The Summons of a King

Gauntlgrym reminded Kuhl of the Vault of the Dragons. The architecture of this dwarven city - the high ceilings, the etched wall mosaics, the intricately carved pillars - were akin to those of the ruins under Waterdeep where Neverember stashed his embezzled hoard. Not surprising since, according to Eldeth, the ancient empire of the Delzoun dwarves built both places. And those long-ago builders imbued their strongholds with incredible magic, magic able to endure not only centuries of abandonment but also through spell plagues - shifts in the very nature of magic itself. In the Vault of the Dragons conjured sunlight still shone into a deep underground chamber while here, in Gauntlgrym, a system of enchanted minecarts still moved along on tracks laid well over a millennia ago.

The half-elf rode in one of those minecarts even now alongside Eldeth, while Aleina, Jhelnae and Sky followed in another behind. Wind from the speed of their passage through the tunnel they traveled through stirred his hair and the wooden bench under him jostled and bumped as they rattled along. His dwarf friend's earlier request to climb into this minecart might have seemed strange if others hadn't been doing it. So many others they'd needed to wait in a line among dwarves for their turn to board one.

Presently they entered a vast cavern lit by drift globes, phosphorus fungi, and braziers of burning coal. Chanting voices could be heard coming from a vast stone cathedral built in a way to enhance and amplify the singing voices from within. Since he didn't speak dwarvish, the half-elf didn't understand the words, but found them pleasing all the same.

Dawnbringer, however, found the sounds and sights less than inspiring.

"Underground again," the sentient sword sighed in Kuhl's mind. "As if centuries spent in a tomb wasn't enough darkness for a lifetime."

The half-elf thought of asking what constituted a 'lifetime' to an enchanted weapon, but Eldeth interrupted his musing.

"The Iron Tabernacle," the red-haired dwarf said, with a gesture at their surroundings. "Heart of the city and location of the temples to the Morndinsamman."

The Morndinsamman were the pantheon of the dwarven gods. Kuhl gazed up at the closest towering statue staring down from above. The carved detail in the armor clad, sword and ax wielding female dwarf, was amazing, if a bit faded and crumbling at the edges in places from the intervening centuries. But while her body remained mostly intact, deep chisel marks scored her face and her nose was entirely missing.

"Haela Brightaxe," Eldeth said, noticing where the half-elf looked, a touch of apology in her tone. "Not yet restored. Duergar likely did that."

She had been giving them a verbal tour as they traveled through Gauntlgrym, telling them the history of how orcs, illithid, aboleth, duergar, and drow occupied it before the relatively recent dwarven reclamation. Kuhl remembered another history lesson, one by captain Errde Blackskull of the Stone Guard in Gracklstugh where she explained her people's long slavery to illithid - mind flayers - and their feeling of abandonment, and thus their hatred of the Morndinsamman. So, he could well believe duergar would deface a statue of a dwarf goddess in just this manner.

A glance around the cavern showed signs of the restoration the dwarf spoke of. Scaffolding surrounded many of the great statues, dwarven stone masons hard at work atop them. But most of the statues remained untouched and the cathedral hosting the singers was only one of several with the others being dark with no drift globes lighting them. Clearly the reclamation of Gauntlgrym remained ongoing and it would be many years, centuries perhaps, before it attained anything close to its former glory.

The tracks their minecart followed led to a hub of intersecting rail lines. Here a team of dwarves operated levers which switched the carts between tracks and sent them off again in different directions. Their cart slowed before entering the hub then came to a stop entirely. Eldeth called out something in dwarvish and received a glance and a nod from the closest operator. Then the old gray bearded dwarf's eyes widened as he looked behind them. His stare of amazement changed to a squint of suspicion.

"This is probably the first time he has seen a tabaxi or an aasimar," Dawnbringer guessed in Kuhl's mind. "And doubtless, if he has seen a dark-elf before, it was an unpleasant experience."

All likely true and the tone Eldeth used while speaking again in dwarvish to the operator, hinted she reassured him on the last guess. He relaxed at her words, shrugged, then nodded, and began tugging at levers. The circular stone slab below their cart began to rotate. As it did, their companions in the other waiting minecart swiveled into view from the side.

"This is fun and all," Sky yawned. "But was that as fast as it goes? Doesn't it go any faster?"

"It can," Eldeth said. "But the speed is set to minimize the risk of derailment. No one wants to derail and get pitched into the molten pit holding Maegera."

"Maegera?" the tabaxi asked, cocking her head with curiosity.

"The fire primordial I told you about," Eldeth said.

The dwarf had told them earlier the forges of Gauntlgrym harnessed the power of a fire primordial.

"I didn't know you had tracks that went over the fire primordial!" Sky said excitedly. "I want to do that!"

"No, thank you," Aleina said from where she was crammed next to the tabaxi. "We don't need to ride over it. Is there a platform where we can observe it from the side? Far, far to the side?"

"Oh, don't worry so much, Aleina," Sky said with a dismissive wave. "I'm in the middle, so if the cart derails, I won't be falling out and you can conjure your wings…"

"Hey!" Jhelnae interrupted from the other side of the tabaxi. "I am not in the middle and I can't conjure wings!"

"You didn't let me finish, Jhelnae," Sky admonished. "What I was going to say was, 'and if clumsy Jhelnae falls out, I'd probably catch her'."

"Probably catch me?" the half-drow asked. "Probably catch me? By all that dances, that is so reassuring. And I'm not clumsy."

"We aren't going to see Maegera," Eldeth said, voice exasperated. "I was just giving an example of the danger of the carts traveling too fast. We're going to the Vault of Kings. To see the king. Speaking of which, when you see him, remember you're here to satisfy his curiosity, not yours."

"Hmmm," Aleina said, pursing her lips in a pantomime of thought. "Wonder which one of us she is speaking to?"

"Don't leave it open to interpretation," Jhelnae said, rolling her eyes. "She is talking about you, Sky."

"Yeah, yeah, don't ask the dwarf king too many questions," the tabaxi said, giving a sidelong look with her golden eyes at the half-drow. "And you are clumsy, Jhelnae. Remember the tree root you tripped over? Your supposedly awakened tree?"

"By all that dances," Jhelnae growled. "This again? It was an awakened tree…"

The stone platform under the half-elf's minecart stopped rotating, wheels now lined up with their destination tracks, and they moved forward in a series of sudden jerks. Kuhl put his hand on the front of the cart to steady himself until their momentum grew and the cart moved forward at a steady pace, the ride smoothing out.

"What was that crazy tabaxi on about?" Eldeth asked. "This isn't fast enough for her?"

As if to emphasize her point the combination of the breeze of their passage and the exasperated shake of her head flipped one of her braids into her face. She pushed it out of the way with a sweep of her hand.

"It's Sky," Kuhl said by way of answer.

The dwarf snorted.

"Aye, true enough," she laughed. "Wasn't the same traveling without her in the Underdark. Without any of you."

Eldeth's expression became grim, undoubtedly remembering her trip with the caravan from Blingdenstone to Gauntlgrym. During that time Kuhl, on the surface, traversed the breadth of the High Forest, met his mother in the Feywild, and had a series of adventures in Waterdeep. It seemed strange that his dwarf friend only reached Gauntlgrym a short time ago.

Light from drift globes, coal braziers, and phosphorescent fungi fell away as they left the great cavern holding the Iron Tabernacle and entered another tunnel. Darkness enveloped them and for a brief period Kuhl couldn't see, then his eyes adjusted to incorporate his dark vision. The rattle of the cart's passage amplified as it echoed off the stone surrounding them, and they would need to yell to hear each other even though they sat side by side. The noise discouraged them from talking and they rode each in their own thoughts.

Kuhl's mind drifted back to what Eldeth said earlier. She wanted Sky to remember they were there to satisfy King Bruenor's curiosity and not their own. Yet it was unlikely he summoned them here just to answer questions on their time in the Underdark. Their dwarf friend surmised her king planned to recruit them for a mission dealing with the demon lord threat. Why would he want to do that when they only barely manage to escape from the Underdark? And whenever they'd seen even a hint of a demon lord they'd run the opposite way as far and as fast as they could. With that in mind, the companions were ill suited for any mission against these same demon lords.

"Before you became my bearer, you fled from Demogorgon in Sloobludop," Dawnbringer said in his mind. "You also ran from Zuggytmoy in the Neverlight Grove. But didn't you also spoil her Garden of Welcome? Warned many myconid of the danger of infection by her spores? Foiled the corrupting rituals of Demogorgon cultists against stone giants? Fought with the svirfneblin against Jubilex's Pudding King in Blingdenstone? You've hardly been helpless against the demon lords. The opposite in fact."

Despite her words the sword's mental voice was more resigned than encouraging. After centuries in her former bearer's tomb a return to the Underdark, understandably, was the last thing Dawnbringer wanted. Kuhl could relate. He and his companions had worked hard to escape to the surface, survived so many trials to do so, yet some sense of foreboding told him the Underdark was not done with them yet.

Their cart left the tunnel and entered another high-ceilinged cavern large enough to hold a small town. Like with the Iron Tabernacle, drift globes, phosphorus fungi, and burning brazier lit the place. But where the Tabernacle contained cathedrals and statues of gods, this chamber contained fortifications. Stone walls, towers, and bridges rose up all around, many of the gates between them made with a mithril alloy which shone bright in the various light sources.

"The Vault of Kings," Eldeth said. "We are actually taking a tour of the city in reverse. The gates to the surface are on the other side of those fortifications. If we'd entered normally, rather than with teleportation magic, we'd have come here first."

After their dwarf friend delivered the summons of King Bruenor at the Trollskull in Waterdeep, she'd wanted to leave as soon as possible. The companions equipped themselves, Sky's magic bag holding the bulk of it, then they'd been off, teleporting to the small town of Long Saddle. Laeral Silverhand herself cast the spell and the half-elf only felt a slight bit of trepidation as she did. But then there was a bizarre walk on the underside of a bridge to an ivy-covered mansion and a meeting with a gray haired, wizened old man who bore the very unwizardly name, in Kuhl's opinion, of Kipper. Even if his name had been one to inspire confidence in his spellcasting abilities the food stains on his robes and the rumpled state of said robes did not. Nor did the tale he told, bemused smile on his lips and twinkle of mischief in his eyes, of the statue in the mansion courtyard which he claimed was a petrified ancestor who made a mistake during a magical experiment. But in the end the old man proved competent and delivered them to the dwarven city whole and intact.

"What do you suppose he meant," Dawnbringer mentally mused. "About needing to teleport you out of the mansion before Penelope saw you?"

The half-elf shrugged, momentarily forgetting this was an internal discussion. The wizard's parting statement, accompanied by a cackle and a wink, had been cryptic to him as well.

Their cart's arrival at a broad plaza halted his remembering of their journey to Gauntlgrym. Dwarves waited for them there, many stern-faced and armored but others lined up and watching their approach expectantly. Their mine cart began to slow and turn, following the growing curvature of the rail tracks they followed until finally their cart pulled up alongside the platform where the dwarves waited and stopped. Following Eldeth's lead, Kuhl climbed out and the next passengers scooted past to take their place before the cart started off again. The red-haired dwarf and half-elf then waited while the cart holding the others pulled up for them to unload. Jhelnae was the last of them to get out and, as she did, an impatient dwarf jostled her as they moved by each other. The half-drow's foot caught on the lip of the car before she fully pulled it free and she stumbled. She would have fallen as well if Sky hadn't snaked out a grasping hand to catch her.

"Careful, Jhelnae," the tabaxi said.

"Don't say it," Jhelnae snapped. "Don't even think it."

"Think what?" Sky asked, golden eyes wide with innocent query.

The half-drow gave her a narrow-eyed stare, then shrugged.

"Nothing," she said, with a sigh. "Thanks, Sky."

As soon as Jhelnae turned away the tabaxi favored the others with a surreptitious wink and mouthed the word 'clumsy'.

"Now, which way is this dwarf king?" the half-drow asked. Her brow wrinkled in confusion. "What's so funny?"

"Funny?" Aleina said, attempting to flatten the smile on her lips. "Nothing is funny. We shouldn't keep King Bruenor waiting."

She motioned for Eldeth to lead on, which the red-haired dwarf did with a chuckle, not worrying about hiding her amusement. A series of corridors and staircases followed. Kuhl keenly felt the weight of time as they passed wall carvings showing dwarves mining, crafting, forging, and in battle. The artists who rendered these scenes in stone would be dead over a millennium now, but their art endured, long forgotten and unseen by their people but now rediscovered. Yet the half-elf couldn't help but wonder, noting how few dwarves they encountered and how empty the place felt in relation to its grandeur, if the city might be lost again. The dwarven reclamation was still in its relative infancy. A threat could dislodge it.

A threat like demon lords coming up from the Underdark.

Eldeth led them to a pair of massive mithril and adamantite wrought doors. Kuhl didn't understand the ensuing conversation in Dwarvish with the guards, but apparently the companions were expected because they were ushered inside after only brief scrutiny. A throne room lay beyond, though thrones room might be a better description, as it contained three thrones - an ancient high backed stone chair and matching smaller thrones on either side. An armored red-haired dwarf with a braided beard sat on the center one conversing with an advisor. He wore no crown but given his presence on the throne there could be no doubt as to his identity.

This was king Bruenor Battlehammer.

He seemed not much older than Eldeth herself, yet as he noticed them and glanced up, something in his proud demeanor made him feel far older. A few more words and a nod of dismissal sent the advisor scurrying off and the king gave the companions his full attention. The weight of his stare was like a physical thing as they all bowed before the throne.

"That'll do for nonsense and niceties," Bruenor said with a wave of his hand. "These them?"

Even though he spoke Common, Kuhl had to listen carefully. His Dwarven accent was thick, much thicker than Eldeth, who'd been trained in languages to serve as an envoy.

"Four of them," Eldeth answered. "Fargas, the halfling, said he promised the goddess Yondalla through prayers he would give up the adventuring life if she saved him from his spider cocoon and Ront, the orc, said the day he answers the summons of a dwarf king is the day he kisses an elven backside. Though he might not have said backside."

Surprisingly the dwarf on the throne barked a laugh and slammed a fist down on a stone armrest.

"Aye, would never answer the summons of an orc king me self," he said. "So, tis fair. Well then, left with these four? Can't say they look like much. Excepting maybe the cat girl, never met one of them up close before, and the pale lass with the strange eyes."

"Well, that isn't insulting," Jhelnae said.

"Tabaxi," Sky said at the same time. "Not cat girl. Red Sky in the Morning."

She offered another bow of introduction.

"My king," Eldeth cut in. "Allow me to present Red Sky in the Morning, but you may call her Sky."

She gave a warning glance at the tabaxi to forestall her from protesting that only her friends called her Sky. The tabaxi clamped her mouth shut but did give an irritated swish of her tail.

"And this," Eldeth continued. "Is Kuhl Nightstar of Evereska, Aleina D'lusker of Baldur's Gate, and Jhelnae Mizzrym, an Eilistraeen drow."

"Gel-nay?" the king said, sounding out the name. "That's not a name. Sky I can handle. Aleina, rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? Kuhl? As easy as taking a pickax to stone. But Gel-nay? What is it with you dark elves and names? My longtime friend and true companion, born a dark elf, not his fault can't all be dwarves mind, has a name just as odd. Only just able to say it properly after a century and more of knowing him."

He chuckled even as Jhelnae bristled.

"Relax, lass, I only jest," Bruenor soothed. "Jhelnae, see, tis easy enough. Not like my longtime friend's."

The half-drow continued to purse her lips in disapproval for a moment, but then smiled, nodded, and stiffness melted from her posture.

"What's his name?" she asked.

"I'll tell ye later and we'll share a laugh about it," the dwarf king said. The playful sparkle of mirth faded from his eyes, replaced with a fierce resolve. "Now, Eldeth and your darkling bard companion came to me with grim tidings that are hard to believe - demon lords in the Underdark. And I, of course, as king here am of a mind to know about the goings-on in the depths outside my city. So, relate to me what ye know."

"If you already heard about our escape from Eldeth and Rhianne," Kuhl said. "I doubt we'll have anything important to add."

Especially considering the others were actually in the Underdark longer since they traveled by caravan from Blingdenstone to Gauntlgrym.

"Bah, I've heard the honey word version of it from the bard," the dwarf on the throne said. "Tis one of the reasons I brought ye here, she sang ye're praises so prettily. Also heard the dwarf perspective."

He nodded at Eldeth.

"But as I told ye," Bruenor continued. "Long time friend is a dark-elf and me daughter is human, not her fault, can't all be dwarves, and so I've learned the value of hearing broad perspectives before I make a decision."

The stare the dwarf king gave let it be known they should stop wasting time and begin their tale. After a glance at the others, Kuhl did. He told of waking up a prisoner of Velkynvelve, of their escape, of the destruction of Sloobludop by Demogorgon and their flight from the doomed kuo-toa city by watercraft to Gracklstugh. It had been a while since he'd relived these events and Aleina, Jhelnae, and Sky often interrupted to fill in a detail he'd glossed over or forgotten. Soon Bruenor bade them sit at a long stone table laden with refreshment so they could be at ease while he listened. Dwarf messengers and advisors came, but the king sent them away with a shake of the head and gave the companions his full attention. After telling him of the Neverlight Grove and Blingdenstone they finished with the escape to the surface by magic portal.

"Ye didn't kill that priestess chasing ye?" Bruenor asked, frowning as he sipped a tankard of beer.

"Not for lack of trying," Jhelnae said. "Trust me."

"I find splitting their head with an ax works best," the dwarf king said. "Try that if you ever meet her again."

He stared at them for a time, each in turn, meaty fist at his red bearded chin, then heaved a sigh.

"So, best to just come out and ask it," Bruenor said. "Ye've answered my summons, which I thank ye for. Also heard yer tale, and it supports all the other disturbing rumors and rumblings. Something needs to be done, that's clear, are ye willing to be a part of it? Are ye willing to go back into the Underdark?"

The companions exchanged concerned glances. Here it was. The question Eldeth suspected. The question they all dreaded. Save one of them apparently.

"Probably," Sky said, shrugging and yawning. "It depends on where you want us to go? Back to Gracklstugh? Yuck. I don't want to breathe that smoke filled air again. But if you want us to go somewhere new and interesting, then yes!"

"Well," the dwarf king said with a chuckle as he looked towards Eldeth. "She didn't take much convincing. Ye got that right."

The female dwarf nodded, a bit of guilt entering her expression and her eyes fixed on Bruenor, her gaze avoiding meeting any others. Apparently, her guess as to the reason for her king's summons hadn't been much of a guess after all.

"Help?" Aleina asked, fingers rubbing at her temples as if she tried to alleviate a growing headache. "What can we even do? Why us?"

"Good questions," the king said. "Let me answer the last one first. The darkling bard did sing a pretty tale of your deeds in the Underdark, impressing me with your competence. She and her husband have already agreed to help in exchange for space for a settlement of their kind in Gauntlgrym. Space I have plenty of at the moment. And I wondered, since she thought so highly of ye, if ye might feel the same in reverse, and so be willing to help them in their quest for a darkling settlement."

"We do feel the same way about Diarnghan and Rhianne," the aasimar sighed, continuing to rub at her temples. "Of course."

The lack of conviction in her voice, Kuhl knew, didn't stem from a lack of genuine feeling of friendship for the darklings, but rather the current implications of where that bond of friendship might lead - in this case back into the Underdark.

"And the bard wasn't the only one who suggested ye might be useful," Bruenor said. "So there is that as well."

"Someone else recommended us?" Kuhl asked, brow wrinkling in confusion.

"Ye haven't asked how I knew where to find ye," the dwarf king said. "When ye know that ye'll likely also know the other who recommended you. A dark-elf I know, not my longtime friend, another one, comes to me looking for what I'd heard of the doings in the Underdark. I tell him Eldeth's and the bard's story and he then tells me one remarkably similar. One he heard from a party of adventurers, agents of Laeral Silverhand in Waterdeep."

"Jarlaxle," Jhelnae breathed. "You're talking about Jarlaxle."

Bruenor nodded.

"And Jarlaxle got to thinking out loud that anyone who Laeral Silverhand trusted with killing a mind flayer, who then succeeded, who also is familiar with the Underdark, might be someone to recruit."

"Actually, Laeral Silverhand trusted only Aleina, Jhelnae, and a certain sentient radiant blade with the mission to kill the mind flayer," Dawnbringer reminded Kuhl in his thoughts. "As you and Sky were prisoners of that mind flayer at the time."

The half-elf decided he really didn't need to clarify this portion of past events for the others and remained silent.

"That meddling bastard," the half-drow growled, slamming a fist on the stone tabletop. "It wasn't enough he used us to get a favor out of the Open Lord? He wants us to continue working for him?"

"That one has schemes within schemes," Bruenor said. "That's certain. And he has a habit of getting ye doing what he wants and ye thinking it twas yer own idea all along. But one thing I've learned sure - Jarlaxle has an eye for talent."

"What is it you want us to do?" Kuhl asked.

"The caravan from Blingdenstone came with a call for aid from the svirfneblin," the dwarf king said. "One we will answer. An expeditionary force will leave soon to bolster the defenses of the deep gnomes and secure the path between here and there."

"And you want us to be part of that force," Kuhl said, understanding.

He felt a bit relieved. The king didn't expect them to fight demon lords directly or be a vagabond group running around the Underdark like before. He expected them to be part of an army.

"No," Bruenor said, taking away the half-elf's growing feeling of understanding with a word. "I've something else in mind for ye. When I sent out the call to gather forces a group came from an unexpected source. Zhentarim they are named. They have trade interests in the Underdark, a place called Mantol-Derith, and they want to protect its interests."

Mantol-Derith, the name conjured images of poor Sarith. He'd planned on working as an Underdark guide there after their escape from Velkynvelve. Instead, he'd ended up with a split head spilling out fungus in the Neverlight Grove.

"So, they are sending a small force of their own," the dwarf king continued, unaware of Kuhl's thoughts of a fallen companion. "One to try and learn the reason behind the demon lords being in the Underdark and maybe, through that knowledge, learn a way to banish them back where they belong. They've offered to let me participate in this mission in exchange for a promise of no exclusive trade deals between Blingdenstone and Gauntlgrym."

"Were you planning on an exclusive trade deal with Blingdenstone?" Aleina asked, cocking her head and raising an eyebrow.

"Do I look human to ye?" Bruenor scoffed. "These Zhentarim assume I think like them. They're all afraid the aid for the svirfneblin will be tied to trade deals which will cut Mantol-Derith out from its source of gemstones. But even if I didn't plan to do it, they don't know that, and I aim to take them up on their offer. I need information. Do I march an army down into the Underdark? Or is this demon lord problem a Menzoberranzan ploy to get me to do just that while they retake Gauntlgrym behind me?"

"You want us to be part of this smaller group," Kuhl said.

A pit of dread formed in his gut at the king's nod.

"Aye, Eldeth will be my representative and the darklings have agreed to go with her," Bruenor said. "You have experience working with them in the same manner."

"But this is great!" Sky said, clapping her hands together. "If Ront and Fargas knew what you planned, they would have come for sure. It will be just like before, traveling the Underdark together, listening to Rhianne's stories when we rest."

Just like before. Which was an experience Kuhl had never wanted to repeat. Ever.

"I know it is a lot to ask of ye," the king said when the rest of them did not chime in with similar enthusiasm as Sky. "Fate will have her jests it seems, because I know others better suited to the task. My dark-elf friend defeated a marilith in swordplay, his two blades against her six, and he still bested her. But he is off hopping the planes, trying to save a former lover, even though she tried to kill him and almost succeeded."

"By all that dances," Jhelnae said. "She tried to kill him? How bad was the last part of their relationship?"

"From what I understand," Bruenor said, shrugging. "Tis her way of ending relationships."

"Well, it's sweet of him to try and save her after that," the half-drow said with a roll of her eyes letting her real feeling on the matter known. "I only hope he's not planning to try and get back together with her after he does. She doesn't sound like one built for healthy relationships."

"He better not be planning on getting back together with her," the dwarf king growled. "Since he is with me daughter now. And she'd be another well suited for this mission to the Underdark. But she has another purpose, one so pressing she couldn't go with him."

"She let him go off to save his former lover without her?" Aleina asked, raising a skeptical eyebrow. "One who already tried to kill him once? Whatever this other purpose is, it must be really pressing."

"Only trying to renew the ancient magic keeping the fire primordial Maegera from bursting out of their pit and turning this entire city, and a good part of the entire region above, to ash," Bruenor said.

He chuckled mirthlessly as he gazed at their resulting expressions.

"The joys of being a king," he said. "Demon lords in the Underdark isn't the biggest of my problems."

"Cattie-brie will find a way, my king," Eldeth said. "She and the others you sent with her."

"Did ye hear me say she wouldn't?" Bruenor challenged. "I know she will. I'm just explaining to these four why I need them. Retaking a city is one thing, holding it, rebuilding it, and dealing with all sorts of things you never expected is another. So much so I'm reduced to asking strangers for help."

The bit of vulnerability the statement revealed touched something in Kuhl. He heaved a sigh and nodded.

"I'll go," he said. "I'll go with Eldeth, Rhianne, and Diarnghan."

He was about to say the others should return to the surface, but Aleina cut him off.

"I left Stool and Rumpadump down in a place infested with demons," she said, shaking her head. "I kept telling myself I didn't have a choice, but it's been bothering me. If there is even a chance this Zhentarim mission can make the Underdark safer for them, I have to try."

"I do want to help Stool and Rumpadump," Jhelnae said. "But let's be clear. I'm mainly doing it for spite. Demogorgon destroyed Sloobludop, and that was my friend Shuushar's home. A disease from Zuggtmoy split Sarith's skull. He was not my friend, but maybe he might have been if he hadn't suffered from headaches all the time I knew him. Then she ruined the sprouts homecoming by infecting half the myconids in the Neverlight Grove. And Derendil died fighting the Pudding King, an agent of Juiblex. I want revenge! If this mission helps me get it and lets me spit in the faces of the demon lords while I do it, you better believe I'm more than willing.."

"Ho, now," Bruenor grunted, looking at the half-drow. "If my eyes weren't open I'd think a dwarf speaking and not some skinny bummed dark-elf. I like your way of thinking, lass. Me mind works the same. To spite!"

"To spite," Jhelnae agreed, raising her own tankard..

The dwarf king and half-drow brought them together in a clink that sent beer spilling before they both drank.

Well, for anyone coming back, welcome! Thanks for continuing. I've plotting things out, but it is a convoluted mess and I'm not sure it will work out. But we'll see. Lumen-del-mari recommended I read Archmage by RA Salvatore before I wrote this second part. I did that and then also read Maestro. I'm going to read Hero soon when I get the chance. I can see why Salvatore has so many fans and has sold millions of copies. He has a narrative drive and some of the stuff is quite dark in a very offhand way. I would be listening to the audio book, pause, and be like, "Wait did Doum'wielle just basically say she was raped earlier by this dude?" Then later the same thing happened to Dahlia. Lets just say I was more than willing to see that particular villain die horribly when the time came! So here is the way I see this fic fitting into canon so far:

1) Taking of Gauntlgrym - pretty much like the book
2) Demon lord infestation - a few years later than events in the book, but relatively similar although I'll probably lose the psionic link from Kimmuriel as I'm not a huge fan of a extremely powerful mind-reader.
3) Teleportation magic - I'm going to have this more similar to the module where people just can't teleport anywhere. I mean Jarlaxle is like in Menzoberranzan and then a few pages later he is in Gauntlgrym for a brief chat and then next thing you know he is popping in somewhere else. Same with Gromph. It was like they were Thanos with the infinity gauntlet or something.
4) Drizzt - I felt I had to answer why Bruenor doesn't send him. So in this variant story line Dahlia is the abyss and he and Artemis are trying to save her.
5) Cattie-brie - you know, she has pressing problems with Maegera so I figured she could stay trying to rebuild the Host Tower in Luskan
6) Athro-gate - he was sent with Cattie-brie, so that gets him out of the picture. Yeah, I know I didn't need to think all that through. Blame Lumen-del-mari! She made me listen to the two novels and then I just couldn't stop thinking about why Bruenor would need anyone other than the Companions of the Hall, ha ha!