The group collected their weapons from the dwarven Honor-Guard just outside the Blackfire Halls. “King Ironbrow seems nice.” Alydrezea mentioned, hoping it would calm her companions, Kara in particular. The amber-skinned thief just shook her head. “I have no idea how we got out of there without chains binding our hands.”

“Have a bit more faith.” Grukk tried to reassure them both with a smile. “We’ve only been getting stronger since Iroas. I’m sure a small drow encampment won’t be a problem. Especially since King Ironbrow promised us his assistance.”
“Only in getting us down that sinkhole. Once we’re there we’re one our own. That’s what worries me. Unlike the two of you I can’t see a thing in the dark! Boris, you agree with me, right?”
The minotaur grunted, examining his glaive for tampering, “I can’t see in the dark, but I can usually get by with my nose.” Kara’s expression fell. It was times like these that made reminded her she was still the only human of the group. “Nevermind. Let’s just go.”

The abandoned sinkhole in question was now being guarded. The dwarves assigned to it waved the party down. Handing them some extra supplies to travel underground. Picks, tinderboxes, and extra torches. Ropes were tied around iron rivets stuck into the ground around the sinkhole, and one by one, the members of the party climbed down the rope. Deeper and deeper into the darkness. This one was so deep, that even Alyzdrezea could not see the bottom. When their feet finally landed on solid ground, the first thing Kara did was light a torch. The orange flames casting light about them. Walls of cold stone surrounded them. Old pickaxes and shovels lay rusting on the ground. A mining cart sat upon ill kept rails that headed forwards, and only forwards. Deeper into the abandoned mine. Grukk went first, backed up by Kara, Alydrezea, and Boris brought up the rear. It was cold and damp down in these mines….and dark, so dark it was suffocating. “Any idea where these Drow spies came from?”
“The Underdark!” The party’s own resident Drow spoke up with a proud smile. “That’s were most of us come from.”
“I thought you said you were from a surface colony.”
“I am. But everyone knows that Drow come from the Underdark. Though, I don’t know too much about my kind that live there.”
“What, you didn’t have a history class or something when you were young?” Kara’s tone was that of a joke, but the druid turned her head to hide her embarrassment and muttered, “We did but I didn’t really pay attention…”
“What’s the Underdark?” Boris’ deep voice spoke openly. It echoed off the walls of the old iron mine, much to Kara and Grukk’s discomfort.
Alydrezea was all too happy to respond, “It’s a place deep underground. It’s like a whole other world down there! Full of weird plants and animals.”
“Not to mention locals.” The thief interrupted. “Can you two keep it down? The entire Underdark will know we’re coming at this rate.” The druid waved an apology, and the thief kept on walking. “Hey Grukk? You know anything about these Underdark drow?”
The half-orc shook his head, his long-braided ponytail shook as he did so. “No more than anyone else. When I was a soldier, back in Iroas, we were taught that dark elves were the enemy. The rumors were that they would come in the night, and kidnap citizens as slaves.” Kara felt a chill go up her spine.
“Wonderful.” Her sarcasm was obvious to anyone listening.
Grukk stopped, halting their march along the narrow caverns. “What’s the hold up?”
The rune knight put up his hand for all to be quiet. He knelt and touched the ground. It was…rumbling? His greenish-blue eyes went wide. “Something’s coming!”
Before the others could heed his warning, the tunnel walls to their left burst open in a hail of rock and dust! Boris let out a cry and grunt as he was slammed into the right wall of the tunnels. As the dust cleared, the light of the torch illuminated something horrid. Pinning their barbaric friend against the stone walls, was a large monstrosity. It stood over eight feet tall and walked upon two legs. But nothing else about its visage was humanoid. Light flickered off its rough and hairy carapace. Powerful arms ending in hideous clawed fingers that resembled the legs of a spider. Massive mandibles snapped at its prey, while antenna and four hideous insect eyes gave a baleful glare. It snapped at the minotaur, it’s sharp ant-like mandibles piercing his though hide!

The rest of the party sprang into action! Grukk wasted no time, and knowing these narrow tunnels were no place for his great sword, he unhooked his flail from his belt and swung the heavy-iron mace-head at the monster! It slammed into its side with a crack, dealing little damage. The head of the flail bounced off the creature’s thick carapace. “Damn it! This thing has some tough armor!”
“Anyone know what this thing is?!” Kara yelled out, firing a shot from her crossbow that bounced harmlessly off its target. “Boris!” Alydrezea cried out in worry. She pulled a twig out from her silvery-white hair, chanted a spell in elvish, and in her hands manifested a whip made of thorny bramble. Her druidic magics made the whip hard as steel, and she lashed the large insect monster with it. The creature chittered in protest as the magical whip wrapped around its left arm, and thorny barbs pierced its hard shell. The whip pulled the monstrosity away from Boris, and towards the dark elf woman. The monster’s hideous insect eyes looked into the druid’s, they glowed a strange sickly yellow that reflected in Alydrezea’s eyes. The thorn whip crumbled into dust as she lost focus on her magic, and she waddled towards a cave wall as if she were drunk. Kara spotted this strange occurrence, “What the devil?” The human woman whispered in a low voice.
The creature turned its attention from the druid to the fighter and slashed at Grukk, its claws raked over his armor, tearing metal scales from the scale armor and cutting the half orc’s flesh! The creature let out another pained help as an enraged Boris cut it from behind! His glaive was sharp, and it had weight behind it. A greenish-yellow ichor spilled from the tunneling monster’s injuries, but it still moved about with vigor. Grukk bashed the creature over the head with a large swing of his flail, and the beast reacted harshly. It chittered loudly, using its arms to cover its eyes, while the antenna twitched and flailed about. “The eyes! Go for the eyes!” Kara called out. Alydrezea was still standing off to the side like drunkard, and the boys of the group were hacking away at the monster. Trading blow for blow, splitting its attention between the two of them. Kara waited for the right moment. That moment came when the lumber insect monstrosity tried to used that glowing eye trick once more. Grukk had the good sense to avert his gaze, but this moment was all Kara needed! She sent a crossbow bolt flying, that stuck right into of the creature’s horrid eyes. Its shrieking cry echoed through the tunnels of the old mine, as yellow ichor poured from the deep wound. Boris hacked at its leg, causing the beast to stumble. Grukk felt a surge of adrenaline running through him, and with a few strong swings of his flail, he bashed the creatures head in like the insect it was! As the creature perished, Alydrezea seemed to wake up, “Huh wha…what, what happened?” Boris was at her side at once.
“Are you well?” The minotaur’s voice held concern it did not normally carry. The druidic woman nodded. “Yeah, I think so. But my head really hurts now…”
“What is that thing?” Kara’s question drew the attention of Alydrezea.
“It’s an umber hulk.” She responded. “It’s eyes can really scramble your mind….I wasn’t thinking clearly, I should have covered my eyes.”
“It’s alright. The monster is dead. It is done.” Boris was not the best at encouragement, but his words pulled a smile from the drow.

Both thief and fighter felt a chill go up their spines. “Lets hope that’s the only one down here. Come one, we should keep moving. During the fight I felt a draft, this way.” Kara lead the group further through the tunnel, finding the source of the draft. A small opening, barely large enough for someone like Boris to squeeze through. Kara went through first, and then Grukk. Alydrezea stayed back, seeing that Boris was standing still as a statue. The druid frowned. “C’mon, Boris. I know you don’t like it but it’s just one little squeeze through.”
The minotaur did not respond, his bovine tail flicked nervously between his legs. Alydrezea tried to push him forward, but he was planted like a tree. “Come! On! Move! One, two, three go! Move! Your! Buffalo! Butt! What kind of hunter is afraid of a small space?!”
That little pep talk may not have worked, but still the minotaur forced his way through the small opening in the walls. Alydrezea felt pleased with herself and followed the party. As she squeezed through to the other side, she was met with an interesting sight. Beyond the walls of the mines was a huge opening. The roof of the caves was easily a hundred feet above them. Though still dark, the enormous opening was full towering glowing mushrooms and fungi that acted as lamps, giving this enormous opening a soft, dim light. Bats flew about, and water dripped from stalactites onto stalagmites below. In the center of this underground clearing were buildings. They were drab, angled in a gothic style resembling the elves of the floating isle, but darker and covered in spikes to make for an oppressive visage. Another city, deep underground. A Drow city. Alydrezea smiled at her companions. “Welcome to the Underdark!”