Out of the Underdark into the near dark.

1489
Year of the Warrior Princess
Uktar 4

After a few days of little resistance, the group figures to run into some bigger and badder patrols as they near the top of the Underdark. The Justicar tells them at breakfast they should plan to meet up in a few hours at the Chasm of Lost Hope. This is a very large, well known, natural landmark in the Underdark (think of the Grand Canyon). At one of its more narrow points there is an ancient bridge that spans the chasm. Since this is a natural point of entry to the upper world, it is guarded by a Fearunian group called the Harpers. After a few combats (Riddick seems to make a popular target), they approach the bridge. Across from it they see the Justicar not only caught, but being tortured by Drow! There are bodies of Harpers strewn about as well. They rush past a patrol of guards, Jax keeping them occupied, and sprint toward the Drow encampment. Among the Drow they see a pair of dreaded Driders. A fierce and deadly battle ensues with several bodies going over the bridge to their death. The party wins, and rescues the Justicar just before he was about to die. (A healing spell by the Shaman Leif came in at the right time.) Weary and wounded the party takes back off, surely the guards that escaped will alert their main forces and will be chasing them soon! On to the surface!

EXP - 1500

Through the mages tower

1489

Year of the Warrior Princess

Marpenoth 30

Our group wounded and weary finally find the long abandoned mage's keep they were told to head for to meet up with the Justicar, Diovanni, and Brother Krux. They managed to maneuver past most of the odd and sometimes deadly ancient magic; sometimes having to navigate though living magic! They ran into an old animal pen filled with exotic creatures the mage must have experimented on in the past. At the far end of the pen was an undead Beholder! After moving past this encounter they head through a lab, Jax brave enough to loot unknown powders and magical dusts along the way. One final encounter has them fighting living flames and spheres of darkness! Hannibal seems to be on death's door. Is it his new armor driving him to rash actions or his he always been like this? They escaped the tower and found a secure cave where they take a long rest!

Exp - 2060

Hannibal's Journal - Marpenoth 28

Never has there been a fouler sub-race than the Drow. Their cowardly treachery, vile cruelty, and utter lack of honor would make Tiamat blush....

On the eve of the culmination of our work in Skullport, the city was besieged by the dark elves. Using treachery and vile magic (for the Drow would never fight an honorable battle), the city and our group were taken completely by surprise. After an explosion rocked our barracks, Brother Krux, Riddick and I were separated from the rest of our group and in desperate hand to hand combat with hordes of Drow "warriors". Despite our best efforts, we were overcome by their craven poisonous bolts.

The following days were a blur (was it only nine days?). We were force marched to be sacrificed to their demon-bitch Lolth. They took particular delight in torture, causing excruciating pain, but asking no questions. Krux bore the brunt of their cruelty; either they had never encountered a Githzerai before or they wanted to test the limits of his monastic training. Eventually the Drow grew bored and the torture subsided.

Several days into our journey, our Drow captors were themselves attacked and slaughtered by another group of Drow. These new dark elves were even crueler than our original captors and they seemed to have exceptional hatred for Riddick. These Drow employed demon-spawned magic in their torture; the worst among them being described later by Jax as "Demonologists".

I swore then that when I escaped, I would whet my blade with the dark blood of as many Demonologists as I could find.

Bahamut’s Grace shined upon us days later when the rest of our group caught up with our new captors and freed us. They are amazingly more resourceful than I gave them credit for. With the help of this mysterious "Justicar" fellow, they tracked us through the Underdark, somehow travelled ahead of our highly trained Drow captors, and set up a very effective ambush. I am both humbled and honored to call them friends. Because of their ability, I am free and the house signet pin of our "Demonologist acquaintance" is in my pouch.

The days following our escape were harrowing. This part of the Underdark is a hornets’ nest of Drow. We've been harried and ambushed constantly, but we've finally gained refuge in an ancient Dwarven temple after vanquishing its unnatural undead dragon guardian.

When times seem darkest, Lendys (dragon god of balance and justice) will sometimes tip the scales to your favor. In the guardian's horde, we found an item of renown that will help us in our struggle against the Drow. My friends honored me by allowing me to wear this item:

The Invulnerable Coat of Arnd.

I felt the honor and valor of famous warriors of history ignite in me when I donned the armor: The stand of thirty at the gates of Myth Drannor, the charge of Warlord Kieth that broke the Granitefang orcs in the Battle of Brokenfang, the breaking of the Drow siege of Mithril Hall…

Yes, I am eager to take the fight back to the Drow.

Run Hannibal run!

1489
Year of the Warrior Princess
Marpenoth 28 - 30

The group moves forward and finds itself in an immense treasure room! Unfortunately the creature guarding the treasure is stirs... It is a large undead dragon, awaken to protect its master's trove! The group spreads out to attack, out of concern for his friend, Leif tackles brother Krux to keep him out of the fight. After the battle, a well deserved rest happens, along with picking through the coins and items. They also use this time to crack the cypher found amongst the Drow bodies that were mysteriously killed. After several hours Riddick, Leif and Jax manage to make out a note from a very high level Drow leader called Emerate Qushae. It details plans to find the few remaining survivors of a fallen house called Faen Tlabbar to power some type of Epic artifact for revenge against an Elf named Elladon. Piecing together local knowledge, history, and Riddick's own back story along with the cypher, you come up with the following:

Some time ago before the Spellscar plague, an adventurer named Elladon along with his friends sacked a Drow temple deep in the underdark to recover an Elven artifact called the 'Blade of Rulers'. The artifact along with further work from that group (this group spawned no other than the god to be Singe, and the classical musical legend Zecks among several other legends) to reclaim the lost Myth Drannor from the Drow and their demon allies. The house that failed to protect the temple is named Faen Tlabar. Loth came down mightily hard on them and their descendants. They were shunned and ritually sacrificed. Several of the house managed to escape in the early years to parts across the multiverse. A large group found solice working for Graz'zt, the Ebon Lord of the Abat-Dolor, a race of demons who all look more or less like him. His realm is in the Abyss, far from the Underdark, but not far enough, even this place was attacked by the dark elves, and all members of that house taken back to be killed for nefarious purposes. The Drow now desperate for the blood of House Faen Tlabbar to power some type of unholy relic, is seeking all surviving members. The final notes from the cypher indicate they have almost completed rebuilding the relic and need just a small amount of blood, say one or two more individuals should suffice. Named in the cypher are Riddick and his father Malaggar are the next targets. The Emerate has certain rituals that tell him where members of this house are. The last know location for Riddick is said to be Skullport; his father, Neverwinter.

Still sinking in this information, the group is roused by the Justicar. It is time to move on once more! The old Dwarven ruins that have been their home for two days is now no longer safe.

On the morning of the 30th, he and Brother Krux left to lay false trails and lead the Drow away from the group's true path. The hither and dithering your paths have taken lead to virtually no where but up, misdirecting the Drow on your final destination. This may make travel safer, but it also certainly makes it longer as well.

Several Drow patrols are met and dispatched over the next few days, no major combat thankfully. The 30th however the groups luck runs low. Given directions by the Justicar they enter a strange area of the Underdark, the Justicar says this was once the lands of an insane wizard long dead, but his creations can still be found down here. Over the course of many years, most everything has been cleared out by Drow, or the odd adventuring company looking for lost treasure. Just before lunch they come across a room with floating islands as what appears the be the safest way to the other side. A fierce battle ensues with long forgotten undead, but the group manages to cross to the other side. As a footnote, Brolgar discovers a very old Dwarven corpse decked out in holy armor of the church of Moradin. He plans on studying it on the return trip out of the Underdark.

Exp - 1475