Ziona
First Post
Doc was the first to notice that the wyverns had broken their chains. Being closest to the cave, he could also hear them sniffing around, trying to locate their next meal.
Behind Doc, two Svirfneblin that Ziona had set free began to summon an earth elemental. The ground ripped open, and out crawled an enormous stony creature. The Svirfneblin were unaware that the wyverns had gotten loose, and set the earth elemental into the Darkness to assist those who had helped rescue them.
Doc sighed, realizing that the elemental could have been very useful in their current situation. His exhalation of breath caught the attention of the first wyvern, which turned it’s head in Doc’s direction. Doc’s reflexes kicked in, and any thought of being invisible flew from his mind. He attacked the wyvern with his rapier, rendering himself visible.
Aarack, realizing belatedly that the wyverns were free, ran to Doc’s side and began cutting into the beast with Drowbane. Since Aarack was now visible as well, the wyvern tried to plant it’s poisonous tail into his flesh, just barely missing.
Ziona heard the commotion, and turned to see her companions fighting the beasts that Drizzt had warned them to avoid. She quickly called out to her fleeing party, but the only one to hear her was Solstar. Varr, Rossal, and Zellian were too far along the path.
Solstar began casting, but his Polymorph Other spell seemed to have no effect on the wyvern. Ziona began casting as well, but the effects of her spell were not evident.
Doc and Aarack continued hacking into the first wyvern, scoring hit after hit. The wyvern angrily shot it’s tail out towards it’s prey and skewered Doc in the chest. Doc, feeling quite ill, managed to tumble a short ways away from the wyvern and quickly drank a healing potion.
Ziona, angry and tired of Underdark, ran up to the wyvern and used her True Strike spell to smash the wyvern between the eyes, dropping it to the ground. At that moment, the second wyvern made it’s appearance. Solstar began casting again. Doc, Aarack, and Ziona watched as Solstar polymorphed the deadly wyvern into a teeny ladybug.
Meanwhile, along the passageway that Drizzt had designated as the escape route, Rossal informed Varr and Zellian that he could not communicate with Ziona.
“They must be held up somehow!” Zellian said aloud.
“To the wyvern’s cave!” shouted Varr.
Back in the wyvern area, Solstar ignored the pesky ladybug buzzing around, and cast Detect Magic. He managed to grab some loot from the wretched drow and followed his party to the exit.
By the time Varr, Zellian, and Rossal were half way back, the rest of the party had caught up to them. Ziona was still invisible, but Solstar, Aarack, and Doc were there, and could hear Varr’s heavy armor clanging about the passageway. As they continued down the path, Doc reactivated his ring, and Solstar and Aarack drank the remaining invisibility potions.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hours had passed and the fatigued party made camp for one last night in the Underdark. Aarack continued mumbling his distaste for the drow, while Solstar sat near him, half listening, half thinking about his experience with the drow.
Varr and Doc shared some ale and chewed on their rations while Rossal slumbered on Ziona’s bag. Ziona sat talking with her father in hushed tones away from the rest of the party.
“I’m so glad you’re okay, father,” she began.
“I’m better than okay, Ziona. I know you have probably not noticed since the invisibility wore off only a short time ago, but the drow healed me,” said Zellian in a distant voice.
“Healed you…but why?”
“They would heal me, and I would feel healthier than I had in years. Then they would…find cruel ways of torturing me…only to heal me and begin again.”
Ziona sat next to her father, feeling helpless. She regretted not being able to get to him sooner, and her eyes welled with tears.
“I am so sorry, father. We should have gotten here sooner…” She noticed how detached her father seemed, how distant. What horrors had the drow unleashed upon him?
“You arrived at an opportune time, my daughter. I barely have a limp now! They had finished healing me just before they put me in the cell with Aarack, then your party showed up with Drizzt.”
At the sound of Drizzt’s name Ziona’s short and pointy ears perked up.
“Yes, it was incredible that he found us,” she replied. “He was amazing to watch while fighting. I pray to Eilistraee that he is well.”
“I don’t think there is a need to worry about that one,” her father said, a hopeful smile parting the worries on his face.
As if uttering his name had summoned him, Drizzt came from out of the shadows and greeted the party. It was obvious he had been somewhat hurt during the melee, but seemed in good spirits to see the entire party together.
Aarack stared at Drizzt, feeling somehow betrayed. He had been held captive by the damn drow, his sworn enemy, only to be saved by one. It filled him with anger to think that Drizzt had done him a favor.
Upon seeing Drizzt, Ziona rose to her feet. Zellian also stood up, no longer needing to rely on a walking stick.
Drizzt approached the father and daughter, thankful that they had been reunited.
“Greetings, Zellian. It pleases me to know there are other drow besides myself who have found their way to the surface, and away from Lloth,” said Drizzt.
“If not for your courage, Drizzt Do’Urden, there would be none of our kind outside the Underdark,” Zellian replied. “I have told Ziona of your heroics for many years.”
Ziona’s face became rosy pink as she blushed. “Do you need healing? What has happened to Guenhwyvar?” she asked.
“Guenhwyvar has gone back to the astral plane where she can rest. As you probably guessed, she is a magical panther.”
“And what of your wounds,” she asked again.
Now it was Drizzt’s turn to blush ever so slightly. “I will be fine,” he replied.
“It’s the least I can do to thank you for your help,” Ziona insisted. “Eilistraee has blessed me with my divine gifts to use on those in need.”
Drizzt accepted the healing, and thanked her for her assistance. He sat briefly, talking with Zellian about how he had come to live on the surface, and talked to Ziona about Eilistraee. After a short while, he stood up.
“I must be moving along, I’m afraid. I have some business to attend to while in the area,” Drizzt said. “Perhaps if your party finds itself traveling in Icewind Dale, you might stop by Mithral Hall and visit us. I’m sure Bruenor would enjoy seeing Varr again.”
Ziona looked into his striking, lavender eyes and a smile appeared on her face.
“Of course. I’m sure Varr would love that.”
“Take care, Zellian,” Drizzt said as he turned to depart. “Farewell, Ziona.”
Then he departed into the shadows the same way he had appeared.
Ziona sighed, staring into the darkness. Then she turned to the party, who had already begun determining who would take each watch. Soon they would be back on the surface in Ashabenford, basking in the sunlight.
MORE TO FOLLOW…
Behind Doc, two Svirfneblin that Ziona had set free began to summon an earth elemental. The ground ripped open, and out crawled an enormous stony creature. The Svirfneblin were unaware that the wyverns had gotten loose, and set the earth elemental into the Darkness to assist those who had helped rescue them.
Doc sighed, realizing that the elemental could have been very useful in their current situation. His exhalation of breath caught the attention of the first wyvern, which turned it’s head in Doc’s direction. Doc’s reflexes kicked in, and any thought of being invisible flew from his mind. He attacked the wyvern with his rapier, rendering himself visible.
Aarack, realizing belatedly that the wyverns were free, ran to Doc’s side and began cutting into the beast with Drowbane. Since Aarack was now visible as well, the wyvern tried to plant it’s poisonous tail into his flesh, just barely missing.
Ziona heard the commotion, and turned to see her companions fighting the beasts that Drizzt had warned them to avoid. She quickly called out to her fleeing party, but the only one to hear her was Solstar. Varr, Rossal, and Zellian were too far along the path.
Solstar began casting, but his Polymorph Other spell seemed to have no effect on the wyvern. Ziona began casting as well, but the effects of her spell were not evident.
Doc and Aarack continued hacking into the first wyvern, scoring hit after hit. The wyvern angrily shot it’s tail out towards it’s prey and skewered Doc in the chest. Doc, feeling quite ill, managed to tumble a short ways away from the wyvern and quickly drank a healing potion.
Ziona, angry and tired of Underdark, ran up to the wyvern and used her True Strike spell to smash the wyvern between the eyes, dropping it to the ground. At that moment, the second wyvern made it’s appearance. Solstar began casting again. Doc, Aarack, and Ziona watched as Solstar polymorphed the deadly wyvern into a teeny ladybug.
Meanwhile, along the passageway that Drizzt had designated as the escape route, Rossal informed Varr and Zellian that he could not communicate with Ziona.
“They must be held up somehow!” Zellian said aloud.
“To the wyvern’s cave!” shouted Varr.
Back in the wyvern area, Solstar ignored the pesky ladybug buzzing around, and cast Detect Magic. He managed to grab some loot from the wretched drow and followed his party to the exit.
By the time Varr, Zellian, and Rossal were half way back, the rest of the party had caught up to them. Ziona was still invisible, but Solstar, Aarack, and Doc were there, and could hear Varr’s heavy armor clanging about the passageway. As they continued down the path, Doc reactivated his ring, and Solstar and Aarack drank the remaining invisibility potions.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Hours had passed and the fatigued party made camp for one last night in the Underdark. Aarack continued mumbling his distaste for the drow, while Solstar sat near him, half listening, half thinking about his experience with the drow.
Varr and Doc shared some ale and chewed on their rations while Rossal slumbered on Ziona’s bag. Ziona sat talking with her father in hushed tones away from the rest of the party.
“I’m so glad you’re okay, father,” she began.
“I’m better than okay, Ziona. I know you have probably not noticed since the invisibility wore off only a short time ago, but the drow healed me,” said Zellian in a distant voice.
“Healed you…but why?”
“They would heal me, and I would feel healthier than I had in years. Then they would…find cruel ways of torturing me…only to heal me and begin again.”
Ziona sat next to her father, feeling helpless. She regretted not being able to get to him sooner, and her eyes welled with tears.
“I am so sorry, father. We should have gotten here sooner…” She noticed how detached her father seemed, how distant. What horrors had the drow unleashed upon him?
“You arrived at an opportune time, my daughter. I barely have a limp now! They had finished healing me just before they put me in the cell with Aarack, then your party showed up with Drizzt.”
At the sound of Drizzt’s name Ziona’s short and pointy ears perked up.
“Yes, it was incredible that he found us,” she replied. “He was amazing to watch while fighting. I pray to Eilistraee that he is well.”
“I don’t think there is a need to worry about that one,” her father said, a hopeful smile parting the worries on his face.
As if uttering his name had summoned him, Drizzt came from out of the shadows and greeted the party. It was obvious he had been somewhat hurt during the melee, but seemed in good spirits to see the entire party together.
Aarack stared at Drizzt, feeling somehow betrayed. He had been held captive by the damn drow, his sworn enemy, only to be saved by one. It filled him with anger to think that Drizzt had done him a favor.
Upon seeing Drizzt, Ziona rose to her feet. Zellian also stood up, no longer needing to rely on a walking stick.
Drizzt approached the father and daughter, thankful that they had been reunited.
“Greetings, Zellian. It pleases me to know there are other drow besides myself who have found their way to the surface, and away from Lloth,” said Drizzt.
“If not for your courage, Drizzt Do’Urden, there would be none of our kind outside the Underdark,” Zellian replied. “I have told Ziona of your heroics for many years.”
Ziona’s face became rosy pink as she blushed. “Do you need healing? What has happened to Guenhwyvar?” she asked.
“Guenhwyvar has gone back to the astral plane where she can rest. As you probably guessed, she is a magical panther.”
“And what of your wounds,” she asked again.
Now it was Drizzt’s turn to blush ever so slightly. “I will be fine,” he replied.
“It’s the least I can do to thank you for your help,” Ziona insisted. “Eilistraee has blessed me with my divine gifts to use on those in need.”
Drizzt accepted the healing, and thanked her for her assistance. He sat briefly, talking with Zellian about how he had come to live on the surface, and talked to Ziona about Eilistraee. After a short while, he stood up.
“I must be moving along, I’m afraid. I have some business to attend to while in the area,” Drizzt said. “Perhaps if your party finds itself traveling in Icewind Dale, you might stop by Mithral Hall and visit us. I’m sure Bruenor would enjoy seeing Varr again.”
Ziona looked into his striking, lavender eyes and a smile appeared on her face.
“Of course. I’m sure Varr would love that.”
“Take care, Zellian,” Drizzt said as he turned to depart. “Farewell, Ziona.”
Then he departed into the shadows the same way he had appeared.
Ziona sighed, staring into the darkness. Then she turned to the party, who had already begun determining who would take each watch. Soon they would be back on the surface in Ashabenford, basking in the sunlight.
MORE TO FOLLOW…
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