Alas, Poor King Thane! I Knew Him.

Summary:

The Victors of Shadowfell Keep marched deeper into the Underdark on their way to Well of Demons and the gang of demon worshipping gnolls that dwelled there, the Blackfang gang.

The journey marked in days, not hours, the party encountered frequent denizens of the Underdark, including a clutch of firebats that proved only a momentary distraction. The following day, the party ran into a dwarf leading four scraggly humans. The dwarf turned out to be none other than King Thane who wasted little time in confronting the party, ascertaining them as foes of Underdark evil, and demanding they join him as followers. Surina, the mysterious dragonkind who recently attached herself to the Victors, asked Thane if he intended to conquest the Underdark for good or evil. The King began to explain himself, but before he finished, Surina attacked the dwarf and his followers. Before the party could barely react, Orchid launched a wickedly gyrating dagger that twanged too solidly into the side of King Thane's head, killing him instantly. The party wasted little time in berating Surina for her hasty reaction; the dragonkind spewed bile-filled nonsense before stalking off. Orchid relieved Thane of his crested neck piece.

The party next came upon a strange undead being, leading some fellow mindless zombies. Curiously, the undead requested peaceful passing with the adventurers. After talking with the undead, the party agreed to let them pass, though Shava and Gareth expressed grave misgivings at the idea of allowing the walking dead to roam free.

On the third day, the party stumbled upon a gelatinous cube joined up with some phase wights. Unlike the last undead encountered, these made no attempt at parley, their gaping jaws and shrieking howls yearning humanoid flesh. The party made short work of them.

TO BE CONTINUED