The Mission

[Lyssandra]

OOC: I'm posting this for the group here so we don't waste too much time Friday night. Also, what is revealed below might influence your choices in the shops of Talagon. [img]smile.gif[/img]

IC: Allie remains quiet about what the King revealed she knows while others are about. If asked, she will just brush off the question and reply 'In time' or 'later.'

It is not until after the evening meal that Allie summons the party members to the guest suite at the palace she requested for the stay in the city. Refreshments are already set out for the Halfling's friends. Not until all are gathered does she reveal the details of THE MISSION:

"As many of you already know, I am a member of the Bard's guild of Talagon, and a member of the Order of the Harlequin. I went to Tindale with you to help liberate the town, and also to find evidence of Drow activity within the city and its environs. While we did not find much, we did find some evidence that the Drow have made incursions to the surface."

Many will remember the black knife at the wayside tavern that had the residents frightened, and the head of the warrior that was shown to the party by the King's Watch commander.

"This morning I reported back to the order, and showed the guild what we'd found, the knife" she pauses to unroll the map to the golem guarded cave, "and this map. This is more than we'd thought, friends. According to my superiors in the guild, this is actually an ancient portal into the Underdark. The golems are the guardians, designed to keep intruders on their respective sides of the portal. Obviously some have gotten past them. What the guild has asked of me, and now the King has asked of the rest of you is this:" A glance to each of the party members shows that the usually good natured Halfling's a lot more somber.

"We are to go inside the cave to the Underdark. We are to discover the civilizations of the Drow, the Mind Flayers, and at least one other denizen race of the Underdark. This is going to be a very dangerous task, but an even more dangerous one may await us as well." Another pause while she allows her friends to capture the magnitude of the quest. "There are rumors of a Lich residing in the Underdark beneath the Falcon Mountains. We are to verify if this rumor is true or not, and if true, destroy him. The reason for these tasks is that it is believed that a powerful military force from the Underdark is being gathered to assault the surface world. Our ultimate mission is to stop a war before it starts." She then goes quiet and lets the others speak.

[Carbon14sample]

Thaylias spends the early part of the day browsing the city stores with Shanti. He tells her of his desire to seek out a new weapon, one with a different style of attack than his precious swords. After a noon meal the human takes his leave of Shanti so that he may seek audience with the head of the Knight Protectors and to use their training facilities. While there he partakes in a regimen of excercise and combat techniques with fellow members of his order. After the rigorous training he swaps stories with the other warriors, it is then that he receives a message requesting his presence at Allie's quarters.

Smiling as he walks into the meeting area he greets Allie and his other companions that are gathered there. His eyes go immediately to the samples of food on a nearby table, taking more than his share of the delicious morsals. His mood becomes somber as Allie shares her information concerning the upcomming mission. "I remember when we found that dagger that you saw something about it that was much more than just a weapon," Thaylias says to Allie.

After Allie finishes her story there is what seems a long moment of silence. Thaylias leans forward in his seat looking at Allie. "This may be the final test in ridding the evil that has plagued Tindale and the surrounding region. And from what you just told us, the most difficult. But as always I have hope and will gladely see this through. I do not know much concerning the foes you say that dwell in the lower parts of ground but my heart is glad that we have one that can match and defeat their powers." He turns to regard Shanti and gives her a proud look.

Looking back to the Halfling Thaylias rests back into his chair. "If there is any other information that may benefit us now is the time to discuss it. We must make sure we are prepared as much as possible for this." ~He looks about the room wondering what the others think.~

[Dramavictim]

Kel chuckles at the grim news, "Most unusual work, this 'diplomacy', it seems a lot like my old job." Sobering a bit, "If undead are involved, the Sword of Kantomar maybe of use... but these dark elves and mindflayers... I know only what the rest of you have told me of them. Still, I would know more... are the dark elves magics as strong as the surface elves? Have they any weakneses? Are all races of the underdark foul and evil will we find no allies?"

Thurvold scratches his chin, "There are even dark races among the dwarves that are said to lay lower than low in the Underdark, Kel, and truly goodly races are rare in such harsh areas, but not all is evil. Sniverniblin, a race of gnomes, while not benign are not always malevolent. And Drow magic is formidible. The women prefer priestly magics and the males wizardry if I recall aright. The halfling would as like know more." He says, then continues, "Magic use on the golems, I remind you, will be next to useless, so focus your spells on the ones that aid US rather than hinder them."

[Tarracat]

Shanti remains somber during the exchange of her friends words, occasionaly biting her lower lip in thought, but when silence falls, she breaches it. "I am loath to go into the underdark, the mindflyers will yet be our worst obsticale, I cannot even hope that we can avoid them. Drow are evil, there is no doubt of that Kel. Beware their outward beauty, for they are all of one mind, and we are their enemies. If this is the path we must take so be it, but this will be our greatest challenge yet. If any of you can purchase items to protect or cloak your minds, or aid you in resisting that which they throw in our paths, it would be money well spent I assure you."