-Brie, and Drizzt.
"Why did ye call us here Bruener?" Beldar asked
impatiently.
"A few weeks ago some dwarves came out of the tunnels
runnin' from sumthin'. it's unknown exactly what it is but we do
know it can melt a mans skin." Bruener replied.
"And ye want us to find it an' kill it?" Beldar
asked. Many Dwarven women, who look awfully alot like the men, come
through a door carrying trays of food, chicken, potatoes, turkey, ham,
and many delicassies of the dwarven nation.
"uhh-huh." Bruener said nodding and chewing on a
thick chicken leg. Drizzt quietly at bits of ham, which tasted strange
to the drow even after many years of eating it. Catti-Brie began taking
peices of turkey and setting them in front of her. The halfling immediately
dug into the food taking bits and peices of every peice of food on the
table no matter what it was. Beldar began eating, grabbing some ham and
pouring him the traditional Gut Buster.
"Want some Gut Buster Kragar? I know ye like it."
Beldar raised the pouring jug towards Kragar.
2
Taking a break from eating, Krydon stands and addresses
our host, "My
compliments Bruener on such fine fare. I have not seen such since
the
last decade."
Krydon bows to our host before continuing,
"And I hope you will excuse my directness, but which
dwarves came running out of the tunnels, and are they around to be questioned?"
3
"One, and...," Bruener lowers his head. "he didn't
make it I'm afraid, but he did bring back a black stone, and he spoke in
a strange language. I really couldn't understand it."
4
Looking up from his plate which is already clean Kneeling
wipes his hands on the belly of his shirt leaving severel stains down the
front, and eyes the crowd that has been assembled here better familiarizing
himslef with the ones he does not know. Turning around in his chair paying
little attention to the conversation at hand he rifles through his pack.
Pulling out a bag he plops back down in his seat. Reaching into the bag
he pulls out a small smeckled muffin. Shuvving it greedily into his mouth
he grins broadly, purple from the berries already showing on his teath,
"Anybody wanna muffin," he ask holding out the bag.
Reaching then into his pocket he retrieves something
and shuvves it into his mouth as well. Garbled from his mouth being full
and now muted by an incesant crunch of hard candy he manages to sputter,
"Their blueberry," spattering the table with half
chewed bits of muffin from his over full mouth.
Somehow managing to swallow most of what he already
has in his mouth he reaches again into his sack and pulls out another muffin
grinning like a small mischevious child.
5
At Bruener's mention that only one dwarf came back, Aram
nearly chokes on the turkey he was happily devouring and swallows hard.
"Only one?"
Aram asks the king in disbelief.
"How many went down into the tunnels?"
6
"About three hundred and fifty went down there,
and when only one came back I nearly fell to my feet, and it was worse
when I couldn't even recognize him." Bruener replied.
"And then another four hundred went into the tunnel,
Bruener." Catti-Brie added.
"I will accompany you into the tunnels, to show
you where they went." Drizzt looked around the crowd.
"Me Too!" Regis swiftly stood, his courage was greater
than it was a few years ago and he now wanted to go on every adventure
with Drizzt.
"If they go I will!" Cattie-Brie again spoke to
her father.
"Indeed and I will join you." Bruener smiled to
his long time companions.
7
Watching and listening to the various responses
and actions of those around the table. Edalvain stands up on his
chair and, looking visibly disqusted at Kneeling, turns to face Bruenor,
but first quafes his entire mug of dwarvin spirits and wiping his mouth
of a little spillage, begins.
"We'll first yer send 350 warriors then yer send
400, it only makes sense that the 15 of us should 'andle this lickety sod'n
split, init? And we'all be hammer and tack in time for evn'n feast. Cor
blimey guv! Blimey! I 'ope this 'ere guide of yors can 'andle 'imself,
cause I'd 'ate ter have ter drag anuvver sorry corpse hammer and tack for
yer ter identify.... "
Looking to one of the dwarvin serving wenches to
fill his mug, Edalvain frowns in discust at the slow service and adds.
"...by the way, woss in it for us?"
8
Krydon shares some dark thoughts, "With any luck
their being used as
food down in the depths of the tunnels."
9
"Who'd do a thing like tha'?!" A dwarf stood quickly
eyeing Krydon.
10
"Friends! Friends! Hear me out!", Krydon raises
his voice above the
din,
"What I mean is if this is an intelligent beast
that we hunt, that with such a large source of Food being dumped in it's
lap. There may be survivers down there being stored for later use.
I may, with a little help, be able to determine if there are any more survivors
from the first two groups. Bruener!", Turning his attension from
the whole assemblige, and lowering his voice, to a more conversional volume,
"You probablly knew best, most of the 400 dwarves
who went into the tunnels. After we finish eating, may I speak with
you about those you knew? I know, it will be hard for you; but it
may shed some light on their situation."
11
"Anything if it may save m' friends." Bruener replies.
12
Jormungand looked on at the people he saw before
him........many of them had been spoken of in mere whispers of adventures;
Drizzit Do'Urden fabled Drow renegade and ranger like himself; the mamzing
Breunor leader of clan Battlehammer and lord of Mithril Hall and Cattie-Brie
his daughter. He knew a less less about the halfing with them but the small
man must have been sufficinetly important to keep such company.
The huge barbarians mind paused for a moment, thinking
on what had been said by those at the meeting. Unskilled in the ways of
the underdark, the ranger thought it best to listen to what was being said
rather than interject with an inappropriate suggestion but he was nevertheless
surprised by the losses. Taking a huge chuck of ham from the dwarven maids
who served the group, the huge man bit into it deeply, enjoying the juices
as he gulped down the morsels greedily. Wiping his mouth with the back
of his huge hand, Jormungand voiced a question which had been nagging at
the back of his mind,
"Excuse my ignorance in the ways of the underdark
but why did you send a futher contingent of dwarves after the first group
were sent down - surely their dissappearance should have been investigated
by a more experienced but smaller team to investiagte the goings on? Sending
in a big group like that was surely too cumbersome and easy to stop, especially
by one as powerful as this enemy seems to be?" The huge man's voice is
left hanging in the air like resonant thunder.
13
"A king needs not explain his actions, especially
if he is a dwarf." Baldar quickly told Jormungander.
14
Turning to one of the serving wenches, "Can I get
some more food please??!" Then waiting for his plate with little patients
Kneeling begins shuvling his fresh plate like a starvng clild. Looking
up shaking his head at the argumentative group. Sputtering between bites
of food and pulps of wine,
"Can we talk about this later guys, I'm trying to
eat here... Never mix business and pleaseure you know. And there are few
things more pleasurable than dinner. Besides all this talk of dwarfs being
devoured is beginging to make me loose my appetite." Then shuvvling another
scoop of potatoes into his mouth, "How rude." dropping a large chunk of
meat onto the floor only to pick it up and stuff it into his mouth.
15
"Quiet!" Beldar yelled at the unmannered halfling.
"You're going in there too, and I'll just laugh if you get yer face burnt
off." Turning from Kneeling. "Now M'king, May I ask exactly when
do we plan to leave?" Beldar waited for Brueners answer.
"In two days, that should be well enough time fer
you to gather supplies." Bruener Replied. "Now if I'm not mistaken
you wanted to speak with me Krydon?"
16
"I know I'm going in there, and your right I very
well may get burnt up, I think that deserves a good last meal if you ask
me. Which you didn't but I'm telling you anyways. So YOU be quite troll
dung! This is a dinner table the only burning we should be talk about here
is the ham." Then sticking his potatoe laden tongue out at Beldar nods
in self satisfaction giving a small, "Hmph" and shuvveling another spoon
of potatoes into his mouth.
17
"Ladies and GENTLEMEN, I believe this feast is over,"
Bruener turns to a few dwarves. "Show our guests to their rooms." Bruener
looked to Krydon "You wanted to talk?"
18
Amaliane slowly slips out of Mithril Hall after
hearing what was told at the table. "Man I want nothing to do with these
bunch of dead folks." She quietly whispers to herself. She quickly
walks off into the sunset, hopefully, by her, never to be seen again.
19
Kadeira follows Amaliane only heading in another
direction slipping out before any problems could occur.
20
The dwarven guides show each member of the party
to their rooms. Beldar stays behind to speak with Bruener and Krydon.
21
Kenoris charges at Bruener a dagger in each hand.
"You shall die Bruener, for my fathers death!"
22
Drizzt quickly pulls out his two scimitars and slits
Kenoris' throat. Kenoris' dead body falls limp to the ground.
"Get him out of here." Bruener tells one of his
guards. "That was close Drizzt, Thank you."
"No problem, you would've done the same fore me."
Drizzt replied.
"Now Krydon, What exactly did you want to talk to
me about?"
23
Kneelong screaming at the top of his lungs, "OH
MY GOD YOU'VE KILLED HIM YOU KILLERD HIM," running over to Kenoris fallen
body nudging him with his toe and looking up at Dritz with awe, "wow...he's
really dead,"
24
"Of course you nimwit, now go get to your room!"
Bruener said pushing Kneeling back. "I don't like my guests leaning over
dead bodies, it was probably one of Artemis' assassins." Bruener finished.
"Probably." Drizzt agreed.
25
Anders Wellin arrives late in the evening. He is
stunned by the size of the great hall. He notices several residents scurrying
around the hall cleaning up the dinner leftovers and grabs a leg to munch
on before everything disappears. It seems to him that everyone has gone
off to bed or other activities.
He calls out to the general population, "hey, the
guards out front sent me back to talk the King Bruener. Anybody know where
he is?" He stands there munching on the leg thankful at least that he could
have something in his belly before the end of the day.
26
"Right here!" Bruener hollers to Anders from a dorrway
on the other side of the room.
27
After the meal, Aram heads to his room, eager for
the upcoming adventure and pleased that the reknowed heros will be coming
along.
28
Theros stumbles out of his room, hair wild, the
symbol of Selune,the goddess of the moon, laid upon his shirtless chest.
White drawstring pants seemingly just pulled on and barefoot, with his
beloved Moon' hand mace in his right hand.
"What in da Nine Hells is goin' on out here ?" Theros
bellows, "can't a dwarf git no rest." He says as he looks at the drow elf
and dead dwarf at his feet. Then his gaze falls on his king and relative,
"ah, sorry Unc," he smiles as he knows King Bruenor hates that reference,
"I didn't say ya, what happened ? are ye ok ?" He asks as he sees that
something serious just occurred.
29
After the meal, Ace walks with his escort to his
room. On the way, he inquires of his dwarven escort if there is a place
where he may enjoy an evening fire and some good conversation or a story
or two. The night is still young, and he is in no mood to end it.
30
"Just some unexpected company Theros, go back to
sleep til you fully wake up." Bruener tells his nephew. "An' don't call
me that!"
"I know not of any like place? Sorry." The dwarf
frowns to Ace as he opens the door and sets his small bag down. "Here's
some supplies, food, towel, such stuff. G'night" The dwarf then walks off,
back towards Bruener.
31
Stricking his tongue out at Bruenor Kneeling waddles
off to his room. mumbling "Stupid dwarfs, don't even got to finish dinner
and then they won't even let me look at the dead body. These guys are mean
(mumble mumble mumble..." Pouting he reaches into his pocket pulling out
a piece of hared candy and popping it into his mouth.
32
A dark robed figure approaches and tells the guards
that he wishes to speak with the king. "Why should we risk our necks for
a human like yourself?", said the dwarf soldier. "I wish to speak with
your king about important business...and it is for him only to hear." The
answer didn't appease the dwarves enough for the stranger to pass, so they
stood in front of him and made a stand. The stranger sighed and began to
chant in a low mumble slightly moving his robe aside to let his breastplate
barely be seen. "Some type of way to beg, stranger?" the dwarves began
to mock him. Then the dwarves found themselves sleeping off an ale drinking
contest that lasted for a week. The strange strolled by and continued to
the king. Waking through the hall he came upon a few humans and decided
to watch them for a while.
33
"Nay, Unc," Theros says, "I am up now.. adventure
singing to da blood in me veins. Have ye gotten a group togedder for us
to go into da tunnels yet ?" He asks, as his sleepy face takes on a serious
demeanor.
34
"You!," Drizzt points at the stranger. "Who are
you? What are you doing?"
"I have a party together, but they are sleeping
as you must I plan to leave tomorrow or the day after." Bruner pushed off
his nephew. "Now go on an' get to bed." Turning to Krydon. "Now you wanted
to talk? Finnally!"
35
"Fine, I''ll go back ta sleep. I will pray to me
goddess and will join ye. Even da human gods have want to keep you around
fer awhile, Unc," Theros smiles as he refers to his goddess Selune.
After the drow questions the stranger, "ye need
some help, friend elf ?" Theros asks Drizzt regarding the stranger. "By
whose leave did ye get permission to enter Mithral Hall ?" the dwarf
asks the newcomer, holy symbol in hand.
36
Lyeing in his room Kneeling begins to choke on one
of his muffins. trying to scream but unable to He slowly dies.
37
"Your magisty, what I propose is an attempt to determine
if any of the dwarves sent into the tunnels have survived. A random
sampling of the people you sent should allow us to determine if any of
the entire group are still alive. If I could learn from you who has
gone into the tunnels, say 20 or so, of the ones you would know most, I
could provide two way communication. The process requires that I
know the specific dwarf that I want to contact. Since I don't know
them personally, I would need to probe your mind for who they are."
"I know that most beings fear the things that someone
like me are able to do. But I assure you that it is no more harmful
that a crystal ball. It's not abilities that make people evil, it's
their choosen use of such abilities. Besides, if we can talk to someone
on the iinside of the tunnels, we may be better able to perpare for what
we are to face."
38
" I only knew one personally, the rest only served
in my army." Bruener frowned. "You probe my mind for him, but I don't think
it would help... His name is Darger Halfgolem."
39
"If ye bewitch me uncle, da elf here and I will
kill ye before ye make it one step more," Theros warns as the man begins
to cast a mind probing spell on the king.
40
Drizzt looked to Bruener before they began, "Me
and Cattie-Brie are goining to our quarters, good night Bruener."
"G'Night Driztt, Cattie-Brie." Bruener turns to
Theros. "Go to bed boy!"
He turns to Krydon. "You may begin, Krydon."
41
"Well, I will try to reach Darger Halfgolem.
But why do you think it will do no good?"
42
"Well, Me and Darger are blood brothers and we had
these necklaces mine broke just a while after he went into the tunnels."
43
"As you command, Unc, be careful," he says as he
quickly bows and returns to his room. He gathers up his usual watch equipment,
the items he takes when he goes on watch through the Underdark around Mithral
Hall. He grasps his holy symbol of Selune and prays that the group leaving
the Hall in the next day or so, including himself, is under her watchful
eye.
44
Amaliane came into an alley way, practically back
tracking her steps. With her calm violet eyes she watches the door of Mithril
Hall, hoping to catch a glimpse of her old friend Drizzt to speak with
him about Kadeira. With silent footsteps she makes her way to the door
of the hall. A soft gentle smile plays across her crimson lips as she spots
the guards at the door."G'evenin, gen'elmen, 'Ow are ye?" Deadly thoughts
fill her head as she watches the gaurds. She wonders what type of torture
she could perform upon the guards if they cause her trouble.
45
"Fine M'Lady." One guard bows to her, the other
only licking his lips at her beauty. "And Ye?" The second guard asks.
46
"Jus' wonderful... Thank ye for askin', sir." Her
eyes flash cold and harsh as she watches the second guard, her face
not readable.
47
"You were here before wern't you? You can go on
in just find out where yer quarters are and sleep, get some rest for the
big adventure tomorrow." The guard smiled to her.
48
"Is there anyone else who knew more of the soldiers
that went into the tunnels? Maybe a Cook, one of the serving girls
at a frequented inn, anyone!? If I could check for as few as twenty
random men, I should have a enough information to determine if there are
any survivors. I have a confession your majesty. I'm new to
this group of individuals and as such I know not their skills. But
surely, I'm not the only one to consult. There must be others with
magic sufficient to divine the fates, to determine what became of those
who went into the tunnels."
Then as if Krydon heard it for the first time, "Tomorrow!
What do you mean tomorrow? If there's one thing that my time in the
army taught me it's that you don't just go running headlong into the enemy
without a plan. I assume your majesty that you have plans, revisions,
work progress reports and current maps for the tunnels. I think that
we have our work cut out for us. If were to leave tomarrow then a
few of us aren't going to get any sleep tonight. Beldar, who else
will want to be in on the planning stage? You better wake them.."
Turning back to the king, "I am sorry for your loss
your majesty. Both for your people and your brother. I have
tried several times to reach him"
49
"No one else I know of, most were just men who volunteered."
Bruener replied.
"I don't like planning, and most of the others most
probably won't and what good would it do anyways, if we are fighting an
unknown enemy and we don't know exactly what it can do?" Beldar said turning
and heading to his quarters.
"Well if we have no more to do to night, then good
night." Bruener turned also heading to his quarters.
CHAPTER TWO
50
"Rise and shine!" A young Dwarven ran through the
halls screaming. "Today the adventure begins!"
Beldar slowly rose from his bed, wiping his eyes
and gathering his weapons he returned to the main hall, where they had
eaten the night before. He looked around the hall, everyone was there
waiting for Bruener, even Drizzt and Cattie-Brie, and another strange person,
Wulfgar, Beldar heard many stories about this barbarian but never had seen
him. He was shocked at his looks. He had imagined an old, hairy,
fat guy who carried many weapons, much like a battlerager would, especially
Pwent am old friend of Brueners and a friend of Beldar.
"Where's he at?" Beldar leaned over and asked Drizzt
who had his hand on his scimitar, his special sword, Twinkle.
"I suppose getting ready for the adventure." Drizzt
replied.
Soon after Bruener came throught the doorway that
Beldar had, walking to the front of the tunnels, The group following, he
turned and spoke his loudest.
"Today we will leave Mithril Hall into the Dwarven
Underdark. Some of us will return and some of us won't, how long
we will be in there is not known but we will know when it is over." Turning
to the cave and entering. "Who's coming?"
Beldar follows Bruener his Battle Axe in his hand.
Drizzt, Cattie-Brie, and Wulfgar followed behind him.
51
Amaliane followed Beldar and the others, hear cape
flowwing long around her, she hardly ever wore a cape, but this was the
underdark, even a drow needs some cover.
52
"I'm right behind ya, unc, my mace and da power
of Selune to back ya up !" Theros says with a wide grin as he taps the
holy symbol of Selune which lies prominently on his mailed chest. Moon
hand ready, he follows the throng of dwarves into the Underdark to avenge
their kin.
53
Beldar looks around for his friend, the very annoying
Kneeling Penguinpelt, not finding him he turns to Deathstalker.
"Where's Kneeling?"
54
As if something went wrong and like Deathstalker
had killed Kneeling, he ran deeper into the tunnels, a few minutes later
he could not me seen, and another few minutes then came an ear breaking
scream.
55
As the echo of the scream reverberates through the
cavern, Theros turns and sprints towards the sound. With mace in hand,
a feeling of dread washes over him as he knows that what he will see will
be a bad thing.
56
Beldar quickly follows Theros, his battle axe swinging
in his hand. "Theros! Don't go by your self!"
57
Bruener, Drizzt, Cattie-Brie, and Wulfgar follow
the two weapons in hand, and battle faces on.
58
"Good morning all", Krydon mumbles through some
bread he's seen carrying in addition to the wine skin. "I hope you've
all slept well. Shall we see just how good a day it is to die?"
59
"Heh, friend Beldar, dere will probably be plenty
fer all," Theros replies."Come on in, seems ill is happein' in da halls
o' me Unca," he says with a grim look.
60
"The halls never seemed as dark as they do now."
Bruener noted. "Possibly a circle of darkness spell by some drow."
"No, Drow circle of darknesses aren't this dark."
Drizzt added.
61
Amaliane watches through the darkness of the halls,
making sure no one has taken notice of her following. With gentle footsteps
she makes her way through the hall, looking for the source of the scream,
knowing that the others are probably doing the same. As she turns a sharp
corner her eyes fall upon a badly burnt body. "Wha' the?... " she says
as she makes her way to the body. She kneels examining the body, her hand
going to her nose to cover it. The smell of burnt flesh seeping through
the creases in her hand. With her free hand she gently moves away what
clothing there is left upon the body, hoping she can identify the person
or thing. With a finger she probes the burnt flesh. "Hmmm... apparen'ly
'tis human by the tex'ure of the flesh" she says quietly. Thoughts of who
or what could have done this zooms through her head. "Why would somethin'
do this?" She stands, her cold violet orbs searching about the surroudings
before her. A low growl emences from her throat, instantly becoming a scream,
a scream she thought she never possesed, almost sounding like a plea for
help. "BELDAR!!!!"
62
Krydon follows the others into the tunnels. "It's
wonderful to see that your all in such good humor on this wonderful morning.
Oh, bye the way", asking no one in paticullar, "did I just hear a scream?
Who went in to that tunnel?" Than more pointedly "Beldar, who's leading
this mission now? Why haven't we talked about any of this?"
63
Beldar laughed to Krydon. "This is a mission? ha
I thought it was a war." Beldar runs to where he heard Amaliane. "What?
What is it?"
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