"Well here we are, Deek, the first level of Undermountain. Doesn't look all that bad, does it?" Serena said, surveying her surroundings. But as she well knew, looks could be and usually were deceiving. She herself was a good example of that. So Serena knew to tread very carefully.
"Um no, boss. Deekin be's expecting it to be more depressing somehow, after all the tales I've read that the old master had," the kobold said.
"You... you're not a fairy!" an emaciated goblin said as it slunk out of the shadows. "No, no, no. But you don't work for the ogre, no, no, no. Grovel's never seen you before, I'd remember." He approached Serena and Deekin uncertainly. "Maybe... maybe you don't work for anyone, maybe, maybe? Yes? No?"
"What in Torm's name are you talking about, goblin?" Serena asked, feeling somewhat sorry for the pathetic looking creature.
"Yes, that's good," Grovel replied, seemingly having taken no notice of what Serena had said. "Good, good, good. Everyone else down here has gone mad, fighting and killing, but not you. No, no, no."
"Deekin thinks goblin's gone crazy, boss," the kobold whispered.
"You said something about ogres and fairies fighting?" Serena asked.
"Yes. Ogres to the north, fairies to the south." The goblin pointed in each direction. "Armies of the Ogre Mage and Fairy Queen. Fighting for control. Both think they should be in charge now that Halaster's gone."
Serena frowned. "Gone? What do you mean Halaster's gone?"
Grovel shrugged. "Halaster's gone. Don't know where, no, no, no. But he's gone, yes, yes, yes. That's why the creatures in Undermountain are fighting. Halaster made us play nice, but now he's gone."
Serna sighed heavily. "Oh wonderful, Durnan's going to be so thrilled about this," she muttered, eyeing the goblin. "The question is, what do I do with you, hmm?"
"Grovel wants out of dungeon. Too much fighting, too much killing. You can help yes? Maybe, yes? You can help Grovel escape?" the goblin asked, almost begging.
Serena shook her head. He certainly lives up to his name, and killing him isn't really an option, she thought. "Alright, but I know I'm going to regret this. You'll find your way out by going through the door behind me," Serena said. "You'll come to a rope. Pull it and you'll be taken to the surface. Tell Durnan that Serena sent you."
Grovel didn't need telling twice, for he was out the door as soon as Serena had finished speaking.
"So Deek, you were telling me that Tymofarrar had books on Undermountain?" Serena asked the kobold, as she crouched down to inspect a series of arcane glyphs making a circle on the floor. "Do you remember anything about it?"
"Some stuff, boss," Deekin replied. "Umm, what's you doing, boss?"
"There was something about these glyphs that seemed familiar to me. And if my guess is right, I think this is a magical trap of sorts though this one seems to have lost its power. There will be more scattered about, so whatever you do, don't walk through them unless you have to," Serena said, standing up.
Deekin looked at the battle priestess for a while, then asked "You haven't been studying to be mage, have you?"
She shook her head and smiled. "No, Deek, most of that goes way over my head, but I have spent a few years in the company of mages, so some stuff is bound to stick in your head, I guess. And if you see anything that looks familiar to you, tell me, okay?"
"Okay, boss," the bard replied, as he scribbled some notes in his book about the boss and mages. Then they continued on their way, keeping an eye out for more traps. They turned the corner and hadn't gone a dozen steps when he spoke. "Deekin sees dead people. In this case, Deekin sees bard lady from inn. Remember her, boss?"
Serena had to smile as she knelt by Sharwyn's body. "I do indeed, Deek," she said as she carefully rolled Sharwyn onto her stomach. "Ouch, nasty. So that's how they got you, hmm?" In the bard's lower back, grouped close together, were the remains of three arrow shafts. Serena rummaged through her pack for a tool to assist her in extracting the arrow heads. It was going to be a pointless exercise resurrecting Sharwyn otherwise, drow poison being what it was. That job done, made easier by the fact the patient was dead, Serena gently rolled Sharwyn over onto her back, and then stood and cast the resurrection spell.
Sharwyn's eyes fluttered open, and she slowly stood, her face showing dawning horror as she realised where she was. "This… This is Undermountain… How did I…?" She turned to face Serena. "What happened? Did I die? Who are you?" Sharwyn asked, clearly confused.
"My name's Serena and the little guy is Deekin. We were at the Yawning Portal Inn, remember?"
Sharwyn nodded slowly as she remembered. "There was a beholder, wasn't there?"
"Yes, and you did something really dumb, like following it," Serena said, the mild reprimand evident in her voice. "And ran head long into a drow ambush, judging by the three arrow heads I just dug out of your back."
Sharwyn blushed. "Oh, this is embarrassing. Thank you for bringing me back, Serena."
"Just don't make a habit of it, okay?" Serena smiled. "How do you feel?" she asked.
"Sore," Sharwyn replied, rubbing her lower back. "And tired."
"Then go back to the inn and rest up. Deekin and I will keep going and see if we can find the others. If I need you, I know where to find you."
Sharwyn nodded gratefully, for she was glad to be back among the living, and left Serena and Deekin to explore Undermountain. The pair made their way to an intersection of sorts. Its dominant feature was a bridge across a lava pool.
There were four levers, two on either side of the bridge, and on the bridge itself there were twelve coloured pillars blocking the way.
"That be awful lot of pillars, Deekin thinking. Maybe some sort of puzzle to stop us from going to next level maybe?" the kobold asked, looking at the bridge.
Serena grinned. "You don't say, Deek. I'd never have guessed. But yes, this just screams 'puzzle' and 'test' to me," she said, walking up to inspect the levers. "Hmm, their control rods are missing." Looking at the pillars, it wasn't hard to work out how this puzzle worked. "The puzzle is easy enough to solve. However, finding the coloured control rods is going to be the hard bit." Serena sighed as she looked around her. "Just what I wanted to be doing, looking for control rods in some mad wizard's dungeon. Come on, Deek, let's see what we can find." With that, the human battle priestess and the kobold bard set off to explore Undermountain for nothing more trivial than control rods. But who knows, they might find something more interesting, too.
Serena and Deekin had run into a small drow ambush, which they had soon dispatched. They had also seen ogres and fairies fighting each other which lent credibility to what the goblin Grovel had told them about Halaster being missing. Serena had a feeling that the drow somehow had captured the mage, though proving it would be another matter.
The two companions had entered a large room that had an imposing sign reading 'Disturb not the rest of the Sleeping Kings.' Looking about the room, it wasn't hard to see what the sign was referring to, as seated on the thrones placed about the outer walls of the room were the remains of various rulers of the north. Serena scowled at the sight before her. As a cleric of Torm, she hated undead. She had hated undead before she became a cleric, but now was better able to deal with them.
"Ummm, boss?" Deekin said, looking round in awe. "This be the hall of sleeping kings."
"Hmm 'sleeping' I suppose is one term you could use, but undead seems better." The disapproval of Halaster was evident in Serena's voice.
"They be great kings and queens and sorcerers, all from northern lands that existed before other lands that have also been forgotten. That mean they really old, boss. They wons great wars against enemies who not even exists anymore. And here they is given place of honour by Halaster. Here they sleeps," Deekin explained.
Gazing round the room Serena spoke. "There is no honour in this, Deekin. This is sacrilege of the highest order. If these people are as old as you say, then they should be resting peacefully in some long buried and forgotten tomb. Not here on display for the ghoulish entertainment of some mad wizard." Disapproval dripped from every word.
"What's you going to do, boss?" Deekin asked.
"The only thing I can do. Destroy them. Then at least they can rest," Serena replied grimly as she walked into the room, her intent clear in her eyes. Deekin trailed behind, looking round, worried. He never liked fighting undead, but now the boss was going to intentionally attack some?
They hadn't taken more than twenty steps into the room when a black longsword threatened to jump right out of the hand of the skeleton that held it. "You there! Yes, you! Take me out of this brute's hand and away from here! I swear if I must suffer one more decade staring at this room I shall go mad!" the sword spoke.
"There is something you don't see everyday. A talking longsword," remarked Serena dryly, being all too familiar with sentient weapons. "Who, or a better question might be, what are you?"
The sword sighed dramatically. "Far be it from me to make a simple request and hope that an adventurer might do as they are asked for once. No? Fine. Let's start this out correctly, shall we? My name is Enserric the Grey. Or at least that was my name before my spirit was drawn into this blasted weapon." Deekin couldn't help but chuckle at this. "Yes, yes chuckle away at my predicament, go ahead." He didn't find it so funny after all. "You see, I was once an adventurer just as you are, finding my path through infamous Undermountain, when I was killed by this sword and my soul was sucked inside. Here I have been ever since."
"That's unfortunate. I guess I can take you with me, as I was planning on destroying these abominations," Serena replied.
The sword glittered. "You're a cleric? Or a paladin perhaps? An undead hunter? Oh, lucky me. Well then, grab hold already, then you can put these 'sleeping kings' to rest permanently."
Instead of grabbing Enserric as he'd thought Serena would, she instead drew her own longsword, Daystar. She brought it down on the skeleton's hand that held Enserric and shattered it, causing the black sword to clatter to the floor. "Hey, watch it, I might chip easily!" the sword yelled. This also caused the remaining undead kings to be more than a little upset with Serena, which was fine by her as she set to work turning them or just whacking them with Daystar. Deekin did his bit, too, but he mainly let Serena do the work. Soon the undead kings were really dead, and Serena collected what weapons they had dropped. Then she walked back and picked up Enserric.
"Sorry about that, but it worked, didn't it?" Serena said, as she found a place for him on her belt.
"Yes, I suppose. I'm just going to become a fashion accessory, I can tell. You have more than enough weapons as it is, and very powerful ones if what I'm feeling is any indication," the sword observed dryly. "But it is better than being in the hand of some undead brute. I may even see Waterdeep again with any luck."
"Maybe," Serena said. "If you're good, I might use you once in a while. But first I have to hunt down the mad wizard that created this infernal dungeon."
"Oh, payback, I like that idea. That's if you can even find Halaster. This is his domain after all," the sword said
"I think he's been captured by the drow, as they have been attacking Waterdeep through Undermountain," Serena told him
"The drow attacking Waterdeep?" inquired Enserric. "Things have changed since I become imprisoned in this sword. But then it has been four decades, closer to five, since I became stuck. Time soon has little meaning when you're in the blade of a weapon."
"Stuck?" asked Serena, raising an eyebrow.
"Don't ask," snapped the sword. "I'd rather not talk about that."
"Fine for now. Come on, Deek, we've got two of the control rods. Let's see what else we can find." So saying, Serena led her faithful kobold companion and a talking longsword from the now empty Hall of Sleeping Kings.
Nathyrra entered the Seer's temple, curious to know why she had been summoned. "Sergeant Osyer, do you know why I've been summoned?" she asked as she walked up to the door he guarded.
"No, Lady Nathyrra. But it may have something to do with the human woman. Be wary of Valen, ma'am. He wasn't too happy when the Seer told him that she was planning on replacing him as general." Nathyrra's eyebrows rose at that. "Go right in, the Seer is expecting you," the Sergeant said.
Nathyrra walked passed Osyer and into the Seer's office. She saw Valen brooding in one corner, and as the Sergeant had said, he didn't seem too happy about being demoted. The Seer, as always, seemed serene and calm, seated behind her desk.
"Ah, Nathyrra, it's good you've come so quickly. I have a mission for you, as you are the best suited to this task," the Seer said. "We've been getting reports that Serena has been seen in Undermountain, and that she has already been responsible for the destruction of the assault force the Valsharess sent against the human inn. She is also presumed to be behind the loss of the Red Sister who was sent to kill her."
Nathyrra's eyebrows rose. "That's impressive. The Red Sisters are the best the Valsharess has."
The Seer nodded. "I want you to go into Undermountain and locate Serena. Help her in any way you think is best. She must free the mad wizard Halaster. Then and only then dare we ask her to help us. Once Waterdeep is safe from attacks by the Valsharess, Serena will be more open to listening to us."
"I do not mean any disrespect, Seer," Valen began. "But how can you be so sure that she will even listen to Nathyrra once the mad mage is free? She will have done the job she has obviously set out to do, and stopped the attacks of the Valsharess's forces on the surface." He briefly glanced at the former Red Sister. "And for all we know, Serena may see the death of any drow as a good thing. You could be sending Nathyrra to her death."
The Seer held Valen's gaze for a time before she replied. "To answer your first concern, I trust in the goddess and you must learn to trust me, dear Valen. As to your second, if that were the case, then my head cleric would have already met her end by Serena's blade," she stated calmly.
Nathyrra blinked. "Are you telling us that Viconia has met Serena before?"
"I am not certain, Nathyrra, but I suspect that to be the case," the Seer replied.
"Oh look, a dead half-orc barbarian, now how do you suppose he got here?" Serena deadpanned, looking down at Daelan's body. They were in a long narrow room with mirrors on either side. According to Deekin it was called, oddly enough, the hall of mirrors.
Almost as soon as Serena had cast a resurrection spell, Daelan's eyes snapped open and darted from side to side, seeking possible threats that weren't there. Only then did his eyes focus on Serena looming over him.
"How... how did I get here?" the half-orc asked as he slowly stood. "I remember a fight and then... only darkness." He looked into Serena's face. "Yet you seem familiar to me, have we met before? Are you an ally?" Daelan asked.
"We have indeed met before, at Durnan's inn," Serena replied.
"Yes, that right, you're Serena Darkstar the famous battle priestess," Daelan said, starting to remember. "There was a fight at the inn, wasn't there... a beholder and we chased it down here. I became separated from the others... I remember dying," the half-orc said, looking at Serena. "You raised me, didn't you? For that you have my thanks."
"You're welcome, Daelan," Serena replied with a smile. "I think you should return to the inn and rest up. I'm sure Sharwyn will be glad to know you're alright. I haven't come across the other two yet, though."
"I'm sure you'll find them eventually, Serena. Thank you again for bringing me back," Daelan said before he made his way back to the inn.
No sooner had Serena and Deekin had entered the northern part of the first level of Undermountain than they came under almost constant attack from trolls, ogres and orcs. "Orcs, there's always orcs!" lamented Enserric.
They made their way through the maze of corridors, and dealt with a few drow scouting parties as well as the other monsters. At last they came to a chamber that held a powerful Ogre Mage, who seemed to be the leader of the monsters here. Serena and Deekin spent about five minutes chasing him round the chamber, but at last Serena had him cornered. She'd raised her greatsword Carsomyr above her head, ready to bring it down and shatter the ogre's skull, thus killing him, when he did something unexpected. He surrendered.
"I'm obviously no match for you, my good friend. We are both civilised creatures. There is no need to kill me. You defeated me in good cavalier fashion, so what would you have me do?" the ogre said, feeling the effects of the battle.
Serena blinked a few times, trying to get her brain to process the information. "You're very well spoken, for an ogre. Though given the fact you're a mage, obviously you'd have the intellect to match." Without much conscious thought, Serena cast a group healing spell for herself and Deekin, as well as the mage who had taken a bit a of beating. "That's better," she said.
"Thank you, good woman. It'll be better to talk when one is not in danger of falling flat on one's face due to a lack of blood," the ogre said with a slight grin. "Yes, you'd think with me being a powerful wizard that people would also realise that I'm also highly intelligent. However, when they see this body, they fear the worst," he said, gesturing to his large frame. "My enemies tend to underestimate me, except for you, it seems." The mage rubbed his chin in thought. "I suppose it's safe to assume that my forces have been devastated beyond repair? It seems that oversized fairy will rule this level after all. So, what are your terms of surrender?"
Serena looked taken aback. So that goblin was telling the truth after all, there really is a power struggle going on, she thought. "What fairy?" she asked. "I know I've seen fey and ogres fighting, but that hasn't been my concern. I've had other things on my mind."
The ogre mage's eyebrows rose in surprise. "Well, shatter my skull. I had assumed that you were an agent of the Fairy Queen, sent to best my army. This is a far superior situation. You see, she and I have been fighting to control this level of Undermountain ever since Halaster vanished."
"Ah, that explains a few things," Serena said. "However, I will not kill this Fairy Queen for you." The mage looked a little disappointed at this. "I do have a much better idea in mind, if I can get to her without too much killing, but somehow I doubt that," she explained. "I think you would be far better off working together than fighting each other, not to mention you could help me with a thing or two." Serena's eyes sparkled, for she had a plan to slow down the drow.
"You know, it shames me to say this, but why didn't I think of it before? But you may be right. The Fairy Queen is a powerful sorceress, so her skills would complement mine."
"Sometimes we don't see the answer for all that it is right in front of us," Serena replied. "Do you know where the bridge pillar puzzle is, in the central section?" The Ogre Mage nodded. "Good. I'll meet you there with hopefully the Fairy Queen in tow, and then I'll explain what I'd like a hand with."
It took Solaufein several seconds to react to what Viconia had said. "Talk about digging up the past," he said. "Are you sure it was Serena?"
Viconia nodded. "Yes, very certain. Even if the Seer hadn't told us her name, I knew it was Serena by the armour and greatsword. Her armour was custom made for her and the greatsword was a gift to her from Sir Keldorn."
Solaufein leaned back. "You know, this is going to make life interesting, given Serena's heritage and all."
"That shouldn't be a problem as Serena gave up her claim to that particular heritage years ago. I was there, if you recall. Serena is just an ordinary human these days," Viconia reminded him.
"There is that, I suppose," replied Solaufein. "It is almost a pity that Serena does not have her more unusual… abilities. It would serve the Valsharess right if she did." The battle mage grinned at the thought of that encounter. "However, in any event, if Serena's past were to come to light and what she was, that information alone could course panic and confusion. Something we do not really need."
"Then we make sure it doesn't come to light. We are, after all, the only two in all of Lith My'athar who know Serena," Viconia said, leaning forward to make her point
Solaufein nodded absently, as his attention had been taken by something else. "Now that's strange. What is Tebimar, Patron Protector of House Mavi'ir doing here? Why isn't he in their public house?" It was rare to see any of House Mavi'ir's soldiers in this public house, much less such a high ranking officer.
Viconia had turned to see. "Getting drunk, by the looks of it," she observed.
"Maybe so, but the question remains: Why here?" Solaufein said, as he stood up. "Think I'll go and pay Tebimar a visit. Looks as though he could do with a friend to talk to, wouldn't you say?"
Viconia grinned. "Yes, and anything he says will be dutifully relayed to Imloth and the Seer in due course."
Solaufein looked hurt. "Am I really that transparent?' he asked.
"I know you too well," said Viconia as she too stood. "Go play your spy games. I've got work to get back to."
"The drow have been attacking Waterdeep for the past several weeks and they have been coming through Undermountain. I believe that somehow the drow have captured Halaster, for what end is anyone's guess. I was hired indirectly by the lords of the city to find what in the hells is going on in this infernal place," Serena explained to her audience of two. "Then of course, I got caught up in your private little war when all I was concerned about were finding the damned control rods for that." She waved in the direction of the bridge pillar puzzle that was behind her.
"It is perhaps a good thing that you got involved with our disagreement, otherwise we may not have realised that we were better off working together than against each other," Olgin Hasterean the Ogre Mage replied.
Serena grinned. "I trust that the drow will from now on be getting a much warmer reception when they try and pass through this level?"
"Indeed they will, my lady," the Fairy Queen answered. "We will do what we can to keep them from reaching the city. And we wish you luck in your hunt for Halaster the Mad."
Serena snorted. "Halaster will be the one in need of luck by the time I find him. For when I do, I'll most likely have to resist the temptation to kill him for making me go through this infernal rat maze to find him."
"We better goes tell Durnan what we found out, boss," Deekin said.
"I guess you're right, Deek, and it'll give me a chance to off load some of this junk we've collected." Serena sighed. She wasn't looking forward to dealing with the stubborn innkeeper.
"I am not junk!" Enserric replied, indignant.
"I wasn't talking about you, so hush," Serena admonished the sword. "I was meaning the other weapons, armour and such we've found that Halaster had scattered about." Then she had an idea. "Unless of course there is anything the two of you can use. If there is, you're welcome to it," she said to the fairy and the ogre.
"That is most generous of you, my good woman," replied Olgin. So while Serena went to visit Durnan to tell him what she'd found out, she left the three magic bags' worth of loot for the ogre and fairy to go through. Serena would pick up what was left on her way back through to the second level of Undermountain. Everyone concerned was happy with the outcome, as Waterdeep had unknowingly gained two unseen allies who would make life harder for the drow in Undermountain, thanks to Serena's diplomacy skills.
"Viconia? Can I ask you about Serena?" asked Nathyrra, as she entered the area of the temple which was set aside for the clerics to make healing potions and such.
Viconia frowned slightly as she looked up from her alchemy table. "I don't see why not."
"The Seer seems to think that you may have met her before. Is that the case?" the former Red Sister asked.
The cleric's frown deepened. "Yes, I have met Serena before, though it was years ago now. What of it?" Viconia asked, puzzled.
"How did you come to meet her? I find it strange that you are here now." It was hard for Nathyrra to put into words what she truly wanted to know.
Viconia's frown vanished, to be replaced by a smile. "The situation I found myself in was complicated. I had run afoul of the authorities on the surface. I don't think I was completely blameless. However, I ran into Serena's group and she did the right thing, at least in her estimation, and protected me from the overzealous guardsmen who had been sent to arrest me," Viconia explained. "However, they had no intention of arresting me. They were simply going to kill me and be done with it. Serena disagreed strongly, saying that if I had been accused of a crime as they said, then I had the right to prove my innocence first even if I were a drow. Needless to say, it didn't end well," Viconia said, finishing her story of first meeting Serena near Balder's Gate. "I hope that answers your question? Serena is a good woman, Nathyrra. You have nothing to fear from her."
"Yes, thank you, Viconia, that does answer what I wished to know," Nathyrra said. "The Seer has asked me to go into Undermountain and make contact with Serena and help as I am able. Valen, as you would expect, was uncertain as to the wisdom of this."
Viconia chuckled. "I will have to try and be present when Valen meets Serena for the first time. It should prove… entertaining. From what I remember, Serena has something of a…. forceful personality. She will not let Valen intimidate her easily."
The former Red Sister nodded and left the cleric to her work. Nathyrra could not help but wonder just how well Viconia knew the Seer's chosen champion.