Prologue - Everything
There was no sun, no clouds, no birds. There was no sky for them to call home.
Rock grew up on all sides, for this was the Underdark. The solid rock was a
hindrance more than it helped. Every footstep, whisper reverberated almost
endlessly. Eventually someone was going to hear it and know that they were
coming.
"This seems like a good enough place to make camp," the apparent leader of the
small group called to the others. "We aren't too close to either the beholders,
or the illithid."
The apparent leader, though felt no ties to the title, exuded an aura of power
and control to all those around her. It never overpowered them, but seemed to
bolster them, giving them hope and confidence in whatever task lay before them.
Separated, her features bore no resemblance to anything powerful. However, the
whole of her was something many people sought to behold.
Donnia Thensbane was on her third grand-scale adventure. She had much more
experience than most would grant her, but most did not know her.
She stood at a quite tall 5'10". Her long fire-red hair pulled off her face by a
short bit of rope and hung down her back. Her eyes, an almost indescribable
green, quickly surveyed the land before her, taking in every detail. Should
there be an attack in the night, such information would be handy.
For the first time in days she removed her sword and sheath and laid them aside
to help make camp. Immediately she welcomed the relief from its weight. Though
during a battle, her weapon was no more an encumbrance than her own arms. It
served as an extension of her body, and a deadly one at that.
She had been traveling with her current companions for a short period of time,
but already they had melded together to form an all but impenetrable front.
Their rhythms offset the others' in perfect balance. Already they had proven
their strength in battle, and sadly, they would have to prove it again.
Her companions also gave the group an interesting appearance. They were not
those that you would often find traveling together. Donnia, being a human from
the surface, had met up with Nathyrra and Valen Shadowbreath upon arriving in
the Underdark. Nathyrra was a Drow sorceress who had also great skills as an
assassin. She had turned her back on her Drow counterparts to join up with the
Seer and the fellow believers of Elistraee. Like most of the Drow, she was
beautiful. Her hair was long and, what little light there was reflected from her
hair to make it seem as though it glowed. Her armor, a dark breastplate, had
been made especially for her. It never hampered her movements, but seemed to
give her added mobility instead.
Valen was a tiefling, a half human half demon, who had fought in the Blood Wars
for an immeasurable amount of time. He too was with the Seer when she first came
to the Underdark in Lith My'athar. He had sworn to protect the Seer and her
followers with his life. He had done the same for Donnia when she agreed to help
the Seer, and all of the Underdark for that matter, in fighting the great
Valsharess.
Despite swearing to protect her, Valen never fully trusted Donnia. There was
good reason; she was a surfacer, she knew nothing of the Underdark, except for
that she had learned by her current experience. She had also had a geas placed
upon her, forcing her to go into the Underdark. However, after facing down
golems, duergar, and some Drow already, she never seemed to falter in her cause.
She never did anything to endanger the group. In fact, it seemed as though she
went out of her way to protect them. For instance, each night when they would
stop to rest, she always took first watch. If whoever was next did not wake up
in time to relieve her, she stayed up and let them rest until they did wake up.
Even after retiring to her own blankets, she was always on the ready for battle.
In his mixed heritage, Valen produced an interesting image. He stood very tall
at 6'4". Most of the time his eyes were a compelling blue. Sometimes though, in
battle, they would turn searing red, striking more fear into his opponent than
his actual attack. If his eyes did not do the trick, his horns usually got
attention, as did his tail. However, to Donnia, they were interesting. Never
before had she ever met anyone like him, in appearance nor personality.
"Donnia?" Valen asked. "Will you be taking first watch again?"
"Yes, unless you would prefer to do it." She truly did not mind being on watch.
She usually only half-slept anyway, and was most always on guard for an attack.
Valen carefully thought over his words, "No, but would you mind...company?"
"Not at all." Company? Donnia thought to herself. He's barely spoken to me the entire time we've been out here.
At this Valen seemed almost relieved. "Good. I'm not all that tired, and you have spent some time asking questions
about me and the things I've done...I was hoping you would tell me about
yourself."
This was not the first time someone had wanted to know more about her, but it
was really the first time she had wanted to tell it. Though she was thankful that he was wanting to speak on something more than the situation at hand. "What do you want to know?"
At this, Valen hesitated, and appeared to blush. "Everything."
There was no sun, no clouds, no birds. There was no sky for them to call home.
Rock grew up on all sides, for this was the Underdark. The solid rock was a
hindrance more than it helped. Every footstep, whisper reverberated almost
endlessly. Eventually someone was going to hear it and know that they were
coming.
"This seems like a good enough place to make camp," the apparent leader of the
small group called to the others. "We aren't too close to either the beholders,
or the illithid."
The apparent leader, though felt no ties to the title, exuded an aura of power
and control to all those around her. It never overpowered them, but seemed to
bolster them, giving them hope and confidence in whatever task lay before them.
Separated, her features bore no resemblance to anything powerful. However, the
whole of her was something many people sought to behold.
Donnia Thensbane was on her third grand-scale adventure. She had much more
experience than most would grant her, but most did not know her.
She stood at a quite tall 5'10". Her long fire-red hair pulled off her face by a
short bit of rope and hung down her back. Her eyes, an almost indescribable
green, quickly surveyed the land before her, taking in every detail. Should
there be an attack in the night, such information would be handy.
For the first time in days she removed her sword and sheath and laid them aside
to help make camp. Immediately she welcomed the relief from its weight. Though
during a battle, her weapon was no more an encumbrance than her own arms. It
served as an extension of her body, and a deadly one at that.
She had been traveling with her current companions for a short period of time,
but already they had melded together to form an all but impenetrable front.
Their rhythms offset the others' in perfect balance. Already they had proven
their strength in battle, and sadly, they would have to prove it again.
Her companions also gave the group an interesting appearance. They were not
those that you would often find traveling together. Donnia, being a human from
the surface, had met up with Nathyrra and Valen Shadowbreath upon arriving in
the Underdark. Nathyrra was a Drow sorceress who had also great skills as an
assassin. She had turned her back on her Drow counterparts to join up with the
Seer and the fellow believers of Elistraee. Like most of the Drow, she was
beautiful. Her hair was long and, what little light there was reflected from her
hair to make it seem as though it glowed. Her armor, a dark breastplate, had
been made especially for her. It never hampered her movements, but seemed to
give her added mobility instead.
Valen was a tiefling, a half human half demon, who had fought in the Blood Wars
for an immeasurable amount of time. He too was with the Seer when she first came
to the Underdark in Lith My'athar. He had sworn to protect the Seer and her
followers with his life. He had done the same for Donnia when she agreed to help
the Seer, and all of the Underdark for that matter, in fighting the great
Valsharess.
Despite swearing to protect her, Valen never fully trusted Donnia. There was
good reason; she was a surfacer, she knew nothing of the Underdark, except for
that she had learned by her current experience. She had also had a geas placed
upon her, forcing her to go into the Underdark. However, after facing down
golems, duergar, and some Drow already, she never seemed to falter in her cause.
She never did anything to endanger the group. In fact, it seemed as though she
went out of her way to protect them. For instance, each night when they would
stop to rest, she always took first watch. If whoever was next did not wake up
in time to relieve her, she stayed up and let them rest until they did wake up.
Even after retiring to her own blankets, she was always on the ready for battle.
In his mixed heritage, Valen produced an interesting image. He stood very tall
at 6'4". Most of the time his eyes were a compelling blue. Sometimes though, in
battle, they would turn searing red, striking more fear into his opponent than
his actual attack. If his eyes did not do the trick, his horns usually got
attention, as did his tail. However, to Donnia, they were interesting. Never
before had she ever met anyone like him, in appearance nor personality.
"Donnia?" Valen asked. "Will you be taking first watch again?"
"Yes, unless you would prefer to do it." She truly did not mind being on watch.
She usually only half-slept anyway, and was most always on guard for an attack.
Valen carefully thought over his words, "No, but would you mind...company?"
"Not at all." Company? Donnia thought to herself. He's barely spoken to me the entire time we've been out here.
At this Valen seemed almost relieved. "Good. I'm not all that tired, and you have spent some time asking questions
about me and the things I've done...I was hoping you would tell me about
yourself."
This was not the first time someone had wanted to know more about her, but it
was really the first time she had wanted to tell it. Though she was thankful that he was wanting to speak on something more than the situation at hand. "What do you want to know?"
At this, Valen hesitated, and appeared to blush. "Everything."