"Sleep eludes me yet again," Serena muttered as she paced her room at the Yawning Portal. "How in the Nine Hells did I end up in Waterdeep during a drow incursion?" she asked herself. You know how, her mind answered. You feared for your friends' safety when your powers returned, so you sought out the Harper Drogan in Hilltop hoping he had some answers.
"Yes," Serena remarked, "and we all know how that turned out." The battle priestess sighed. "I ended up getting mixed up looking for the artefacts that were stolen from Drogan's home by a pack of thieving kobolds," she said with a slight smile. "Though Deekin was as charming as he was naive." Serena had become quite fond of the scaly little bard.
The battle priestess turned to face the dressing table, on which sat a small uninspiring looking artefact. Serena walked over and picked it up, then began to toss it from one hand to the other. "Then there's you, my mysterious friend, found within the plane of shadow." Serena stifled a yawn. "Gods, I'm tired, let's hope I can get some sleep," she mumbled as she sat down in a chair that would be behind the door to her room if it were opened. Old habits die hard, she thought as she began to doze off.
Deep in the Underdark, in the lowest level of her fortress, the self proclaimed Valsharess of the Underdark was waiting for her wizards to finish preparing the spell that would reveal her greatest foe.
"I trust that your preparations are complete," the Valsharess asked, bored of waiting.
"V-very nearly, Dread Mistress. It should only be a matter of…." stammered her head wizard.
"Do not test my patience, iblith. Would you have me wait? I, the terror of all the Underdark? The Dark Queen of Shadow?" the Valsharess replied calmly, her red eyes the only clue she was ready to kill.
"Of-of course not my mistress," her head wizard replied, trying to stall for a few moments. The spell was almost ready. He didn't want to get this wrong.
"Then proceed. I wish to see this being that my agents say can stop my great rise," she said, full of confidence. As if anyone or anything could stop her now.
"I do not think anyone could stop you now, great Valsharess," the head wizard replied, as he made one final check to see that everything was in order.
"So I had thought, but my agents have resources beyond the means of mortals. This one will be my undoing, so they say, if I do not act in time. So proceed, wizard, I will wait no further," the Valsharess stated, ending the matter.
The seven assembled wizards began casting the intricate spell that would show the Valsharess the one capable of ending her schemes and plans for the surface world. A few minutes passed, but then the spell was complete.
"What is this?!" the Valsharess cried in outrage at what she saw. "A surfacer female?" The spell showed a human woman, about six foot one in height, clad in full plate armour and holding a longsword and shield. The hilt of a greatsword could be seen on her back as well as a large warhammer, and an unusual five headed flail hung from her weapons belt. "Have your spells become faulty, fool?" she accused her soon to be dead head wizard.
"N-no, mistress. This is indeed an image of the one who shall defeat you," the head wizard replied calmly. How he could be calm about his impending death, he really didn't know.
"I will not be defeated!" the Valsharess said, as she turned to her head wizard and killed him with a spell without a second thought. Before his scream had even stopped echoing round the chamber, the Valsharess turned to the nearest wizard. "You. Male. Summon my Red Sisters. Now." She looked down at the body at her feet. "And then remove this dead fool."
"Yes, Dread Mistress," the wizard replied.
Turning back to the image of the human woman, the Valsharess said, "And as for you, surfacer, whoever you are and whatever threat you pose, you will not be able to hide. The drow shall strike swiftly and without mercy." She then cast dispel magic and dissipated the image.
Lith My'athar, one of many drow cities. What makes Lith My'athar unique is that it is the stronghold of the rebels. Those drow brave or stupid enough, depending on how you wanted to look at it, to stand against the Valsharess and her mad schemes. The city was being led by the Seer of Eilistraee insofar as resisting the Valsharess went.
The centre point of most, if not all, drow cities is the Temple of Lloth, the Spider Queen. That wasn't the case in Lith My'athar, however. Lloth had suddenly disappeared which had thrown drow society into utter confusion and had led to the current state of affairs of a handful of rebel drow against the Valsharess. The Seer of Eilistraee had taken over the abandoned Temple of Lloth in Lith My'athar for her own goddess.
The goddess Eilistraee, sometimes also referred to as The Dark Maiden or Lady Silverhair, Lady of the Dance, or Moon Maiden, is the only good aligned goddess in drow society, and as such she is opposed to both Lloth and Vhaerhun. Some of the Seer's followers wonder if she is in fact Eilistraee in mortal form. No one knows her given name for she has never used it. Everyone knows her simply as the Seer. This is something the Seer herself has neither confirmed nor denied.
The Seer, an elegant drow woman of flawless beauty and advanced age, sat in the middle of the main hall of the temple dressed as she usually was in a flowing white robe with silver trim. Her cleric's staff lay across her lap, as she was meditating. Present as was usual were her temple guards, but also present were Valen Shadowbreath, a tiefling and the Seer's chosen general, Commander Imloth, head of training what troops they had, and Nathyrra, a former Red Sister assassin who had become the Seer's personal bodyguard, which was ironic, considering that the Valsharess had sent Nathyrra to kill the Seer in the first place. Also present was Viconia DeVir, the Seer's most senior cleric.
All of them were watching an image being projected by the Seer. It showed a human woman dressed in full plate armour. Her eyes were the green of emeralds, and she held a greatsword that seemed to glow with an inner light. The woman gracefully spun on the spot holding her greatsword before her. Any undead that came into contact with the weapon were instantly destroyed. After giving herself some room, the woman began to turn the undead, and then finished off the few that remained by casting hammer of the gods. The image faded and the Seer opened her eyes.
"That is the vision that Eilistraee has sent me. The rivvil's name is Serena Darkstar and she is a battle priestess of great power. She will aid us in defeating the Valsharess." The Seer's words were soft, but in the quiet of the temple they sounded louder.
"You know that I do not believe in your ways, Seer," Valen said gruffly, "for I am a being of the Planes, thus gods and goddesses do not hold the same…. importance for me as they do you." His ice blue eyes held those of the Seer. "How can you be so certain she will help us?"
The Seer smiled. "Eilistraee has shown me and that is enough. You must learn to trust in the goddess, dear Valen. I know it is not easy for you."
Valen grunted but otherwise made no reply.
"Can you even be certain that she will find her way to us, Mother Seer?" inquired Viconia. How in the nine hells has Serena gotten mixed up in this? Or do I really want to know? she thought.
The Seer arched an eyebrow at the unexpected question. Unexpected because of who had asked it, not so much the question itself. "She is already in Waterdeep, the rivvil city that the Valsharess has been attacking. It is only a matter of time before she reaches us, Viconia."
Viconia nodded her understanding as she looked across the room to where the image had been. Their lives were about to get very interesting. It had been three or four years since Viconia had anything to do with Serena Darkstar, and now somehow or other she was about to drop in their laps again.
Serena awoke with a start. "Another dream," she snorted. "More like a vision, talk about being real. So the drow think they'll catch me napping, do they?" she asked herself, looking down at the artefact in her hand. There's something about this seemingly innocent object that made me warn Rynn about picking it up when we came across it in the Plane of Shadow. Perhaps it's my unique heritage that told me that this wasn't what it seems to be. I'm glad the young monk heeded my advice and allowed me to take it. The battle priestess's musings on the artefact were interrupted by the sound of the door to her room being opened softly.
Serena had to grin as the black and red clad lithe figure entered and carefully made its way over to where the storage chest sat. There was nothing of any importance in there; some spare cloths and cleaning equipment for her armour and weapons and a few other odds and ends. Nothing that she couldn't replace easily enough. Serena had long made a habit of keeping her important gear much closer, like under the bed in this case. And if anyone was foolish enough to try and steal her stuff, they'd get a nasty surprise in the form of a guardian elemental that Imoen and Nalia had given her. Sometimes it really did pay to have friends who were arch mages.
The battle priestess's grin vanished as the stranger moved slightly and began to cast a spell. White hair and dark skin plus the language that the thief, no, more likely assassin, was using and it all spelled one word. Drow. Serena stood slowly and walked up behind the drow assassin.
"Sarn lil velg'larn's inthen," Serena said, as she head butted the surprised drow senseless. "Naut mzilt d' biu velg'larn ph' dos?" she muttered as she looked at the unconscious drow. What to do with her unwanted guest?
Serena's dilemma was solved for her when Tamisil came into the room. "Excuse me, is everything…. oh my word!" She clamped a hand over her mouth on seeing the crumpled form of the drow elf at Serena's feet. "The drow woman…. Is she…?" Tamisil asked.
Serena shook her head. "No, just been knocked unconscious. Tamisil, go and get your father. Get him to come up here with two guards so they can take this off my hands," she said, indicating the drow. Tamisil nodded and left without a word.
To say Durnan was surprised at his daughter's news would be fair. He didn't think the drow had the gall but apparently they did. It made him wonder about the other strange deaths that had plagued Waterdeep of late. He opened the door to Serena's room to find an interesting sight. There on the floor, looking sorry for herself, was the drow assassin securely tied. Kneeling near her was Serena clad in her armour. It seemed they were having a conversation in drow.
"Vel'uss fris dos?" Serena asked.
"Usstan orn naut tesso dos rivvil jalil," the drow replied.
"Dos inbal hojjau. Dos zhaun vel'bol nindel mii'n."
The drow hung her head. "Elghinn," she said softly.
"Elghinn?" Serena asked, surprised. "Nindel orn'la tlu ichl rescho. Lil ap'za d' natha Dothka zhah vel'bol il'tess dos," she said. The drow's head shot up, her eyes wide with pure terror. Serena nodded gravely before standing up to face Durnan and the two guards.
"I didn't know you were fluent in drow, Serena," Durnan remarked.
Serena grinned. 'I'm full of surprises, Durnan. She wouldn't tell me a thing, though, too damned loyal. I feel sorry for her all the same. I wouldn't wish her fate on my worst enemy."
"They'd just kill her, wouldn't they?" asked one of the guards.
"They might, if they were in a good mood and feeling merciful, but in this case I doubt it," Serena said. "You see, she is an elite assassin, the best of the best." She held up a pendant. "As this pendant shows. She failed. Her mistress will not be at all happy and her fate will, I suspect, be far worse than simply being killed. You do know what a Drider is, don't you?" she asked the guard. The two guards paled slightly as the realisation of Serena's words sank in.
Durnan had been surveying the room. "Serena, I don't see the storage chest," he asked, stumped.
Serena grinned as she bent down to help the captive drow to her feet. "Little miss assassin here spirited it away. Trying to leave me without my equipment and thus easier to kill. Didn't do her much good as I haven't been sleeping well the past few nights, so I was up and there was nothing of any importance in there anyway." The drow was now on her feet, still looking thoroughly miserable. "Here you go, one drow assassin. Find her a nice comfy cell with a view will you? Say in the City Watch barracks?" Serena said as she pushed her toward the two guards.
"You heard the lady, get this drow out of my Inn," Durnan said. "Are you sure it's wise to keep her alive?"
Serena's eyes hardened slightly. "Durnan, I don't kill unless I have to. She's no threat to me. And I have my reasons, and they're personal. Locking her up will do. If it stops her from becoming a Drider, all well and good." Serena sighed heavily. "I'll finish getting my gear together, and then I'll meet you down stairs and we'll work out what to do about Undermountain."
Durnan nodded. "Very well then, Serena. I'll get the other adventurers together. We'll be in the main common room," he said, as he and the guards left with the drow assassin.
Serena sighed as the door closed and she began to gather the rest of her gear. For some reason she could not explain, she doubted she'd see this room again. Looking round one last time to make certain she had everything, she headed down stairs to meet Durnan and the other adventurers.
Serena was adjusting her weapons belt as she entered the common room, to make certain that everything sat as comfortably as possible. The sight that met her eyes, however, had her almost howling with laughter, for Durnan and a group of a half dozen adventurers were chasing what looked to be a small kobold around the room. There was only one kobold that she knew of who would be remotely capable of doing such a thing.
"Deekin Scalesinger, what in the hells have you done NOW?" she asked in the midst of laughing. Serena's laughter-filled words brought the entire room to a stand still as everyone looked at her strangely. Everyone except Deekin, for he had a big toothy grin on his face.
"Boss!" the kobold cried. "Deekin swears he's done nothing!" The reptilian bard scampered up to Serena. "Deekin cames to help but no one believes Deekin!"
In one swift but elegant movement Serena bent down and picked up the little bard, and somehow deftly spun him round and then placed him on her shoulders. "Oooo, be careful, boss," Deekin said. "You make Deekin queasy when you do that."
Serena chuckled. "You okay up there, Deek?"
The kobold bard nodded. "Yes, Deekin feels safe up here, boss." Then he made the mistake of looking down at the floor. "Um, Deekin never realised that boss was so tall," he said, a little less certain of how safe he felt. He wasn't used to seeing the ground so far below him.
Serena chuckled again. "You really haven't changed have you?" she asked. "Come on, lets introduce you, then we can figure out what to do about Undermountain."
Serena walked over to where Durnan and the group of adventurers were standing, still looking a little bewildered at the exchange between the fighter cleric and kobold. Explaining how she knew Deekin was going to interesting.
Durnan introduced Serena and Deekin to the other adventurers present. They were Linu La'neral, a cleric of Sehanine Moonbow, Daelan Red Tiger a half-orc barbarian, Sharwyn a warrior bard from Neverwinter, and Tomi Undergallows, a halfling rogue, also from Neverwinter. It was obvious that Sharwyn and Deekin were going to have a battle of the bards if they got the chance, something Durnan put a stop to by bringing the meeting to order and revealing the reason they were all there to begin with.
"Waterdeep is under attack, its people live in fear. That's why I made the call you all responded to… we're going to do something about it," Durnan began. "The city is under siege. Raiding parties of drow and other creatures rarely seen on the surface are attacking the city. We've determined that these attacks are coming through Undermountain."
Sharwyn frowned slightly. "But Undermountain has existed for centuries. Why hasn't it been any trouble before now?"
Durnan sighed. "That's what we need to find out. The labyrinth of Undermountain was created long ago by Halaster, a mage whose power may have even rivalled that of Elminster himself. He ruled Undermountain like a brutal tyrant." Serena rolled her eyes at this. "It was Halaster's magic that kept the creatures within from pouring out to overrun Waterdeep. Now Halaster has suddenly decided to unleash his creatures on the city and we need to find out why. I want to know what that mad mage is up to!"
"The attackers are drow, however," Serena said, stating the obvious. "What makes you that that Halaster is involved at all?"
Durnan rubbed his beard thoughtfully. "It is odd that Halaster has aligned himself with the dark elves. He's never been too fond of them. But the drow are attacking through Undermountain and that means that Halaster must be involved."
"Do not underestimate the drow, Durnan. They can very determined when they want something, and they have the advantage of pure numbers. They could overcome Halaster," Serena said, pinning the innkeeper with a hard gaze. "And no arch mage, no matter how powerful, is unbeatable. I should know, for once I had the misfortune to run foul of a mage who would have been easily as powerful as Elminster, if not more so. His name was Joneleth Irenicus, and when all was said and done, he lay dead at my feet. I have no qualms about sending another slimily mad mage to the hells if need be." Serena's voice was cold as ice. If there was something she hated with a passion, it was the memories of Jon Irenicus and his dungeon. Her mood wasn't helped by the fact that she was about to go into another mad mage's dungeon, even if it was willingly and for good reason.
Serena's tirade caught everyone off guard. It gave an insight into the fighter cleric and what made her tick. It was obvious that she had a particular hatred of power mad wizards, for what reasons could only be guessed at, however. Deekin for his part discreetly made some notes in his book, as he was now on the floor, and no one took much notice of him unless they looked down.
"It's pretty clear that the answers we seek can't be found here on the surface. The only hope we have is to send someone down into Undermountain and try to find out what if anything has happened to Halaster, and what he has to do with the drow attacks." Durnan said, careful not set Serena off again.
"So who is going on this mission?" Daelan asked. Now it was getting to the business end of proceedings, and he was looking forward to smashing some drow skulls.
"Anyone willing to risk the dangers of Undermountain is welcome. Waterdeep needs all the help it can get. Whether you all work together or alone is up to you, I suppose. Most of you know that this inn is built round one of the entrances to Undermountain. That's how the inn got its name," Durnan explained. "Now I don't intend to send anyone into Undermountain unprepared. That would be suicide. I'll offer what advice and equipment I can. In fact…"
There was an almighty crash and something that sounded ominously like an explosion. "Wait! What's that noise, Father?" Tamisil asked.
"It's coming from the well room," said Durnan as he listened. "By the gods, the drow are attacking the inn!" he yelled, drawing his sword just as the door to the well room disintegrated, and up the steps came a half dozen or so drow. "Foul drow, you dare attack MY inn?" he challenged, as he charged the dark elf attackers.
Serena, longsword in hand, met a drow blade master head on. She soon had him cut down, then the drow priestess who seemed to be leading the assault cast darkness. Serena quickly countered with a greater dispelling, and then went after the priestess herself. The battle was short but bloody. Soon all the attacking drow lay slain, but four adventurers also lay dead. Serena didn't have time to raise them as she followed Durnan and the others into the well room. There were bound to be some more drow holding it.
Durnan, Daelan, Deekin, Sharwyn, Linu and Tomi had all charged down the steps to engage the half dozen or so remaining drow. Serena however stopped at the top of the steps, as it gave her a good view of the room, and fired off her four memorised Hammer of the Gods spells, which either stunned or killed outright the remaining drow. Then she ran down the steps to join the others, who had killed the last drow guard.
"That was a close thing, but I think we've managed to drive them back," said Durnan. "I need the six of you to stay here and guard the well until…"
A sound like hissing and crackling could be heard, the type of sound that magical energy makes when there is far too much of it concentrated into too small a space. Then the vaguely round shape of a beholder loomed up from the depths. "Look out!" Sharwyn yelled, but it was far too late.
Serena and Durnan were the first to be hit by the monster's stunning gaze. Deekin was flung to the far side of the room and hit his head on the far wall with a resounding thud. The others, by luck or design, managed to avoid being hit, or if they were hit, were not affected as badly. Soon the beholder dropped out of sight as quickly as it had come.
"Follow that abomination quickly!" Sharwyn cried as she operated the lever that would open the well cover. The four companions from Neverwinter hurriedly clambered onto the well platform and descended into the depths of the unknown.
Serena moaned as she got up. "Ouch… I'd forgotten what it was like to be zapped by a Beholder." She then looked round to see that the only people left were herself, Durnan, and Deekin. "What in the hells?" she asked, and then Serena noticed that the well cover was open. "Oh, Torm, don't tell me. Surely they haven't been that stupid?" Walking over to the well, Serena could indeed see that what she feared was true. They'd chased after the beholder. "Hells take them!" she spat. "What were they thinking?" Serena sighed heavily. "Looks like I'm going to be going down there after all."
Durnan moaned as he too recovered from the effects of the beholder's ray. Serena walked over and helped him up. "What happened, Serena?" he asked.
"We were surprised by a beholder, and to make matters worse, those four idiots chased after the thing," Serena said. "I wouldn't be at all surprised if they've run head long into an ambush and have gotten themselves killed."
"Blast those four fools! Don't they know how dangerous Undermountain is?" Durnan asked, annoyed at the folly shown by four supposedly experienced adventurers. Then he remembered what Serena had said. "What makes you think they've run into an ambush?"
Serena looked at him as if he'd grown a second head. "Come on, Durnan. First the assassin in my room, then the attack on the inn proper, and now the beholder? Someone wants me out the picture, that much is obvious, but why? Who knows?" Serena frowned. "And what's even more worrying is that I've seen these kinds of tactics before. But that was years ago now."
Before Durnan could ask about Serena's remark, Deekin stood groggily and staggered over to where Serena and Durnan were standing. "Oooo boss, did you get the number of the beholder that hit Deekin?"
Serena grinned. "Deekin, beholders don't have numbers, but they do have names," she said. "I recall meeting a beholder named, of all things, Spectator. Pleasant enough fellow, for a beholder." Deekin's eyes lit up at this nugget of information. Serena's grin broadened. "I promise to tell you the story sometime. Right now we have more important things to do."
Durnan just shook his head. "You mean to tell me, Serena, that you've actually had a civil conversation with a beholder?"
Serena nodded. "Yes, but that's beside the point. Deekin and I had better get ready and then go after those four impulsive fools. And we'll see if we can find out what's going on down there as well."
"Right, then. White Thesta is a priestess of Sune who has agreed to help, so she'll have anything clerical and healing related you'll need. There is also a smithy and a magic shop near by as well," Durnan informed her.
It would take the two friends a few hours to get everything organised for their first trip into Undermountain. Serena had to replace her healing kits, potions, scrolls and other related items, as the drow assassin had stolen them. Fortunately all of Serena's important gear like her armour and weapons, her money and anything else that was personal to her was kept in her pack which had been under the bed. When you were used to people trying to kill for no other reason than the cursed blood that was in your veins, it tended to make you a little paranoid. Serena also took Deekin to the smithy and mage shops to see if they could find him any better gear and bardic related items. Then they bid Durnan farewell and descended into Undermountain.
The Seer sat quietly, her steady gaze fixed on Valen as he paced the room, his rage apparent for all to see. "What do you mean, Seer, that you've made this human woman your general?" Valen asked, at a loss to explain the Seer's actions. "Have I not been doing a good enough job? And what do we truly know about her? For we have only seen her in a vision sent to you by your goddess." He now stood in front of her, his normally ice blue eyes tinged with red.
The Seer smiled slightly. "Dear Valen, you have been doing an excellent job as my general, but I feel in the long term that will not be enough. As to the reasons why the human woman? That is not easy to explain. Eilistraee has shown me and I follow. It will take someone of great power to stop the Valsharess, and Serena Darkstar is that someone," the Seer explained. "I know it is not the answer you seek, but I can not explain it any other way. You must trust me, Valen, and learn to trust in the goddess. For I am sure Serena will need your aid in the days to come, and I would prefer you to give it willingly."
Commander Imloth moved slightly as he watched the proceedings from the doorway to the Seer's inner sanctum. He respected Valen, as he was a great fighter and master tactician. If Imloth were honest, he even liked the man. But it was times like this that made him very nervous, and by nature he wasn't a nervous man. Imloth knew that if Valen ever lost his battle with his inner demon, the results would be unpleasant for everyone. He was sure that the Seer was in no real danger, but he was commander and responsible for her safety none the less, so he had every right to be nervous, even if the threat was more imagined than anything else, but then with a tiefling you couldn't be certain.
Viconia entered the Lith My'athar public house looking for someone. It took her a few minutes to locate who she sought. She walked up to the secluded booth in a dimly lit corner "Ah, there you are, Nathyrra. The Seer requests that you go see her immediately. I think she may have a job that requires your unique skills." She cast a glance at the male drow that was sitting with Nathyrra. "I should have known you'd be here with him."
The male drow for his part just grinned. "What can I say? She can't resist me."
Viconia smiled wickedly in response. "Nathyrra, I tried to warn you about him, but did you listen to me? Nooo."
The male drow's grin widened. "You're just jealous, Viconia, that she has me and you don't," he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.
Viconia snorted. "In your dreams, male." Her smile had also grown.
Nathyrra was doing her best to keep a straight face at the antics of her friends. "Don't the pair of you ever stop?" she asked. These two were something of a puzzle in the Seer's camp, as it was obvious they had a shared past, but neither talked about it much. "I better go then." Nathyrra said. "And I'll see you later, male," she purred before leaving the booth.
Viconia waited a few moments before she sat down in the seat that Nathyrra had just vacated. Schooling her expression into one of seriousness, she looked the male drow in the eye and said, "Solaufein, we need to talk. It's Serena."
Here is the translation of the drow used.
Sarn lil velg'larn's inthen. Beware the assassin's schemes.
Naut mzilt d' biu velg'larn ph' dos? Not much of an assassin, are you?
Vel'uss fris dos? Who sent you?
Usstan orn naut tesso dos rivvil jalil. I will not tell you human female.
Dos inbal hojjau. Dos zhaun vel'bol nindel mii'n. You have failed. You know what that means.
Elghinn. Death.
Nindel orn'la tlu ichl rescho. Lil ap'za d' natha Dothka zhah vel'bol il'tess dos. That would be too easy. The fate of a Drider is what awaits you.