Chapter 2: A Light in the Darkness

Traveling underground was treacherous. It wasn't long before we entered a large cavern, ripe for ambush. We were just about to formulate a scouting plan when the barbarian rushed forward recklessly. I spotted a large number of heads poke out, but before I could yell out a warning, they attacked. Fortunately for us, the enemies, composed of a dozen or so drow with equal numbers of bugbears, were not very powerful. Their arrows flew in all sorts of directions, but I was easily able to avoid them. The true dangers quickly became apparent, as I saw a small streak of light approach. I was able to leap out of the way before it exploded in a big flash of fire. The rest of the party (minus the invisible halfling/gnome), did not appear to fare quite as well.

However, Damien the wizard didn't miss a beat as he launched a fireball of his own at where the drow wizard had cast his spell. I gave a small cheer as I saw that most of the drow in the radius were burnt to a crisp. However, I also saw that the drow wizard was badly injured, but not yet down. I cast a spell that let me step between the boundaries of space, and appear right next to the wizard. Normally, such travel is disorienting, and people are unable to act further afterwards, but my training allowed me to stay alert enough to deliver a blow to the drow wizard. The drow was not prepared for my sudden appearance and strike, and my punch snapped his head back, breaking his neck.

After this point, the battle quickly ended. I saw a bright flash of light enmanate from Alfus, and when my vision returned, it looked like most of the other drow were dead or dying. Janne and Igbot took down a drow cleric, while the barbarian killed the three lizard like creatures in front of him. After seeing his friends go down so quickly, one of the bugbears wisely surrendered, and we were able to gain some valuable information from him, before we set him loose. He was not much of a threat, and he knew what would happen if he came after us again.

We continued for several more days before coming to a drow watchtower that we had been warned about. It was a menacing sight: shaped like a giant spider suspended from the cavern's ceiling by thick 12 inch webs, ready to pounce upon whatever prey walked under it. We discussed how best to assault the fortress, which was over a hundred feet above us in the darkness. As one of the few martial members in the service of Fharlanghn, we were always taught to strike hard, and strike quickly, using our granted abilities to shock and awe our opponents. However, Aeriana wanted to disguise herself and go in pretending to be the drow cleric back at the ambush. Even after it was pointed out that she didn't understand or speak drow, she still insisted on that course of action. I thought it was suicide, but I still must admit that she's probably one of the bravest half-elves I've known.

Several anxious moments passed as I waited for her to give the signal to Damien to move into the fortress. Finally it happened, and I saw Damien cast a spell and vanish. I did the same, and we appeared in the fortress next to several very surprised drow. We quickly moved through the tower, and the drow were unable to react to our furious onslaught. It wasn't long before we cleared the tower of enemies.