General disclaimer: I own nothing, even Maiyn generally decides her own path.

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Adventures in the Dark

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By the time the companions caught up with Solaufein he was in conversation with a wispy looking woman clad in a dark black robe with silver embroidering covering the back, making it look as if a thousand spiders had made their home there. Her long white hair was pushed behind her dark pointed ears, and her red eyes glowed critically as she looked over them, only seeming to half-heartedly listen to the male's words.

"Handmaiden Imrae, favoured of Lolth, these are the travellers from Ched Nasad, led by Veldrin, who might be of great use," he was saying. Imrae sneered and looked at Maiyn.

"Your story has been verified so far, Veldrin of Ched Nasad," she said -- her voice was low and almost seductive, but the threat was there. "And that is why you have not been sold as a lowly slave or made an amusement in the tavern... but you still have no place here! You are fortunate, indeed, that many of our finest warriors are busy with... preparations. Elsewhere. Fortunate enough that a Matron Mother has decided to make use of you."

Maiyn held her gaze until she felt a sharp prod in the small of her back. On cue, she dropped her eyes to the ground, allowing herself to look lowly enough to appease the handmaiden. It appeared to work.

"Cling to that sole hope, worms," continued Imrae as she looked over them all, disdain shining from her eyes. "Do not fail the Matron Mother... for if you do, the horrors of your punishment shall be far more terrible than had we beset you at the gate!" She looked back to Solaufein, scowling as she did. "Explain what has occurred, Solaufein. And be quick about it, male, for the Spider Queen demands my attention."

"At once, Handmaiden." Maiyn looked up to catch a flash of anger in his eyes as he glanced quickly to the maiden -- her attention had taken her gaze elsewhere, and his daring act of rebellion was small, but a telling sign for the ranger. He looked to her, seemingly unaware of her notice, and continued. "If I were to speak of the devourers, Veldrin... you would know what of I speak, yes?"

Maiyn shifted slightly, then caught a faint, fierce whisper. "Illithids!" It was Xan's voice, and she almost smiled in relief -- composing herself she returned her gaze to the dark elf's glare.

"You mean the illithid? Yes, I know what they are."

Solaufein's eyebrow rose slightly, and he nodded slowly. "Yes, I believe that is the name they call themselves... very intelligent of you. The psions have long been one of our fiercest enemies. A Matron Mother's eldest daughter ran afoul of devourers while scouting. Her fool companions fled or were slaughtered, and she was taken captive. They know a prize when they have one and so they will bring the daughter to their city; should they reach it she shall be lost forever. With the... preparations... of the armies, we are the only ones who can intercept them -- we must go to their cavern entrance and wait. Handmaiden Imrae has given me a blessed item of Lolth that will pull the devourers from their astral travel there... and it is there we must pounce. The Matron Mother has no desire to see her eldest daughter become a snack for the devourers, so we must not fail! Do you understand, Veldrin?"

Maiyn nodded. "The... devourer city you speak of -- it is far from here?"

Imrae's face snapped back to regard the girl darkly. Solaufein frowned.

"It is not far, no," he replied at length. "Do you have an aversion to walking far?" His sentence ended with a cruel smile and Maiyn glared back at him. Imrae's expression seemed to soften slightly, obviously enjoying the small power struggle she was witnessing.

"We encountered some illithids on our way here -- hence our delay," Maiyn answered coldly. "We destroyed their lair to escape."

Solaufein drew back slightly, his glance darting to the handmaiden briefly. Maiyn's eyes narrowed triumphantly as she watched him, but she dared not look to the other drow until the soft tones of her voice echoed out.

"If this is true, the Matron Mother shall be exceptionally pleased with her choice of allies," she purred thoughtfully. "Solaufein! You will check the area; see if what Veldrin speaks of is true. If it is so, Phaere may be in even more danger if they get her back there -- they will have little reason to keep her alive, and her rescue and safe return is even more imperative."

"As you command, Handmaiden Imrae," snarled the male, his eyes unmoving from Maiyn. She returned his look evenly, allowing herself a satisfied smirk when he eventually turned away to stalk towards the gates of the city. Imrae addressed them before they could follow.

"Do this well, and Matron Mother Ardulace will be satisfied with your abilities. Do not expect your tales to be believed until we have them verified -- and be aware that any falsity will be looked upon most unfavourably. We have… ways to deal with such acts." With one last calculating look at Maiyn, the handmaiden swirled her robes, stalking down the steps of the platform and towards one of the roads leading into another part of the city. Maiyn quickly moved to the gates, noting that Solaufein seemed impatient to go. Jaheira was by her side almost in an instant.

"I know, I know," Maiyn said quietly, "I shouldn't have said that."

"On the contrary," Jaheira smiled wryly, "I think it may have worked. Risky as it is, we must now hope this Solaufein will report back accurately on what he discovers."

"And what if the more illithids have moved in?"

"You remember what the githyanki said, do you not? If we are exceptionally lucky, they will have swept through to cleanse the area and we can take the credit for the full job being done. If we are thought to be so powerful, we may escape having to prove ourselves needlessly to these creatures -- but also we will earn the interest of many more within Ust Natha. The sooner we can find the eggs, the better."

Maiyn nodded her agreement -- the line she'd chosen for them to follow was a fine one indeed, and now their safety would be down to how she continued to handle herself. It wasn't a pleasant feeling.

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They followed as Solaufein strode amongst the rocks and caves of the Underdark, not hesitating on his course at all. They crossed a rope bridge and entered a wide cavern that Maiyn instantly recognised from before, and she shot Jaheira a hopeful look. The druid nodded almost imperceptibly and signalled for the others to take up defensive positions as Maiyn continued forward, walking confidently up to the male drow as he fiddled with something in his hands.

"I sense the illithids' approach," he said strongly, holding up the item that Imrae had given him. "I shall bring them out of the astral plane when they come close -- be prepared."

Maiyn nodded, drawing herself back slightly and rejoining her comrades as they tensed, weapons drawn and ready for battle. The silence hung ominously around them as the seconds passed, and the ranger started to wonder if the drow was having difficulties. She was contemplating returning to his side to query the delay when the air around them distorted. Xan immediately backed away, his familiar mumbling beginning in preparation. Sime and Kivan drew back to stand before him, bows drawn and arrows readied. Jaheira, Minsc and Maiyn stood with their weapons drawn, watching as the air swirled around, and small flashes of light signalled where the astral plane had been breached, depositing its inhabitants ungracefully on the ground.

Soon there were several illithids and their pet umber hulks -- a solitary figure over by Solaufein was smaller and lither than any of the others, and failed to get to its feet -- by the male drow's concerned look, Maiyn could only assume it was the Matron Mother's daughter, but she put it to the back of her mind, concentrating on dodging the tentacled attacks of the illithids as they recovered from their disorientation. One by one the umber hulks fell, Larry easily cleaving through them, oddly silent due to the effects of Adalon's spell which had muted the sentient sword for safety. Maiyn could only imagine the backlash they'd get from it when the pretence was lifted.

Solaufein appeared by her side, driving one of his twin swords into the abdomen of the illithid she was fighting before spinning around with ease and striking out at another. Maiyn pulled back slightly, watching as he fought his way around the field with practiced ease, but she was glad to see that her own companions held their own just as well. Xan's spells had weakened many of their foes with acid, while Kivan and Sime's magical arrows proved enough distraction to make their opponents easy to target. Soon enough, the only astral traveller left living was figure who was slowly pulling herself up from her slumped position, angrily lashing out at Solaufein as he offered assistance. Shakily, she climbed to her legs, then looked around herself with a frown.

"It is about time that my captors were finally defeated," she said snidely, her gaze searching out Solaufein and fixing itself to him. "Hmph. I was beginning to think that they would reach their illithid city, after all."

Solaufein didn't bother to hide the smirk on his face. "Greetings, Phaere, daughter of Ardulace. I trust you are uninjured?" he asked with a mock bow.

"So... Matron Mother sent you, did she? How that must gall you, risking your life to save mine."

"I did as I was commanded," he replied shortly.

"Yes, you did... as any male should." She sneered. "You have done well enough, I suppose, you and your... assistants. Hmmmn... who is this female with you?" Maiyn lowered her eyes as Phaere looked at her, knowing that the Matron Mother's daughter would be delighted by such an action.

"That one? That is-"

"I am sure she can speak for herself, male," interrupted Phaere dismissively with a wave of her hand. "Am I correct? You have a tongue, yes? Who might you be?"

"I am no one of importance," mumbled Maiyn, suddenly forgetting her pseudonym and silently cursing herself. The drow woman's gaze was intense, almost frightening -- she was confident and assured, and almost certainly used to getting her way in every matter that involved her. Maiyn felt very uncomfortable.

"An excellent attitude to have." There was a trace of amusement in her voice. "But I am sure there is more to you than that. We shall have to speak more on this when we are back in Ust Natha."

"Before we return, I must look into the city and verify Veldrin's tale," snarled Solaufein, his words managing to break off Phaere's keen regard of the ranger. "She seems to be certain that the illithids within were destroyed by herself and her companions."

Phaere's eyebrow rose even further and she waved him on. "Well, go and check, male," she spat. "We will wait here -- there is no point risking us all if the tale is untrue, and your loss would not be missed for very long."

Solaufein glared. "They will come in with me," he replied curtly. "If they are so certain of what they said, then they will have no qualms in accompanying me. One may stay here to protect you."

Phaere laughed. "Certainly not," she said, her voice suddenly thoughtful. "Tell me, Veldrin... is it true? This city has been wiped out? Even the elder brain?"

Maiyn nodded mutely to her, trying once more to avoid her gaze. Solaufein snorted to her right, and Phaere merely rolled her eyes at him.

"Lead the way in, male," she ordered. "The others will follow you, and I will in turn follow them. If this is, indeed, true, then we may be able to acquire a prize for our Matron Mother."

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Never before had Maiyn been so thankful to be proven right -- it was uncertain if the githyanki had returned or not, but there was nothing living remaining in the city as they carefully stole their way through the passages. Before they entered, Maiyn brought out what brine potion they had left from their bag of holding, allowing Solaufein and Phaere to share it as they all drank some of the contents as a precaution. This small act had seemed to lessen the girl's hostility towards them, but increase her contempt of Solaufein tenfold, and when they reached the room of the fallen elder brain the girl leapt forward, demanding a bottle from the male drow and scraping as much of the sludgy remains as she could into it. She looked very pleased with herself as they left.

"I will return to Ust Natha now," she said haughtily, "but you must go to the eastern passages where the svirfneblin patrol. Before I was captured, Matron Mother Ardulace was incensed by the lack of respect they have been showing our patrols recently, and it is time we acted upon it. Kill the next scouting party that passes, and bring back the helmet of their leader to prove you've done the job."

"You are going to return on your own?" asked Solaufein in disbelief. "No! What if you encounter danger once again?! I shall not be responsible for-"

"I appreciate your touching 'concern', but I can handle myself, Solaufein," stated Phaere coldly. "And it is my command, so you have no choice. Farewell." Abruptly she walked away, her piwafwi cloak rippling behind her as she faded into the gloom.

"Blasted, arrogant wench!" snarled Solaufein, glaring after her. "May the Spider Queen bite at her black heart! I shall follow her, to ensure her over-confidence does not endanger us all -- I assume that you will have the ability to deal with some gnomes? After all, you managed to defeat a whole city of illithids." His voice carried a sarcastic tone, but Maiyn just smirked at him.

"I am sure we can manage without your swords," she replied coldly. "We will meet you back at the city."

He nodded. "Report to the tavern when you get back -- I shall ensure that Phaere knows to meet us there." He turned and left, and the companions waited until he'd disappeared, letting out a collective sigh of relief when they were on their own.

"This is getting worse," muttered Maiyn darkly. "What sort of attention is this going to get us when we get back?"

"The kind you don't want to think about," replied Xan morosely.

"We can only hope this Matron Mother wishes to protect her assets, and that we are safe being her favoured," mused Jaheira. "Either way -- we need to fulfil our promise to Adalon, as I said before, and leave with all haste. The politics of the drow are not to be played with."

"I agree," said Kivan quietly. "And I would also like to think we can return from this task without the need to spill any more blood -- the svirfneblin have shown us nothing but hospitality."

"Perhaps we can use guile to obtain it," suggested Sime thoughtfully. "A quick snatch from the darkness, perhaps? A small trap to hold them up, to steal it while they're distracted?"

"That would be preferential to fighting them," agreed Maiyn.

"Minsc and Boo must refuse to cause any harm to the little gnomes that gave us such comfortable, if small, beds," frowned the berserker. Maiyn jumped at the rumble of his deep voice, so unaccustomed to it after his prolonged silence, but she threw him a warm smile and nodded -- seeing him as a slightly more slender, slightly less tall, white-haired dark elf was still very distracting, however.

"Well, before we get too caught up in how to tackle this," she said, her voice serious once more to get everyone's attention, "we have a more pressing matter to attend to first."

"What is it?" asked Jaheira, an arched eyebrow showing some concern.

Maiyn smiled wryly. "Which way is east?"

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Despite having three rangers, a druid and a rogue in the group, the party discovered that navigation in the Underdark was unlike anywhere else. A lengthy debate followed Maiyn's question, where they established the general direction of Ust Natha from where they were. Xan was quick to point out that this meant nothing as they had no idea in what direction they were meant to have travelled in, and at long last, Maiyn had suggested retracing their steps and exploring the other passages leading off in the hope of somehow stumbling across a familiar looking passage that they knew headed towards the svirfneblin village.

So they trooped off quietly, Adalon's disguise having affected their equipment too, enabling them to move with the easy silence possessed by the other drow they'd encountered. Almost an hour had passed as they wandered around, wary of leaving the route back to Ust Natha too far behind, but intent on finding their quarry, when they stumbled across two others, seemingly lost. The strangers appeared to be completely oblivious to the potential foes coming up behind them, huddled together in the darkness as they conversed in hushed tones, seemingly about where they were going next. The group paused hesitantly, and the silence was broken by a sudden and extremely loud squeak coming from Boo.

The two jumped, spinning around to face them. Maiyn gasped, Jaheira stared dumbly, Minsc roared with joy, Kivan lowered his bow, Xan shook his head in disbelief and Sime laughed with relief. Imoen raised her hands and began chanting rapidly while Anomen drew out his mace, brandishing it at Kivan who was closest.

"Back, dark fiends!" he called out, much louder than Maiyn would have liked. "We will not willingly come as your slaves!"

"It's me! Maiyn!" Her words came out with the hint of strangeness that had become familiar and she swore loudly, closing her eyes and concentrating on the words, willing her tongue to revert to Common. She tried again, moving forward instinctively as she did, hoping it'd help them better hear her.

"It's me! Maiyn!"

Imoen's mumbling stopped and she looked at the party of drow in astonishment, her hands falling down to her sides. Anomen's face took on a look of horror as momentum carried through the move he'd begun -- his mace smashing against the ranger's head and knocking her to the ground where she lay, dazed. Both drow and humans stood, looking down at her for several long moments before Jaheira spoke.

"Footsteps!" she hissed, only too aware she was still using the dark tongue as Anomen and Imoen looked at her helplessly. "For the sake of appearances, we must appear to have caught these as our own slaves! Minsc, Kivan -- grab one each, hold them tightly -- Kivan, take Imoen, Minsc, take Anomen." The druid waved her arms around, trying to soothe the two humans desperately as they struggled in the grips of the men, then knelt by Maiyn.

"Urgh," said the ranger groggily.

"What is this?" The voice was loud and demanding of an answer, but remained cautious. Jaheira stood and glared at the female leader of the patrol.

"We have found two surfacers in our travels," she replied simply. "We will take them back to the city with us as a gift to our Matron Mother."

The newcomer drow peered past the druid, eyeing up Anomen and Imoen with a keen eye before returning her look to her fellow drow. Her eyes searched Jaheira's clothing for insignia, and when she discovered it she sneered simply.

"You are far from home, stranger," she hissed. "I suggest you leave them to us, and we will not require to show you how to give us the respect we deserve."

Jaheira drew herself up straighter, content to note she was taller than her adversary. Her voice was low and calm as she spoke, but it carried the real tone of a threat in it, her hand gliding over to the hilt of her club with an air of indifference. "Matron Mother Ardulace would be unhappy if we were to give up our prizes to those of a lesser station." It was a risk -- Jaheira couldn't recognise the insignia worn by the other female, but it differed from their own, and there was a good chance that it meant they were from a lesser house -- their initial carefulness, and arrogance only when they assumed they were dealing with strangers, had further fuelled her bluff.

It worked. The female took a step back, bowing her head slightly, and waving her three companions to move away. "My... apologies," she offered in a quiet mumble. "We will no longer delay the chosen of Matron Mother Ardulace."

Quickly they turned, leaving in the direction they'd arrived from. Jaheira reached down, helping Maiyn to her feet, checking there was no lasting damage. Maiyn murmured a quick healing spell to fix her bruised face, then rummaged around under her clothing, pulling out the symbol of Fenmarel that had remained unchanged by Adalon's spell. Imoen's eyes widened as she looked at it, then she nodded.

"It's okay Anomen," she whispered to him, causing him to cease his struggle in Minsc's firm grip. "It's really them. What happened? Can you tell us?"

Maiyn shook her head helplessly -- the concentration to speak through the spell was difficult to achieve, and dangerous in their surroundings. She turned to her other companions. "What do we do?"

Jaheira pointed to another of the tunnels. "That way -- it should take us towards Adalon's cave. We can ask if she will allow them to wait there until we return with her eggs, and we will also be close enough to familiar routes to look for a gnomish patrol."

"Good plan," Maiyn said, waving the others to head that way and nodding to Imoen and Anomen when they looked hesitantly after them. Maiyn and Jaheira followed them, taking up the rear and listening for the signs of any further approaches -- luck had been on their side so far in this endeavour, but it would be folly for them to begin to rely on it.

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"They are your friends?" Adalon looked at the two humans curiously, and they just stared back at her with slightly agape mouths.

"They are," answered Maiyn politely as Imoen nodded. "I know we ask much of you, but-"

Adalon waved a claw at her. "They will be safe here. You ask nothing of me, for now I am sure you mean to return my eggs. Why else would you leave anyone dear to you, here?"

Maiyn had to admit she had a point as they left -- Adalon assuring them that she would explain her illusion to the baffled pair. And what on Toril were they doing in the Underdark, of all places? Why hadn't Saemon got them safely back to Athkatla? She turned to Jaheira with her questions, only to have the druid pre-empt her with a raised hand.

"Questions later," she said firmly. "For now, we need to finish this svirfneblin task. Minsc, Kivan -- can either of you find a trail of a gnomish patrol near here?"

The two rangers looked around at the ground with the help of a magical torch provided by Xan. Eventually Minsc was fairly certain he'd found the prints of some smaller sets of feet, and the group followed them down a particularly twisty tunnel. Their luck seemed set to hold out -- before long they stumbled across three gnomes wandering towards them, who stopped abruptly.

"Drow, od golver d'tanyon! Da sugden os tera!" In unison, the three of them bowed humbly.

"I'm sorry, but I don't understand your tongue," said Maiyn apologetically. The gnomes looked up at her curiously.

"Ah... I had be thinking most drow knowing simple tongue of the stone," said the leader pleasantly. "Let me be talking the tongue of dark ones, yes?"

"Thank you, that is... better," she said quietly.

The svirfneblin smiled. "We be greeting you, dark ones. And we be asking for your purpose this place for being. Respecting you the peace as we?"

"Yes. I, ah... need you to give me your helmet, actually. Please."

The gnome's eyes widened and he stared long and hard at Maiyn before he spoke. "My helmet part of uniform, is. Giving it up, I simply cannot be. Why be needing you helmet, dark one?"

"We need it to prove to the drow that we have killed your patrol... which we have no intention of actually doing," said Kivan quietly.

The gnome looked alarmed. "Why would the dark ones be killing us? We be at peace, we is!"

"They do not seem to think you fear them enough, I believe," said Maiyn softly. "They wish to send out a message, both to you, and their enemies. Give us your helmet -- there is no need for us to shed blood today."

"We be fearing dark ones plenty!" insisted the gnome worriedly. "Always could they be all killing us, if they be wishing to! Grateful, we are, for your mercy!" He removed his helmet, holding it out for her. "Here it be. We will be going, now, and telling deep lords that much bowing and scraping to dark ones is to be done, if war to be avoided is."

"Be careful as you return," urged Maiyn. "We are not the only patrol out today -- return to your village as quickly as you can."

"Doing that, we will," he nodded, his fellows turning to head quickly back down the dark tunnel. He paused for a moment and looked at them, a strange expression in his eyes. "Thanking you for your mercy, we are. May the Deep Brother be smiling on you kindly, always." He turned and followed his companions while Maiyn stored his helmet into her bag of holding and sighed.

"We need to get back to the city," she murmured. "With everything we do, we're running the risk of something going horribly wrong."

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They hadn't gone far when Maiyn realised she'd taken a wrong turning; the passage began to slope upwards, and though much of the Underdark looked the same as everywhere else, she was almost certain they had not passed along this section before. She was about to call a halt when Kivan caught her arm, making her stop.

"Listen," he urged. She nodded -- she too could hear the pitter-patter of feet, and within seconds they were ready, weapons drawn as the kua-toans charged at them, their sheer numbers proving to be dangerous more than their skills. It didn't take long for the group to dispatch them, Minsc giving in to his berserker rage and cleaving his way easily through their ranks. Maiyn was too preoccupied trying to work out the best way to return to the city to notice him wandering closer to one of the other exits from the small cavern they found themselves in, and it was only when he roared that she froze; turning slowly as her companions raced after him in a desperate attempts to stop him.

"Look Boo! Fearsome drow, standing not a river's width away! Evil beware! Minsc and Boo stand ready!"

There was no chance of reaching him, however, and he had charged into the baffled drow guard post, injuring the two guards before they readied their own weapons.

"What is this?" one called out. "Treachery in our own ranks?"

"We will feast on your flesh, strangers!" hissed his companion, twirling his blade expertly and bearing down on Sime. "None of you shall walk away from this mistake!"

They had not counted on the seemingly lithe drow being quite so formidable a foe, however, and the strength Minsc displayed was enough to give the group the advantage, Jaheira and Maiyn both managing to deal the fatal blows to the respective opponents while Kivan leapt to Minsc, trying to contain him until he regained his senses.

Maiyn sighed loudly, only barely refraining from swearing when she caught sight of Jaheira. The druid was staring intently at Minsc -- not in a particularly unfriendly way, but more with worry and concern.

"We need to return to Adalon," she said. "She may need to look after three."

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"He did what?" Adalon's voice had a trace of amusement, but her concern was genuine enough -- no action would be welcome that overall could threaten the safety of her eggs. Maiyn explained it again.

"And so we feel it would be better if he also remained here," she said quietly. "A loss of concentration like that in Ust Natha itself would be suicidal."

Adalon nodded. "He may stay -- how will you explain his absence?"

"We will say the slaves we found managed to overpower him near one of the chasms, and he fell to his death," said Jaheira. "The slaves followed the same fate for their actions."

Adalon looked thoughtful for a moment. "That would work," she said eventually. "You must return to the city before they grow suspicious of your location."

"We will return immediately," nodded Maiyn, wishing Minsc farewell as the spell around his dispelled. Imoen and Anomen began bombarding him with questions, but the last thing Maiyn saw before she turned back to the stairs to leave was the berserker taking Imoen into his arms, and squeezing her in a huge bearhug.