Twilight Battle - Underdark - 17/10 - Nowhere's Account

I write with a heavy head. Daring has been celebrating deep into the night, and I have found myself in need of silence and peace after the experiences of the last day.

I write this to record the part that a hardy group of adventurers had in the destruction of the twilight. However, due to circumstances I will come to explain, I cannot be clear as to whether what I write was what happened, or purely what I think happened. Many may come after me, recording their adventures in the Underdark, and it would not be at all surprising if what they recall and recount is completely different. Maybe putting all the stories together, we can piece together what truly happened.

After weeks of planning, it had been decided that a two pronged attack would be made on the Twilight keep. Some would attack head on, above ground, whilst others would lead an attack from the Underdark.

I was in the group that had decided to attack via the Underdark. Our group was made up of Dorian, Leocanto, and Galen. Our ranks were swelled by over 70 Orcs, eager to help in the destruction of this vile menace.

I had already obtained some information about what we were to face, through accessing the thoughts of a creature resident in the tower. I knew that fear would be as much of a threat to us as physical attack, and so I had arranged for some protection beforehand. I had also arranged for some otherwordly help to support Val if he should need it above ground.

So our squads made their way to the tower, collecting recruits along the way. Finally we took our separate routes, and our squad worked our way down to the Underdark, meeting our Orc brethren along the way. Here we also met up with Tugark, our old colleague I had been in contact with in the lead up to our attack, inviting him to help in defeating a common foe.

Though I had seen the Underdark before, for some it came as a surprise. Its muted tones, feeling of foreboding, and environments do not conform to natural order. I could see it in the eyes of many of the Orcs, that this may not be what they expected. This is to look into the shadow realm, to gain a glimpse into what is beyond the veil. I remember the dank smell of stagnant water, even as I watched water flow upwards to the ceiling, as if we were turned upside down. I remember the rock, looking like the black pearlescent shimmer of the inside of a shell, but feeling alive and almost pulsing.... and I remember the shadows..... staring.

The base of the Twilight keep is a strange and awe inspiring site. In my travels I have seen some marvellous dwarven technology, including the large drill apparatus that they use to bore holes for tunnels. What we were staring at now looked like a giant, living, stone drill bit, in a permanent state of waiting....waiting to penetrate the ground it balanced on. This would be our mission. To infiltrate and climb this tower.

We gathered together and I explained the potential terrors that may await us, and of images of harpies and experiments. I explained about the fear. To my closest allies I offered the fear protection I had arranged. Only Leocanto had decided not to accept this offer. Amongst the Orcs that were with us, there were a few who stood out as being more adept than the others, and so for those select few I offered the same protection, in a hope that this may aid them as they guided their own kind through the tower.

I cannot comment for the others, but as I read the spell and atuned each of us to the protection, something strange came over me. A fog of sorts, not unlike the fog of alcohol. Things began to swim in my vision, and it seems like those others around me may have had similar reactions. It cleared as soon as it had come, but left a lingering feeling of lightheadedness. I do not know whether what I recount from here on in is true or not. I feel the scroll may have affected my viewpoint. I will recount what my memories hold.

Using sending stones we sycronised our attack with those above us. We started into the tower. The Orcs were only too keen to run into the fray. Although I could see Galen trying to keep up, I am not sure even his youthful legs would have kept him alongside them. I was surprised that we did not face much resistance as we came into the tower. However the sound of battle that echoed down the tower from above hinted at the ground assault, and of Twilight troops moving up the tower to swarm out of the main exit.

We moved slowly up the tower, a seemingly endless series of stairs and floors to negotiate. The first few floors seemed to be unoccupied living quarters. Squalid and awful smelling rooms which were unoccupied other than rows of rotting bed rolls, and piles of hay steeped in the smell of piss. It looked like many who resided here slept on bare stone. The smell brought back the memory that I occupied. It must have been on these levels that the hobgoblin I borrowed had lived. A few more floors were the same. The Orcs flowed through these rooms like water, looting anything useful. Knowing our mission, we climbed on ahead.

It wasn't until the fourth (of how many floors I wondered) did we encounter our first resistance. Standing guard at the top of a flight of steps was an ogre, or what was once an ogre. Now part twilight. It seemed to be guarding the path higher into the tower, and I assume always guarded this path so that those on the lower levels could not climb higher into the tower. Now he was guarding nothing.... so why was he still there? Galen stared at the walls around him, and noted to us that he could climb up and around the orge, pointing to a small jutting rock, directly above the ogre. I remember him saying, "I am going to need a bit of a distraction". In an image that may or may not be a trick of my mind, I can see Leocanto stepping out in front of the ogre, giving a wry smile and then starting to sing to him. I am not sure how the twilight had affected his mind, but he became entranced with Leocanto's tones (unlike the rest of us who have heard him bellow in the Ettin). Swaying his head back and forth, and tapping his foot, the ogre seems genuinely happy. Until Galen dropped from his hold, deftly putting a knife through the ogre's head. I vaguely remember Galen then pissing on his prone body. Mind you, the place smelt so much, who would have noticed. We continued upwards.

As we climbed I felt a pull within me, the brimstone that I had given Val had been activated. I hoped my summon would help them in their battles above.

The oppression became worse. As some of the Orcs caught up with us, I could see greater unease amongst them. Their fear was becoming palpable. Leocanto, himself not protected by my spell, seemed to be coping valiantly. I suspect he is one with hidden talents.

The sixth floor explained everything. As we began to approach we could hear chanting and moaning. Here there were no small rooms, but instead one huge room with a balcony overlooking. Lit only by torches surrounding an altar. Along one wall, each on their knees, chained to each other, were kolbolds and hobgoblins. On the altar was one of their own kind, he was conscious, but it was clear he put up no fight. He was either complicit in the ritual, or was unable to fight against it. Around him stood robed figures, chanting incantations. I remember seeing Tugark pointing to the altar and saying, "This ... happening to slaves ....brought here to be made bad...... Must stop this!" As Tugark started to move forward, Dorian put an arm in front of him to stop him. "Tugark, my friend, lets do this the easy way".

Dorians hands lit with fire, and I remember him looking over to me and nodding. I did the same. On the next nod, balls of fire lept from Dorian and my own hand. Within moments everything in this room was incinerated. As the robes burnt on the chanting figures I saw hideous faces writhe and change as they slowly crumpled. On the hobgoblins and kobolds I saw only the look of final release. We had ended their torment.

But the light of the fire brought the attention of another. Above us, on the balcony stood a creature I cannot describe. Its shape constantly shifting, like shadows against a moving light. But it was solid, and it was large, and it wanted to destroy us. It floated from the balcony towards us, a mass of tentacles and clawed arms. As it looked at me I can remember seeing small flashes of terrifying imagery, but after a glimpse they were gone. The protection was working.

One of the Orcs sprinted past us to attack the thing head on, but within seconds fell to the floor unconscious, seemingly untouched by the creature…. What power did this thing have!

"Miiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiine" Unflinching, Tugark bound up to the creature, slamming an attack into it. Pinning it against the wall of the chamber he continued to attack, oblivious to the injuries he was sustaining. The rest of us attacked how we could, with spell, bow and blade, but it was Tugark that fought the hardest.

Breathing heavily Tugark looked to us. "No more".

Already exhausted we climbed the next flight of stairs. Here we found a white marble door, not fitting the oppressive design of the rest of the tower. With the strength he had remaining Tugark pulled back the stone door. What we saw was a room of great opulence. Inside, harpies each well cared for and in luxurious surroundings, these harpies were birds in a gilded cage.

Whether my memories hold true or not, I remember Galen asking them to sing, and then sticking his fingers in his ears. I remember thinking how much of a prick he was as I passed out. I only remember coming to to find the harpies were no longer in the room. I will have to ask to find out what happened in the end, or whether my mind was playing tricks on me. The lack of blood and feathers suggest they escaped or we let them out, plus surely no one was that stupid to ask a harpy to sing!

I believe that these harpies were what had made the hobgoblin on the altar so compliant.

Time is a difficult thing to judge in a tower of no light, but I believe our time with the harpies must have been a longer than mere moments because as we left the gilded room, I saw Orcs climbing the tower ahead of us.

As we climbed we found twilight bodies crushed under the ferocious attacks of our Orc group. A few Orcs were amongst their dead, but as their leaders passed their bodies there was a look of pride, of deaths earned in battle.

Finally we reached the top, and entered a large room with vaulted ceiling. Already inside were the Orcs. They were swarming over what appeared to be four massive stone giants. Behind them, against a wall, oblivious to what was occurring around him was a withered shape of a man. Not quite human, and not quite shadowrealm. I runt of the litter. He was covered in tattoos and runes, with ties binding him to the walls of the tower itself. But he did not appear to be a prisoner here, but seemed to be the heart of the tower itself.

"It’s the Duke" exclaimed Dorian. Without a moments thought, the whole party unleashed an onslaught against him. Putting up little fight his frail body was destroyed within seconds. With it, the animated stone giants collapsed under the weight of the Orcs.

The threat from the twilight tower had ended.


Dorian, Galen, Tugark and Leocanto may, of course, have very different views of what happened.