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[Arcalian]

"Ahhh, so you have returned to us, human!" The King croooned madly. "Have you slain the foolish rebel leader?"

By way of answer Adrian held out the cold, dripping Sauhaugin heart.

"O, o, o yes! I asked Sekolah in prayer if the deed was done and he told me that it was! We shall feast tonight!" He turned to one of the other Sauhaugin sitting with him. "And we will give you passage to the Underdark, as well. Won't we, my baron? You weren't planning to eat our little human, were you?"

"What? Er, no, of course not my lord."

"Liar. I heard you talking earlier. Just be thankful I don't decide to sacrifice you to the Shark Father...eh?" The King turned in astonishment as the Prince and his followers stormed in.

Adrian led the charge himself. Even totally insane, the King was formidable, and could take a lot of punishment. But between Adrian's party and the Rebel Sauhaugin forces, it was no real contest.

Adrian, the Prince, and the Githyanki closed with the King directly, and hammered at him hard and fast. The King drew two swords, one long and queerly bent, and fought back. He even once managed to graze Adrian's cheek, which only served to provoke Adrian into Bhaalscreaming at him at point blank range, knocking him over.

Finally, it was done.

"So," the Prince purred. "I am now lord of the City of Caverns! And thanks to you, human, for all you have done. You did more than was asked, bearing the brunt of the battle. Not only shall we give you passage to the Underdark, but here are some magical trinkets from the old fool's horde, as well."

"I am grateful," Adrian said mechanically.

"Now, behind my old throne outside the gates, you will find a great well leading to the Underdark. Use this magical rope to climb down. You could find your way through the caverns, but that would take months, through uncharted monsters." The Prince-turned-King paused, then chuckled. "So the old prophecy was fulfilled, but not the way the mad one thought it would, eh?"

"Indeed," Adrian agreed, managing a thin smile. He looked at Jan, who nodded. The party regrouped by the door of the Throne room, as though preparing to leave.

The Prince had no time to react when crossbow bolts from both Adrian and Jan ripped through his eyes and into his brain; he died almost instantly. His priestess consort wailed and began to cast a spell, but it was too late for her, as Edwin took her out without breathing hard, by way of a hoarde of magic missles.

"Run, now, before the alarm is sounded," Adrian said grimly.

-----

They still had to fight through two groups of Sauhaugin before escaping, but the general alarm was, thankfully,not raised until they were back in the now-empty Rebel enclave outside the gates. They could hear the hue and cry slowly rising behind them, but they slammed the gates shut, and the Surgeon placed some sort of ward of binding on them.

"So, Viconia," this is it," said Adrian. "Home."

Viconia nodded, eyes troubled. Behind her, the Githyanki tensed, thinking the party would attack him. But they didn't.

Adrian flicked his wrist and the magic rope coiled and slithered it's way down the hole.

One by one, the party clambered down into the darkness.

[Laufey]

Yes, that's pretty much what I expected to happen.

And on to the Underdark it is...that should prove interesting.

[Arcalian]

Ah the mysterious Mr W. Thank you for the kind words. Adrian isn't meant to be sympathetic exactly, though he has his moments. When I first began writing him, the attic was a much more cheerful place.

Imoen's hairstyle will change again, more than once, but she won't go back to pink.

[Weyoun]

"What? Er, no, of course not my lord."

"Liar. I heard you talking earlier. Just be thankful I don't decide to sacrifice you to the Shark Father...eh?" The King turned in astonishment as the Prince and his followers stormed in.

Nice move...

The Prince had no time to react when crossbow bolts from both Adrian and Jan ripped through his eyes and into his brain; he died almost instantly. His priestess consort wailed and began to cast a spell, but it was too late for her, as Edwin took her out without breathing hard, by way of a hoarde of magic missles.

Well, it seems that The City of Caverns has just become the Ghosttown of Caverns.

Adrian flicked his wrist and the magic rope coiled and slithered it's way down the hole.

One by one, the party clambered down into the darkness.

Down we go.

--Weyoun